Makati City officials have proposed to the local government of Taguig to allow them to continue providing free uniforms, shoes, supplies, and other school needs to some 30,000 public school students in the 10 barangays covered by a Supreme Court decision on the boundary dispute between the two cities.
However, Taguig has rejected this offer, according to Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza.
In a meeting with Taguig City local officials led by Mayor Laarni Cayetano and Department of Education officials in July, Makati Mayor Abigail Binay proposed a status quo where Makati will continue its services in the affected schools to ease the worries of the students and their parents and avoid disruption in school operations.
While Taguig officials rejected the proposal, Makati said the offer still stands as it will greatly ease the worries of both parents and students in the affected barangays.
“We have offered an arrangement that would benefit the students. But Taguig rejected it,” Certeza said.
According to Certeza, Taguig officials told the local government of Makati to stop distributing the students’ school needs starting this school year.
Cayetano, for her part, has pledged to provide full support to the public schools that were previously under the jurisdiction of Makati City.
Cayetano said the local government of Taguig has already prepared school kits which will be distributed to the students soon.
Since the 1990s, Makati has been providing all public school students with free school uniforms and school supplies.
Under the administration of Binay, Makati students also receive sneakers, white socks and black leather shoes, reusable water tumblers, and Japanese-inspired Randoseru bags. Students also receive hygiene kits, dental kits, anti-dengue kits, hard hats, and Emergency Go Bags, rain gear including raincoats and rain boots, and jackets.
“For the sake of the youth and the residents of the 10 affected barangays, please let us provide free school gear and supplies to the students. Let us make them our priority,” said Certeza.
“May compassion for the residents prevail and work together so that their welfare and lives will not be affected,” he added.
Cayetano, for her part, appealed to members of officers of the General Parents Teachers Association for understanding and patience as the transition takes place.
“I will earnestly and diligently contact the officials of the Department of Education so that I can make sure that at the opening of the school year your fears, your doubts, your questions, will gradually be answered, clarified, and will be met,” she said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Monday called on the local governments of Makati and Taguig to ensure the smooth delivery of services while fixing issues arising from their territorial row.
“The issue here is that the services should not be interrupted. The people should not be made to suffer and that’s paramount. The SC decision should not affect schools, hospitals, and services must be uninterrupted,” Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Abalos said he already talked with Binay and Cayetano on the matter, noting that the two sides are now coming up with ways to settle these issues amicably.
The DILG chief also said this should also apply to health facilities and other equipment that are located in the EMBO (Enlisted Men’s Barrio) barangays that would be transferred to Taguig’s jurisdiction.
These include the Makati Science High School, Comembo Elementary School, Rizal Elementary School, Pembo Elementary School, Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino High School, Tibagan High School, Fort Bonifacio Elementary School, Fort Bonifacio High School, Pitogo Elementary School, Pitogo High School, Cembo Elementary School, East Rembo Elementary School, West Rembo Elementary School and South Cembo Elementary School.