Malabuyoc school denies collecting illegal contributions

CEBU, Philippines - The school administration of Cerdeña National High School in Malabuyoc town yesterday denied asking payment of P800 from students if their parents fail to attend a Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting.

The school also denied barring the students from enrolling for non-payment of the P800.

The parent of one of the seven students who were not allowed to enroll made public their complaints over a radio program last Friday.

But the school cried foul that the parent did not attempt to settle the matter with the school first before going public, which has cracked the reputation of the school.

Victor Mira, adviser of the complaining students during the last academic year, confirmed that he did not release the report cards of the students because they have not accomplished their clearance.

But he also said that the students were allowed to temporarily enroll and attend their classes while they are still fulfilling their obligations.

The students were not cleared because their parents refused to comply with the agreement of parents during the PTA meeting last March where parents agreed to take charge of the partial labor work needed for the construction of a comfort room per classroom.

The parents agreed to lend one day a week starting March 12 to dig the pit for the septic tank.

“During the first Monday of the ‘panagtagbo’, there were only few parents who showed up to do their part. It is unfair for other parents who cooperated so they agreed to ask the parents who will refuse to help to pay P100 per absence,” Mira said.

There are eights days that the parents of the complaining students failed to join so they were supposed to pay the P800 as penalty.

But Mira said that the penalty was not imposed because they asked them to make up for their absences. He clarified that the P800 penalty is not for the absence during the PTA meeting.

Mira said that there is only one parent who continues to refuse to cooperate. The parents of the rest of the seven students who complained to a radio station are slowly making up for their absences. They are actually temporarily enrolled.

“The problem with (Mr. Carbonilla, the parent complainant) is that he walked out immediately without discussing with us what he should have done,” Mira said.

Carbonilla and the school officials will meet in a hearing at the barangay hall of Cerdeña next week to sort things out. Mira also admitted that the one hour per day allotted time to dig for the septic tanks are for the parents to allow only one hour instead of one day as originally agreed on.

Mira said that the students can temporarily enroll until they can fulfill their obligations and accomplish their clearance. The students are incoming fourth year students.  (FREEMAN)