DAVAO CITY - The city government of Davao announced on Friday that 300 pupils enrolled in junior and senior public high schools will be receiving laptops for their online classes as the local government launched its "Student Siblings’ Laptop Sharing Project."
The city government said the project was initiated by Mayor Sara Duterte and sponsored by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Davao City.
"To qualify, the beneficiary should be a junior or senior high school pupil from an indigent family, indigent solo parent, or living with indigent guardians; must have online and offline classes; lives in a dwelling with electricity; and, must have two or more siblings who are enrolled in schools to share the laptop," a city government statement said.
Norman Baloro, spokesperson for the special project, said they will prioritize students residing in Toril Proper, Buhangin Proper, Bunawan Proper, and barangays under Poblacion and Agdao District.
"Since these are urban poor areas with stable electricity and internet connections," he added.
Baloro said that the 300 qualified students who will receive the laptops will be asked to comply with the requirements that will be posted on the Facebook Page of Eskwela Davao.
“We will get and generate the names and we will find those who need it most, especially those who are less fortunate. According to NEDA (National Economic Development Authority), a family can be considered poor when a family of six persons only has P12,577 monthly income,” he said.
He added that those who were already enrolled in other scholarship programs and assistance such as the Eskwela Davao, STEP scholarship, CHED-LGU Tulong Dunong Program were no longer qualified for the laptop sharing project.
Interested applicants may send an email to specialprojects.davaocitygov@gmail.com to download the application forms. Baloro said the forms will be placed in the designated dropbox outside the Pasalubong Center beside the People’s Park. "These forms must be submitted from September 21 to 23, 2020, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m." he said.