Makati City earmarks billion for education

Makati City has allocated R2.8 billion for public education this year. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said that the residents of Makati must expect more benefits as the city has allotted a bigger budget for education.

“As I have said, my administration is committed to providing the youth of Makati the best education we can afford. Thus, we have been proactively looking for ways to boost the benefits they are currently receiving from the city government,” Binay, a lawyer and daughter of former Vice President and former Makati City Mayor Jejomar C. Binay, said.

The city reserved around R700 million for Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education).

The project provides school children in public schools up to senior high school with free school shoes, school uniforms, and various school supplies.

Free school bags are also given to Kinder, SPED and Grade 1 students.

Binay also ordered the addition of brand new pair of rubber shoes to the Project FREE package.

“We are doing our best to give students complete school gear and supplies to inspire them to excel in their studies, and to ease the financial burden of parents,” she said.

Some 90,193 students received the first batch of the rubber shoes, dubbed by netizens as ‘Air Binay’.

Some 48,283 pairs were distributed to students from Kindergarten to Grade 6, another 39,299 pairs to Grades 7 to 12 students and over 2,500 to Alternative Learning System and special education students.