The Pasig City government has passed an ordinance temporarily waiving all regulatory fees for private schools and extended its scholarship coverage as face-to-face classes remain prohibited due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a social media post, Mayor Vico Sotto on Sunday night shared a copy of Ordinance No. 32 series of 2020, stating all private educational institutions including basic, secondary, tertiary, and postgraduate level in Pasig City will no longer have to pay regulatory fees they owe to the local government until the national government permits the resumption of face-to-face classes.

“We know private schools are having a difficult time too, and some are in danger of closing. Many of their students can’t afford tuition anymore. This puts our public school system in danger of overcrowding,” Sotto said.

The ordinance, however, stated that the waiving of fees “does not mean that private educational institutions shall forego the process of renewing their permits with the local government”.

“All the private educational institutions covered by this ordinance are required to have been registered or to immediately comply with all the registration procedures before the effectivity of the ordinance, in order to be covered by the waiver of fees,” the ordinance reads.

Meanwhile, Sotto also announced that the local government has extended Pasig’s scholarship fund to cover 3, 000 indigent students from the private schools.

“The schools will help us identify the beneficiaries,” he said. “We are all having a difficult time, but we are in this together.”
The Department of Education has earlier moved the school opening of the blended learning modality from August 24 to October 5.

Malacañang, however, has clarified that the virtual classes of private institutions that have already started prior to the postponement of school opening should continue. (PNA)