MAKATI Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay gave cash incentives to more than 400 honor graduates in 27 public elementary and 10 high schools in line with the city government’s program to motivate students achieve their goals.
The cash incentives, ranging from P6,000 to P10,000, was given during the Gawad Parangal ceremony held at the University of Makati Main Theater.
“Dear graduates, constantly reach for excellence, be consistent in being excellent. That is the only way you can outdo yourself. That is the only way you conquer mediocrity,” said Binay in a speech.
According to Dr. Dominico Idanan, city schools division superintendent, the valedictorians received P10,000 each, the salutatorians P9,000 each, and the first to third honorable mentions each got P7,000. He saud those in sixth to tenth places were awarded P6,000 each.
In previous years until 2014, the city government of Makati had given cash incentives and other rewards to 195 graduates made up of the top five from each of the public elementary and high schools of the city.
“It is a fitting way to reward our outstanding students for having reciprocated the generous investments of the city government in their education through hard work and persistence,” Idanan said.
The incentives, he said, would “encourage them to continue being role models to their fellow youth.”
Idanan said some 40 brand new laptops were also raffled off among the awardees during the recognition rites, with one laptop allocated per school, except for F. Benitez Elementary School, Pitogo and Benigno Aquino High School, which were allocated two laptops each since they have two sets of honor graduates—one for their regular school program and the other for their specialized curriculum program.
The city government has allocated a total budget of P2.1 billion for its public education programs this 2015 covering preschool to tertiary levels. The city’s education budget this year makes up 17.02 percent of its P12.28-billion total budget for calendar year 2015.