PGMA joins 20 poor students in SAKAY NA project in Calbayog City
By Ninfa B Quirante
Tacloban City (17 October) -- Project Shuttle All Kids and Youngsters Needing Assistance (SAKAY NA) of the city of Calbayog was launched with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as among the passengers with some 20 high schoolers from Calbayog City.
The city government took advantage of PGMA's visit to grace their 58th charter day celebration.
She boarded the shuttle bus without qualms along with the kids from more remote villages in Calbayog City.
Project SAKAY NA is a project jointly undertaken by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the city government of Calbayog. Congressman Reynaldo Uy of the First District vowed to shoulder the gasoline expenses.
During the coordination meeting for the Presidential Visit, Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento noted that because of the distance of some barangays to where the schools are, participation rate has declined through the years. He said of the 100 who enter elementary only 36 reach high school.
He also alluded to a standing order order of PGMA that by 2015 all Filipinos should have graduated from elementary school at least. The SAKAY na project, he emphasized is the city's support to the President's thrust on education.
Presently, two buses will be used to fetch high schoolers in more remote villages as early as 5:30 in the morning. He added that he has arranged with the DepEd to adjust class periods from 7:30 to 8 in the morning. Next year, the young mayor said that seven more buses will be deployed.
This project aims to provide free transport to students in rural areas or barangays and to enhance the students' performance through improved participation rate, survival rate, completion and graduation rate. (PIA-Samar) [top]
