Parañaque Representative Edwin Olivarez congratulated more than 100 Grade 10 completers from the Parañaque Science High School (ParSci), which he referred to as the “cream of the crop” among the students in the city. “In behalf of the city government, I would like to congratulate all the completers for the year 2023 of Parañaque Science High School. Our students are the cream of the crop of the city of Paranaque. You will be the next leaders, study harder, finish college, congratulations,” he said. Mayor Eric Olivarez and Jaril Magpusao Andrade, the son of Manila Bulletin correspondent Nel Andrade / Photo courtesy of Nel Andrade Olivarez attended the eighth moving up ceremony of the Parañaque Science High School (ParSci) held at Sequoia Hotel at the Aseana Business Park on July 14. He urged the students to finish their senior high school years and eventually their college education as the city has available jobs for them. He also lauded the Department of Education (DepEd), the Schools Division of Parañaque, ParSci Principal Ruel Grafil and its faculty for guiding the city’s youth through the K to 12 program of the national government despite the odds of the pandemic. During the ceremony, the congressman also announced that the city government will soon turnover a new building for ParSci that will house the school’s additional classrooms and laboratory facilities. Olivarez said the new facilities will be utilized by the ParSci students for the coming school year. He said the construction of additional school facilities is one of the many incentives that the public school students can enjoy in the present administration. The congressman also highlighted the city government’s initiative in institutionalizing the granting of P500 monthly cash allowance to all public school learners in the city. Olivarez said the city government has been allocating P600 to 700 million annually for the cash allowance program that is now mandatory, following its enactment as a city ordinance. It was during his administration as mayor that cash allowance worth P500 per month was given for both high school and elementary students of public schools in Paranaque. It was implemented to encourage the students to go to school and finish their studies, as well as reduce dropout rates. Mayor Eric Olivarez, who was also present during the moving up ceremony with his elder brother as guest speaker, said the city government gave cash incentives to the academic achievers. He led the distribution of cash incentives to top achievers of ParSci senior high school during the sixth commencement exercises which was also held at Sequoia Hotel recently. The mayor handed out P10,000 each for the graduates who got the highest honors; P7,000 for high honors; and P5,000 for those with honors.