An empowering education and learning model for learners of the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas
The City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas has a predominantly young population. Four years ago, in 2020, the Census of Population and Housing of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) listed 68.65% of the city’s total population of 218,500 to be between the ages of 15 to 64.
Within this segment, the biggest number belonged to the 20 to 24 age group.
For City of Sto. Tomas. Batangas Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan, it is imperative to ensure the successful transition of all young Tomasinos into productive and forward-looking members of the city’s workforce.
Under his guidance, the city government has adopted a sustainable, education and learning strategy that carries “the basic ingredients” for meeting the knowledge and skill needs of youths at every economic level in the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
ALS
“Together with the Department of Education, we developed the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Zero Out-of-School Youth Project,” Mayor AJAM said.
The ALS, he further explained, is a parallel learning system that provides opportunities for Out-of-School Youths and Adult (OSYA) learners with basic and functional literacy skills.
“Our OSYA accesses equivalent pathways to complete basic education. As a second chance education program, it allows learners to improve their quality of life, becoming productive contributors to society,” he said, stressing that in the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, walang batang maiiwan sa pag-aaral (No child will be left behind, in terms of education).”

Towards this end, spearheaded by PESO, the city government has partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide free vocational and technical training on baking and pastry production, computer systems servicing, events management servicing, as well as motorcycle and small engine servicing. Plans are now underway to set up the city’s own training center.
STUDENTS

As of School Year 2024-2025, the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas has provided a scholarship subsidy amounting to P50 million. This fund has helped support 5,500 scholars in the Senior High School and College levels.

Katherine G. Mamarin, 24, is a fourth year, city government scholar taking up Electrical Engineering at PUP-Sto. Tomas. Her father is a wet market vendor and her mother is a factory worker.
This resident of Barangay San Antonio said that her scholarship has helped her parents to meet her school expenses, especially now that she is doing her thesis. “Sobrang dami po ng gastusin sa pag-aaral. Buti na lang scholar kami ng pamahalaang lungsod, nakakatanggap po kami ng ayuda sa pag-aaral [There are so many academic expenses. Fortunately, we are scholars of the city, that is why we receive educational assistance].
Hannah-Lian P. Chavez, 21, is another student of Electrical Engineering from the same university. She lives with her solo-parent mother and sister and looks forward to graduating and finding a job so she can support her family.
“Being a local government scholar is a privilege and a benefit. I have been studying hard so I don’t waste the opportunity given to me. I am inspired by what Mayor AJAM has done for us. I look forward to being a graduate so I can help my family and be a productive member of our community,” Chavez said.
Mayor AJAM bared that the city has an active scholarship program in place. “We continue to comb the city’s 30 barangays to identify economically-challenged couples who could not send their children to school. We make available to them the city’s scholarship program. This move is consistent with our five-year goal of raising the education level of every Tomasino youth to at least Senior High School,” Mayor AJAM said.
Aside from scholarships, the city government provides free shoes, uniforms, and school supplies to its elementary and high school students.
Last Aug. 6, school supplies were provided for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) pupils in elementary public schools.

Under the supervision of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the supplies included free notebooks, worksheets, bags, and uniforms.

A total of 2,586 packs of ECCD activity kits were distributed to students. Playground equipment were likewise provided for the city’s 32 ECCD centers.
For schoolyear 2024-2025, the city government provided school uniforms for some 2,600 ECCD pupils.
Some 24,000 Junior and Senior High School students received Aksyon Bilis Rubber shoes for this schoolyear.
“We want to ensure that each young Tomasino is properly equipped with the basic tools for quality education, thereby providing the foundation for a stable future,” Mayor Marasigan stated.
CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW

One of the education thrusts of the administration of Mayor AJAM is the provision of educational assistance for Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).
Supervised by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the assistance benefitted the children of some 285 solo parents and sisters of CICL.
“We intend to ensure that the right to basic needs and right to a decent education is within the reach of every Tomasino, especially those in vulnerable or crisis circumstances. We have allocated funding for the educational needs of CICL,” said Mayor AJAM.
For her part, Vice-Mayor Catherine Jaurigue-Perez said that the city’s wholistic CICL “focuses on specific stages, from prevention to rehabilitation and reintegration.”
SCHOOL-TO-WORK LOOP
Under the direction of Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan, the city government has developed a pathway for Tomasino students to smoothly transition and join the city’s burgeoning work force.
Every year, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) holds a Labor Education for Graduating Students seminar that helps graduating students understand and appreciate important work ethics, including their rights and duties, as would-be employees.
Launched together with a Job Fair, the seminar opens available opportunities for employment.

Last July, the Labor Education for Graduating Students seminar was held by PESO—together with Senior Labor and Employment officer Ann Jelyn Natividad and Social Security officer Carlo Sollegue— for some 414 graduating students of the Sto. Tomas, Batangas branch of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).
Students were linked to companies such as the Shopping Center Management Corp., Canon Business Machines Philippines Inc., Gardenia Bakeries Inc., Philippine Manufacturing Co. Of Murata, Inc., and the Brother Industries, Inc.
PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT
The city government has sought private sector partnerships to boost the knowledge and skills capabilities of the city’s teachers and students. It has likewise received private sector support in the construction of its school buildings and other educational facilities.

In November 2023, SM Foundation turned over a new two-story, four-classroom building to San Antonio Elementary School (SAES) in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

The school building donation was the result of the Adopt-A-School project of SM Foundation and SM Prime Holdings, in partnership with the city government of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In sum, the new building provided a more inclusive learning environment for SAES students with diverse needs. It is equipped with learning materials, armchairs, emergency equipment, and PWD-friendly facilities to ensure that students, especially from low-income communities, gain access to modern, safe, and conducive learning facilities.
The building also features a handwashing facility and a reading corner to promote healthy habits and interest in reading.
The City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas to date has 39 Child Development Workers and 34 Teacher Aides with monthly allowance.
To augment the shortage of teachers hired by the Department of Education, the city government has hired 57 Local School Board (LSB) teachers.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
“There is no barangay in the whole of the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas that do not have an elementary school. All 30 barangays have their own elementary school,” according to Mayor AJAM.
Priority is being given toward the on-going construction of a new three story, nine classroom building of the city’s National High School in Barangay Sta. Teresita.
Simultaneously, the city government of Sto. Tomas, Batangas has provided facilities and improved 29 school buildings for this year.
Also constructed were five new, two-story, six-classroom elementary buildings.
Barangays San Miguel and Sta. Clara underwent improvement of their respective school gymnasiums. Three barangays—San Pedro, Sta. Teresita, and Santiago—are currently undergoing gymnasium improvement.

The city government has rehabilitated 35 daycare centers, equipping each with freezers, double burners, gas tanks, toys, television, fire extinguishers, as well as height boards and weighing scales.

Last January, ECCD pupils in eight Barangay elementary schools—Poblacion 1, Sta. Clara, San Fernando, Sta. Maria, San Isidro Norte, San Isidro Sur, San Francisco, and San Luis—received their supply of daycare school supplies and activity books.


In the pipeline are infrastructure projects that include— an additional ECCD center each for Barangays Sta. Maria, San Francisco, and San Rafael, and the Sto. Tomas State of the Art Training Center in Barangay San Miguel.
Mayor AJAM expressed his gratitude for the support and industry demonstrated by the city’s teachers, parent-teacher associations, and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Together with the city officials of Sto. Tomas, we thank our teachers and professionals for their substantial contribution to the success of our education programs and projects. I thank the Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) for helping support our set education goals. I am equally grateful to the PNP for their prompt and welcome assistance in maintaining peace and order in the schools, and in our communities,” he said.