High cost of living hits Filipino parents

Parents are complaining of the high cost of sending a child to school in the country

Some 22 million elementary and high school students in state schools returned to school yesterday as their parents bear with the increasing cost of education and consumer goods.

According to Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Jesus Lorenzo Mateo, 46,815 state schools opened doors for the first day of the new school year.

“The school year 20182019 shall formally open on Monday, June 4, 2018 and shall end on Friday, April 5, 2019.

It shall consist of 208 school days,” the Dep Ed announced earlier while pointing out that the start of classes will be advanced or delayed for private schools upon the discretion of the school authorities.

Meanwhile, parents are complaining of the high cost of sending a child to school in the country even if government provides free education to primary and secondary level education.

“Even if the government provides free education and assistance under the conditional cash transfer programme or 4Ps, sending children to school is still difficult, especially now when the prices of commodities are rising,” Tessie Perez who works as a laundrywoman told Gulf News.

A mother of eight in a household where she, her husband and two older children are already contributing to the family income, said life is still difficult despite government assistance to her children’s’ schooling.

“We are receiving P3,300 (Dh230) every month under the 4Ps programme and can hardly cope,” she said. “I can only afford sending to school three of my children; it’s better than nothing.”

Rising costs

“Yes, the government provides help through 4Ps and free state school education, but the children also have to spend on transport and food and that is where the rising cost comes in,” she said.

According to Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez, inflation in April stood at the highest level in five years at 4.5 per cent.

Alvarez attributed the recent fuel price hikes in the country to the rising global oil prices and the weakness of the Philippine peso.

Reuters Pupils recite ‘Panatang Makabayan’, an oath of allegiance to the country, during opening of classes at Baclaran Elementary School Unit 1 in Paranaque, Manila, yesterday.