Baguio program saves pupil from dropping out

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY  -- An elementary pupil at risk of dropping out has been given another chance to continue his studies through the city government’s Gawad Lingap Program.
    According to Schools Division Superintendent Federico Martin, the pupil’s father had been admitted to a correctional facility.
    With the school’s assistance, the learner became one of recipients of the program and was able to maintain high grades in school.
    “We were able to save him from dropping out through the Gawad Lingap Program. Now, he is performing very well in school,” Martin said as he expressed his gratitude to the Baguio City Council.
    Martin said there were similar stories of students who were on the verge of dropping out of school but were able to continue their studies because they were granted financial aid through various programs such as the Gawad Lingap. 
    The Gawad Lingap Program was launched in 2022 pursuant to a city ordinance that was enacted by the Baguio City Council in the same year.
    The program sought to provide monthly allowance to qualified K-12 students in any public elementary and secondary schools and kindergartens in the city. Under the program, qualified students from Kindergarten to Grade Six shall receive P500 monthly while qualified students from Grade 7 to Grade 12 shall receive P1,000 also monthly.
    There are now 109 elementary learners and 145 secondary learners who are beneficiaries of the program.
Pursuant to the ordinance, a committee was created consisting of the city mayor as the chairperson,  Schools Division Superintendent as co-chairperson, Youth Formation Officer of Dept. of Education-Baguio as secretary, with other officers of DepEd-Baguio, Local Youth Development Officer, and president of Parents and Teachers Association as members.
    The committee was tasked to screen applicants and award the financial assistance to the eligible students. 
    The program was funded under the general fund of the city government under the Schools Division Office (SDO) with a total of at least P2 million for every year and may be increased with the recommendation of the committee.
    Principally authored by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales with Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councilor Vladimir Cayabas as co-authors, the ordinance was aimed at lessening absences among students and addressing alarming dropout rates in the city by granting financial assistance to qualified students to support their daily school expenses. 
    According to a study conducted in 2015, the main cause of absenteeism among Baguio learners was financial constraints. 
    Martin said, up to now, poverty remains one reason why there are out-of-school children and teens.
    Per the SDO’s records, of the 64,472 enrolled students in all public elementary and high schools in the city for School Year 2021-2022, 355 or .55% had dropped out. 
    The numbers of drop out students for School Year 2021-2022 per grade level: Grade 1 (8); Grade 2 (11); Grade 3 (12); Grade 4 (10); Grade 5 (8); Grade 6 (14); Grade 7 (6); Grade 8 (45); Grade 9 (62); Grade 10 (70); Grade 11 (44); and Grade 12 (64).