Committee okays incentive hike for honor grads

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council’s Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling has interposed no objection for the enactment of the proposed ordinance increasing the incentive of the city’s Honor Graduate Incentive Program.

The proposed ordinance seeks to amend Section 2.2 of City Ordinance No. 2454 to adjust the amount of the cash incentives to be given to students of public elementary and secondary schools who graduate with honors.

It is authored by Councilor Alvin Dizon.

“We are of the considered opinion that the proposed amendment is well within the authority of the Sanggunian to enact. It appears to suffer no illegal impediment, and should the members of the Sanggunian have nothing further to add, modify, or delete, it may adopt the ordinance in its entirety,” read the committee report.

The committee noted that said ordinance was passed on February 17, 2016 to recognize and reward exemplary students who graduated with honors, and to encourage others to excel in their studies.

“We likewise note that it has been at least five (5) years since this ordinance has passed, and considering the differently reality students are facing now compared to then, and factoring in inflation, there is a need to increase the amount of the incentives so that the spirit of the original ordinance may be preserved,” it added.

Section 2.2 of the proposed ordinance states that students in public elementary and secondary schools who graduate with honors are entitled to a cash incentive amounting to P6,000 for the valedictorian; P4,000 for the salutatorian; P3,000 for the first honorable mention; P2,000 for the second honorable mention up to the eighth honorable mention.

Currently, Section 2.2 of Ordinance 2454 provides that the students are entitled to a cash incentive of P3,000 for the valedictorian; P2,000 for the salutatorian; P1,000 for the first honorable mention; and P500 for the second honorable mention up to the eighth honorable mention.

“In an educational setting, the use of incentives for academic achievement reinforces positive behavior towards learning and the recognition provided to honor graduates in public schools in Cebu City will help encourage students to excel in their studies,” the proposed ordinance read.

The proposed measure is yet to undergo its first reading before the City Council. — GMR (FREEMAN)