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CEBU CITY, Philippines - The Consolacion National High School (CNHS) may end up without electricity soon after the Consolacion municipal government ceased paying the school?s power needs for the past few months.
The Parents-Teachers Community Association (PTCA) of the school has approached Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for assistance, since the school has already racked up around P200,000 in power bills representing the school?s consumption since November 2007.
The PTCA said that since the school was established in 1974, the municipal government has been shouldering the electrical expenses of the school. This changed in November when the school ceased paying.
Mike Mahusay, a member of the CNHS board of trustees, said he and school PTCA president Silverio Tibon visited Mayor Avelino Gungob last week to address the problem.
Mahusay said the mayor advised them to collect contributions from the parents of students to pay for the school?s electric bills. The mayor also advised that the school approach the town council for the passage of an ordinance that would require parents to contribute for the electric bill.
Mahusay, however, said the mayor?s proposal was impossible since the Department of Education (DepEd) prohibits schools from collecting any fees from parents, apart from the tuition.
On February 23, the PTCA passed a resolution asking Governor Garcia to extend financial assistance of P200,000 to pay the electric bills. A copy of the resolution was furnished to the Office of the Governor last Thursday.
The PTCA said that since November, DepEd in Central Visayas (DepEd) has covered for some of the school?s bills using its Maintenance and other Operating Expenses funds.
The funds, however, are limited and need to be replenished to cover other expenses of schools in the region.
?The operation of CNHS is on the verge of paralyzation and jeopardy if financial remedy is not undertaken expeditiously,? the PTCA said.
The school consumes around P67,000 worth of power per month, Mahusay said. That consumption is expected to go up to P100,000 per month due to additional equipment that the school acquired, such as computers and welding machines.
