Pupils in Mandaue obliged to sell tickets?

CEBU, Philippines - The selling of raffle tickets by public elementary school pupils in Mandaue City is not compulsory.

This was the answer of the City Fiesta Committee and DepEd to an allegation made by a parent yesterday over the radio program “Arangkada,” hosted by Leo Lastimosa of dyAB.

A parent yesterday alleged that elementary pupils in the city have been each given a raffle stub which contained 25 raffle tickets to be sold at P20 each and that students are required to sell everything given to them.

The raffle tickets are for the Queen, Prince, and Princess money contest of which the coronation night will be on the evening of May 5 at the Mandaue City Plaza Square.

However, Neneth Prichard, the executive chair of the Fiesta Committee said students are not obliged to sell the raffle stubs.

If they cannot sell all the 25 tickets in one stub, then the students can return the stubs to their teachers.

Prichard said that each year during the fiesta celebration, the DepEd has participated in the various fiesta activities of the city wherein they will choose to handle a certain competition.

She said that for this year, DepEd decided to handle the money contest.

She said the Parents-Teachers Community Association has decided to sell tickets because schools, candidates, and the organizer will get a percentage from the tickets sold.

Benjamin Chiongson, DepEd’s administrative officer, also said the selling of the raffle tickets is not compulsory. -  THE FREEMAN