SCHOOL SEEKS HELP

Science High, one of Cebu’s most prestigious schools, asks Cebu City Hall for help in settling its P369K overdue power bill

Upgraded computer labs, gadgets required as part of K-12 changes helped drive power consumption up, principal explains

Power distributor VECO has given the Cebu City National Science High School until today to settle its bill, which has risen to nearly P370,000 in 3 months

Close to a thousand junior and senior high school students of Cebu City National Science High School (CCNSHS) might have to attend classes today without electricity.

Officials of CCNSHS sought the help of Councilor Joy Augustus Young yesterday afternoon to defer the disconnection notice that the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) issued to the school.

The school has failed to settle P369,984.23 in its electricity bills for three months. Its last payment, amounting to P191,720.93, was made last Jan. 23.

Veco gave the school until yesterday to settle its dues.

In an interview, CCNSHS Principal Evelyn Pielago said they have upgraded several facilities in compliance with the implementation of the K-12 basic education curriculum, which drove an increase in their electricity consumption.

These upgrades included additional electronic gadgets and computer laboratories.

Pielago said that the school did not have a problem with their electricity bills before, until the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Schools Division issued a notice on the matter.

This prompted her to write a letter to Mayor Tomas Osmeña through Young, who is deputy mayor for education, last Feb. 12.

Transferred

“For the past years, the division office has been paying for our monthly electricity expense considering that our MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) budget per month is only P95,000,” reads a portion of the letter.

The MOOE is supposed to be spent on activities and necessities such as water and electricity, which support learning programs and help maintain a safe and healthy environment.