BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City government is expanding its education support program to include secondary public school students, ensuring that both elementary and high school learners will benefit from free school essentials for School Year 2026–2027.
Under the initiative, it will be the first time the city provides such assistance to secondary students.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said more than 46,000 students from Grades 7 to 12 will receive free school bags and physical education (P.E.) uniforms, marking a broader reach of the city’s long-running education assistance program.
Previously focused on elementary pupils, the program continues to provide full school supply packages, including bags, to nearly 70,000 learners for School Year 2025–2026.
For the upcoming school opening, more than 64,600 kindergarten to Grade 6 students are set to receive supplies.
The distribution is in line with City Ordinance No. 09-16-787, which institutionalizes the annual provision of free school supplies for public elementary students. However, the current administration has expanded the program to include high school learners.
Gasataya assured parents that the city government is working to complete the distribution before the opening of classes on June 8, helping ease the financial burden on families amid rising living costs.
With a budget exceeding P90 million—P50 million of which comes from the Special Education Fund—the program highlights the city’s continued investment in education.
Standard supply kits for elementary students typically include notebooks, writing pads, ballpens, and pencils packed in durable envelopes, along with school bags.
The mayor emphasized that the initiative aims to help families cope with increasing education expenses while reinforcing Bacolod’s commitment to prioritizing students and strengthening access to basic education.
As economic pressures persist, the expanded program positions Bacolod among local governments actively scaling up support to ensure that no learner is left behind./PN
