Teachers receive P10T cash aid

CHEERFUL. Just in time for the Christmas holidays, around 5,500 public school teachers in Cebu City receive a cash assistance of P10,000 from City Hall. (Sun.Star Foto/Amper Campaña)

AROUND 5,500 public elementary and secondary school teachers received their P10,000 assistance from the Cebu City Government yesterday.

But unlike most of the teachers, 21-year-old Asmah Agorig will not be spending her cash aid for the Christmas. Because she is a Muslim, Agorig will be using her cash gift to pay for her tuition after she enrolled as an education major student. Agorig teaches Arabic language at the Zapatera Elementary School. Although she has been teaching for three years by virtue of her skill in the foreign language, Agorig said she has yet to complete her bachelor’s degree. She just needs to pass the qualifying exam to be able to teach. Agorig is now in her second year in her college education.

“I am thankful that the City gave us the financial assistance because it will really help in our expenses,” Agorig told Sun.Star Cebu.

Yesterday was the first time for her to get her P10,000 financial assistance.

For Alma Karen Oporto, a portion of the cash assistance will be shared with her students during their Christmas party on Friday. Oporto is a grade 5 teacher in Banilad Elementary School. “Mohatag sad ko ug share sa akong mga pupils, mopuno ko gamay para sa among Christmas party aron malipay sad ang mga bata(I will share this with my pupils, I will contribute to their Christmas party so the kids will be happy),” she said.

Aside from it, most of her cash aid will be spent for her child’s tuition.

Budget

In an interview yesterday, Local School Board Chief Raddy Diola said the City set aside P55 million under this year’s annual budget for the teachers’ cash aid.

Even if it was given in December, Diola clarified that the P10,000 given to the teachers is not a bonus, but an assistance the City has been giving under suspended Mayor Michael Rama’s administration.

There are at least 140 public elementary and high schools in the city. City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said teachers who failed to claim their financial assistance during the scheduled distribution yesterday can still claim it until December 23 at the City Treasurer’s Office