Science High may lose electricity

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City National Science High School is among those that upgraded their facilities to cater to the demands of the implementation of the K-12 program.

The problem is that technology needs electricity to work and the school does not have enough money to pay for its ballooning power consumption.

Yesterday, the school’s principal, Evelyn Pielago, told Councilor Joy Augustus Young that the school owes the Visayan Electric Company P369,984.23.

The school has until today to settle the bill.

“Our electrical consumption increases and for the past years,” Pielago said.

She said the P95,000 budget the school gets from the Department of Education monthly for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) is not enough to pay for janitorial services, water bills, internet connection, telephone bills, office supplies, electricity bills, trainings and seminars for teachers, among others.

The last electrical bill DepEd paid for CCNSHS in January this year amounted to P191,720.93.

The following month, however, Pielago received a notice from DepEd Cebu City District Supt., Dr. Bianito Dagatan, that the division office will no longer pay for the school’s electrical expenses for lack of budget.

Pielago said Dagatan suggested that the school ask for  subsidy from the city government to pay for the power bill.

CCNSHS has over 900 students in both junior high school and senior high school.

Young, for his part, said he will ask VECO not to disconnect the school’s electricity because doing so would affect the students’ studies.

He said the city is willing to help but it would need to ask permission from the Commission on Audit. 

He explained that the city spent for electricity bills for schools in the past but COA questioned the expenses, thus, it had to be stopped.

“We’re willing to assist but wala na tay kwarta nga gi-budget para ana. We need to ask the Commission on Audit for this kay the same matter was questioned by the commission before,” he told reporters.

He said the school’s request will be discussed during the meeting of the Local School Board next week.

Young said the situation at CCNSHS should be a wakeup call for DepEd, which implemented the K-12 program despite the lack of budget and classrooms, among others.

“I’m calling the attention of the DepEd main office on how they manage the education of the students. Nganong mag-senior high school man nga kuwang pa og equipment ug budget para sa junior high?” he said. — /JMO (FREEMAN)