• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday approved on third and final reading an ordinance amending City Ordinance No. 08-15-723, series of 2015 known as “The Honor Students Incentives Ordinance of Bacolod City.”
The ordinance said C.O. 08-15-723 mandates the City of Bacolod to grant awards and incentives to graduating honor students of all public and private elementary and secondary schools within its jurisdiction.
Upon review, some of the provisions of the ordinance are no longer timely and applicable due to the changes in the recognition of honor students in these levels, it said.
According to DepEd Order No. 36, series of 2016 or the Policy Guidelines on Awards and Recognitions for the K to 2 Basic Education Program, grade-level awards are given to qualified learners for every grade level at the end of the school year, the ordinance said.
Candidates for the awards are deliberated by the Awards Committee (AC) if they have met the given criteria. One of the grade-level awards that may be given is the Academic Excellence Awards which is given at the end of the school year, to learners from grades 1 to 12 who have attained a general average of at least 90 and a passing final grade in all learning areas, it said.
The ordinance said that with such observation, it is appropriate that certain provisions of C.O. No. 08-15-723 be amended and repealed to suit the current policy guidelines.
Section 3 of C.O. 08-15-723 (Awards) will be amended as: At the end of the school year and after consideration of the Awards Committee of all public and private elementary and secondary schools in the City of Bacolod, learners of Grade 6, 10 and 12 distinguished as With Highest Honors, and With High Honors, will be given a Mayor’s Academic Excellence medal and certificate, it said.
Section 4 of C.O. 08-15-723 (Cash Incentives) will be amended as: The City Government may grant cash incentives to learners of Grade 6, 10 and 12 of all public and private elementary and secondary schools in the City of Bacolod distinguished as With Highest Honor, With High Honor, and With Honors subject to the availability of funds, the ordinance said.
The amount of cash incentives to be given will be determined by the Local School Board, the City Budget Officer and the PESO manager. They will take into consideration that the same should be given in incremental order from With Highest Honor, With High Honors, and With Honors, it said.
Section 10 of C.O. 08-15-723 (Additional Awardee) will be amended as: City of Bacolod Outstanding Student Leader Award. Learners of Grade 6, 10, and 12 of all public and private elementary and secondary schools in the City of Bacolod, who have been identified by the respective Awards Committee of the schools as Leadership Awardees in accordance with DepEd Order No. 36, series of 2016, will be given a medal by the city government as Special Awards for their exemplary skills, the ordinance said.
Meanwhile, the ordinance authored by Councilor Simplicia Distrito and co-authored by Councilors Al Victor Espino and Celia Matea Flor repeals Section 5 of C.O. 08-15-723.*
