BACOLOD City Executive Assistant Moises de la Cruz, cluster head on education, is coordinating with the City Mayor's Office so they can start the bidding for the procurement of free school supplies for all elementary students in the city.
De la Cruz said Friday, May 31, that they are still finalizing the free school supplies and he assured that they will deliver them soon to all elementary students.
He said he will suggest to distribute school supplies only, excluding the bags, so they can purchase as soon as possible.
De la Cruz said the procurement of school bags will take about 60 days and it will take time before it will be delivered.
"We are now gathering all the requirements, as well as the total number of enrolled students in all public elementary schools here," de la Cruz said.
He said in 2018, they distributed the schools supplies with bags to almost 65,000 students from Grade 1 to Grade 6.
"This year, we will include the kinder pupils. It's the program of the city government to ease the burden of our parents," he added.
Councilor Renecito Novero, chairperson of the City Council committee on education, earlier said the City Government allotted P15 million for free school supplies and miscellaneous of public school students, but the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) failed to conduct a bidding because of the elections ban.
He said the free school supplies will not be delivered in the opening of school classes, but they are hoping to deliver it by July or August.
In 2016, the City Council approved the ordinance providing free educational materials to all students or public elementary schools in Bacolod. The ordinance was authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito.