“Una sa Laguna pagdating sa edukasyon.”
Once again, the city government of San Pedro, Laguna under Mayor Art Mercado has made good on one of its landmark programs for its education sector.
Free school uniforms, supplies for San Pedrense students
As schools around the city opened their doors to students last July 30, Mercado himself led the distribution of free school bags, as well as uniforms, to public-school students around the city.
To recall, the city executive first announced in his social media page last July 5 the continuation of his administration’s program that aims to lighten the burden of parents as they prepare for the new school year.
“Nais ko pong ibalita sa lahat na patuloy pong makakatanggap ng libreng school uniform at school supplies ang ating mga public school students mula Grade 1 to Grade 10. Meron din libreng school uniform ang ating mga Grade 11 at 12 students,” Mercado had said at the time.
“Maraming salamat po sa ating taxpayers at kasamahan sa trabaho upang maging posible ang project na ito (na nagsimula noong tayo ay maupo). Sana makatulong po ito sa ating mga magulang at estudyante ngayong darating na pasukan,” he added.
Since 2022, the city government under Mercado has pioneered the distribution of free school uniforms and supplies to public-school students in the city, as part of his administration’s five-point “ART-genda.”
This is the third year the Mercado administration has conducted this program, one of the key projects under his "Art-GENDA" that aims to bolster San Pedro City's education sector.
The program had been implemented on a staggered basis: during the first year of Mercado’s tenure, the city government distributed free bags and school supplies, then free uniforms in the second year, and now both for the third year.
In a message to OpinYon Laguna, the San Pedro City Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) disclosed that for the school year 2024-2025, the city government plans to distribute a total of 51,979 free school uniforms and 46,203 school bags (complete with supplies).
“Tapos na pong i-distribute sa ating mga paaralan ang mga school uniform; yung mga bag na lang po ang ongoing pa po ang pamamahagi,” the PAIO said in its message.
The Mercado administration aims to complete the distribution of the free school supplies by the end of August, it added.
‘Study hard’
In his recent visit to the Rosario Elementary School last August 7 to oversee the distribution of free school uniforms and supplies to students, Mercado has only one thing to ask in return for the city’s students as his administration continues to advance programs that will benefit them: study hard.
"Ang aking tanging hiling sa mga kabataan natin dito ngayon ay mag-aral kayo nang mabuti para sa inyong mga magulang, makatapos tayo ng kolehiyo," the city mayor said in his message at the event.
"Huwag niyo pong intindihin ang mga pangangailangan ninyo, ang city government, gagawin namin lahat para talagang maganda ang kalidad ng edukasyon at ang buhay ng bawat taga-San Pedro,” he added.
Students, teachers and parents alike also expressed their gratitude to the city government of San Pedro for this landmark project.
“Napakalaki pong tulong itong programa kasi ang mga magulang ay di na po nila kailangan pang mag-isip kung saan sila kukuha ng pambili,” said Rosario Elementary School Principal Emlyn Gazzingan.
Meanwhile, San Pedrense netizens are all praises, too, not only at the program itself, but at the quality of the materials distributed.
"Maganda at malinis tingnan na bago lahat ang uniform ng mga bata. Maganda at di mukhang cheap yung bag and specially may school supplies pa," netizen Jelly Guerzon said in a comment to OpinYon Laguna.
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