• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod is moving closer towards providing financial relief for honor graduates through a proposed ordinance granting subsidies for professional licensure examination fees.
Councilor Jason Isidro Villarosa, author of the measure, recently led a public hearing to discuss the initiative aimed at supporting Bacolodnon students who graduate with Latin honors.
Under the proposed ordinance, the city would cover application costs based on a tiered system with 100 percent subsidy for summa cum laude graduates, 50 percent for magna cum laude, and 25 percent for cum laude.
To be eligible, applicants must be residents of Bacolod City and have graduated from a college or university located within the city, and the awardee or the parents must be a registered voter.
The program is looking at a proposed annual budget of P1 million, which would be sourced from the local government’s general fund or other available resources.
While the funding is currently being finalized, Villarosa said that the Budget Office has recommended integrating the allocation into the city’s Annual Investment Plan. The councilor plans to coordinate directly with the city mayor to ensure the necessary funds are secured for the program’s implementation.*
