Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. wants to ensure that Angeleno children will have assistance to continue their education in the new normal, by purchasing tablets and installing satellite units to provide free wifi for their online classes.
ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has announced during his State of the Children Address that he will push programs that will continue to strengthen the quality of education of Angeleño children.
This is in line with his promise that “no Angeleño children will be left behind” in terms of education.
Amid the pandemic, the city government has set aside P209 million for the procurement of 61,200 tablets to be used by Angeleño students in their transition to online learning.
To date, 44,200 tablets had already been distributed and are currently being used by students from Grades 4 to 12, in public schools around the city.
In order to further help them with their online classes, Mayor Lazatin has also allocated P20 million for free wifi connection, installing 200 access points in the city’s 33 barangays.
A total of 1,000 college students also received P1,000 financial education assistance.
Amidst the ongoing transition to online learning, the city government has allotted P5 million for the repair of day care centers and classrooms to make sure the city is prepared for the return of face-to-face classes.
A total of P12 million was also used to purchase air conditioning units and television sets for all 76 day care centers, which will be distributed and installed by January 2021.
A total of P30 million from the Local School Board fund for 2021 will be used for the repair of public elementary schools, including comfort rooms, and construction of additional classrooms for public high schools.
Mayor Lazatin reported that the city government is also in the final stages of negotiation for the construction of more classrooms for the City College, as well as new buildings and more hospital rooms for the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center.
On the other hand, a P50-million donation from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will be used for the construction of additional classrooms for the City College.
Mayor Lazatin also believes in giving second chances to the youth, who have fallen prey to the influence of drugs.
The city government has allocated P2 million for the operation of “Bahay Pag-Asa”, with the objective of turning it into a premier reformation center for youth offenders, through its skills training, life skills and alternative learning system.
In order to efficiently combat illegal drugs and save Angeleño children from its grip, Mayor Lazatin has tasked the Angeles City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ACADAC) to conduct regular seminars and anti-drug abuse awareness campaigns for students in Grades 4 to 12, in both public and private schools, starting next year.
Furthermore, the city government has allotted P25 million for the skills training and livelihood assistance program for the parents, to ensure that they have the means to sustain their needs and provide their children an adequate standard of living.
This includes a P3-million budget for the social pension of all solo parents living in the city.
As he ended his children’s address report, he urged his constituents to join him in securing the welfare of future generations.
“I am determined to realize all of these, but I will be needing all the help from all of you,” he said.
“The cooperation and understanding amongst us is a fundamental necessity to build things together. We must do our best for our children,” Lazatin ended.
