The Quezon City government has set aside over P3 million in cash incentives for the Top 3 students in its public schools and to subsidize the expenses of 147 public primary and secondary schools for their graduation ceremonies.
Mayor Herbert Bautista recently approved a P1.42-million budget for the cash rewards that would go to the valedictorian, salutatorian and first honorable mention in all its public elementary and high schools. An additional P1.695 million was also allocated for their commencement rites.
The class valedictorian will receive P5,000, the salutatorian, P3,000 while the first honorable mention will get P2,000. As for the subsidy, big schools will each receive P20,000; medium-sized schools, P15,000 each; and small schools, P10,000 each.
In a statement, Quezon City schools division superintendent Dr. Ponciano Menguito assured parents that no cash would be collected for the commencement exercises in public schools. He said that he had also asked schools to strictly comply with the Department of Education directive of requiring their graduates to wear their school uniforms instead of togas on graduation day.