IF THE Cebu City Government can afford to spend on gala dinners, it shouldn’t have any problem allocating funds for its scholars’ board examinations fees.
This was City Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa’s reaction after his proposed amendment to the Cebu City Scholarship Program ordinance was given back to him.
Comments from members of the committee on scholarship program suggested reconsidering the financial aspect of his proposed changes.
Abellanosa drafted an amendment to the scholarship program ordinance that will allow the City to assist its scholars taking professional board examinations.
The assistance covers their review and board examination fees. However, the amount will be determined by the scholarship committee.
The proposed changes also include an increase in the allowances for school supplies, board and lodging and board exam review and application fees.
While members of the scholarship committee applauded the proposed amendment, they said it would need an additional budget as its implementation “may exacerbate the City’s financial burden.”
“If the City can spend on gala dinners or whatever, then we can most definitely afford additional assistance for our students,” Abellanosa said during the council’s regular session on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
“That’s what they need, they need that one opportunity for them to go to greater heights,” he added.
In the existing ordinance, the scholarship only grants P10,000 per semester for tuition and other related fees and P1,000 per year (P500 per semester) for school supply expenses. Scholars from the mountain barangays receive an additional allowance of P1,000 per month for transportation.
The scholarship committee pointed out that the original intention of the scholarship ordinance is to provide college scholarships to eligible Cebu City residents. The inclusion of the allowances for review classes and examination fees extends beyond the scope, “as these activities are not integral” to the curriculum of a course or degree, it said.
The committee also said the practice of providing regular financial assistance without requiring corresponding efforts from recipients can lead to dependency, reduced initiative, mediocrity, complacency and resource misallocation.
The committee is composed of Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros, City Councilors Phillip Zafra and Jocelyn Pesquera and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president Rhea Mae Jakosalem.
Zafra, committee vice chairman, said the committee did not “categorically” say the amendment should not be approved, but it cannot be part of the scholarship program.
City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, committee on budget and finance chair, said the amendment was “a very good amendment” but Abellanosa should take a look at how much the City will have to spend for this, adding that there is a need to reconsider the financial aspect and resources of funds.
Zafra also suggested to the proponent to come up with a separate ordinance on the matter.
City Councilor Joy Augustus Young, who has been an advocate for education, supported Abellanosa’s proposal, saying it supplements the needs of scholars who cannot afford to take board exams.
“Kay ang mga bata, nag-skwela pila ka tuig, ako lang after spending so much effort, inig abot sa ending, naay daghan di ka-afford board exam. Sayang kay ang gi-invest bitaw mawa,” he said.
(The scholars studied for many years only to find out they cannot take the board exam because they can’t afford it. Our efforts, what we invested would go to waste),” said Young in mixed Cebuano and English.
Young said it is also high time to update the scholarship program, considering the amount of P10,000 has not changed since the program started in 2010.
“We already increased the (incentives for) PWD (persons with disability), senior citizens, single mother, we should be putting more attention to our scholarships kay mura man gud nabiyaan (because it looks like they’ve been neglected),” he said.
Based on the committee’s latest data, there are around 17,000 scholars under the program. / JJL