INTRODUCTION
The Philippine Constitution has mandated the government to allocate the highest proportion of its budget to education. However, Philippines still has one of the lowest budget allocations to education among the Asian countries. Lack of infrastructure is one of the issues confronting the Department of Education. There are schools who have limited resources but have very large student population. Most of them experience classroom shortage, insufficient textbooks and instructional materials and over-crowding. There are schools in low income municipalities, which are poor but have high performing students and those with undernourished students (Department of Education). Like most government endeavor, public education cannot succeed without the support of the private sector. With the help of companies and business groups, programs by the government are important in building a strong future for the country that would enhance the Filipinos’ competitiveness in the global community.
Towards this end, the Adopt-A-School Program is established which allow private entities to assist a public school. Former Department of Education Secretary Edilberto De Jesus mentioned in his speech that “Basic education is too big and too important task to leave to the government. Education is the country’s answer to the growing problem of poverty, which should not only be alleviated but be totally eradicated. ”. Idealistic the statement must be, it is within reach if every Filipino will join hands and make an effort to instill change.
The Adopt-A-School Program was enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines through Republic Act No. 8525 on February 14, 1998. A revised implementing rules and regulations of this Republic Act was revised through DepEd Order No. 2 on 2013. Likewise, the guidelines on the utilization of downloaded funds for Adopt-A-School Program was issued through DepEd Order No. 16 in 2014. Such downloaded fund was used for advocacy and promotion activities, reorientation of school heads on ASP, evaluation of activities, stakeholders’ forum, and partnership appreciation program at the division level (deped.gov.ph, 2013). Furthermore, DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2015 issues the guidelines on the utilization of support funds for Adopt-A-School Program. Mandated to provide an enhanced learning environment and resources which would benefit children and youth in public schools, the Department of Education through the Adopt-A-School Program is continuously engaged in obtaining support from various entities ensuring that each support contributes for expanding access to quality education (deped.gov.ph, 2015).
The most recent issuance is the DepEd Order No. 24, s. 2016 which is about the guidelines on accepting donation and on processing application for the availment of tax incentives of private donor-partners supporting the K to 12 program. The following documents are used as attachments to Adopt-A School reporting by public schools: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which is to be drafted by the school and the private sector partner specifying the responsibilities and right of both parties, including details of the donation/contribution value which is reviewed and determined to be in order before being signed by both parties, Deed of Donation ( DOD ) in favor of the beneficiary school containing the actual peso worth of the support packages and Deed of Acceptance ( DOA ) as a way of acknowledging the donation provided by the Private Sector Partner (deped.gov.ph, 2016).
Guided by the above-mentioned Republic Act and the succeeding DepEd Orders and related issuances, public schools in the Division of Quezon seek assistance from private sector partners. Assistance may be in the form of, but not limited to infrastructure, furniture, technology, appliances and equipment, learners’ wellness health and nutrition, learners’ school supplies and uniform and teaching and non-teaching personnel support.
Bukal Elementary School is facing a challenge on the sustainability of finding stakeholders that would continuously adopt the school. As stated in the DepEd mission, stakeholders are actively engaged and share responsibility for developing life-long learners. Project MPAS aims on finding more partners and stakeholders that would continuously support the school’s needs.
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