BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting incentive awards to benefactors of donations to public schools in the city. The ordinance authored by Councilor Lenadro B. Yangot, Jr. stated a benefactor is any individual or juridical entity engaged in trade or business or engaged in the practice of his or her profession, either a resident or non-resident of the city, who teams up with the Department of Education – Cordillera Division of city Schools in Baguio and the Local School Board, to donate facilities, equipment, supplies, and or services to the public schools.
Further, any primary, secondary or tertiary school within the territorial jurisdiction of the city that is subject to the authority of the city Government and any implement that is used for operations or activities such as, but not limited to, computers, sports, goods, science laboratory tools, audio-visual materials and the like.
Yangot cited private entities may be entitled to incentives upon donation of equipment, supplies, facilities and or services to public school beneficiaries agreed upon by the Division of city Schools, the Local School Board (LSB) and the private entity, provided that, the LSB shall be the sole body which shall determine, assess, and recommend that the donations are qualified for incentives.
Moreover, Yangot explained the donations will be subjected to the terms and conditions wherein donated equipment and supplies must be brand new and in good working condition, donated land must be free from any liens and encumbrances, titled in the donor’s name and not located in a high-risk area and for rooms and buildings, it must be considered habitable and safe for use as determined by the City Building Official.
Yangot added the ordinance will be separate and distinct from other grants of any other similar incentives to the private entity coming from the national government such as those provided by Republic Act 8525, otherwise known as the Adopt-A-School Act of 1998.
The proposed ordinance provides the creation of an Incentives and Awards Committee which shall be chaired by the City Mayor, the City Schools Division Superintendent as Vice Chairperson and Action Officer and The City Administrator, City Treasurer, Public School District Supervisors, City General Services Officer, President of the National Association of the Public Secondary School Heads, President of the Philippine Elementary School Principals Association, Presiden of the Federation of Parents, Teachers and Community Association (PTCAs), City Building Official and City Engineer as members.
Further, the Incentives and Awards Committee shall craft the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance and submit the same to the City Council for approval within 90 calendar days after its effectivity.
He explained the City Government maintains a policy of promoting collaborative efforts with the private sector in support of the city’s socio-economic development objectives by means of various tools and modalities such as public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility projects, social enterprises, and cooperativism towards the attainment of its mission and vision.
