Cash incentives for graduating elementary and high school students with academic excellence proposed in Baguio

Baguio City, Philippines - Good grades do not just come with being smart or mastering the subjects; they also come with patience or endurance to overcome challenges required by attaining excellence.

For said reason, a City Councilor in Baguio, Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., has proposed an ordinance seeking incentives for graduating public elementary and high school students in the city who excel academically.

The ordinance was proposed by Yangot to honor the hard work of deserving students and provide them with the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in their own small way at a time when their families cannot afford to do so.

During the session of the Baguio City Council on Monday, December 2, 2024, councilor Yangot presented the ordinance, and was approved on its first reading, the Baguio City Public Information Office reported.

Under the ordinance, at least P5,000 in cash rewards will be given to 10 graduating elementary, junior high, and senior high schools in the city. This shall be provided for and subjected to accounting and auditing requirements under the annual city government budget.

The proposed ordinance, Yangot said during the session, is also aligned with Republic Act 10533, otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.

The law, which seeks to improve the country's educational system, includes provisions that support the development of a complete, integrated, and accessible basic education program, which the ordinance seeks to complement by providing further recognition to outstanding students.