To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
District Supervisors
Heads, Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

1. Pursuant to the Constitutional mandate for free public basic education as well as existing laws, students in public elementary and secondary schools shall be enrolled without having to pay any amount as a requirement for enrollment.
2. Contributions for the following organizations and fund raising activities may be collected at any time including the enrollment period provided that a student has already enrolled and that these are solicited on a voluntary basis. Moreover, the payment of such contributions shall not be made a requirement for admission or for the release of report cards and test results, or for clearance purposes in case of transfer of students to other schools:
   1. Boy Scouts of the Philippines
   2. Girl Scouts of the Philippines
   3. Philippine National Red Cross
   4. Anti-TB Education and Fund Drive
3. Collection of the PTA/PTCA fees is also allowed during the enrollment period subject to the conditions stipulated in DepEd Order No. 23, s. 2003 on Revised Guidelines Concerning PTAs/PTCAs at the School Level and the conditions in Paragraph 2 of this Order.
   The PTCA may also initiate the collection of the identification card fee if the school authorities in consultation with the PTCA decide to provide identification cards for the students. It is suggested that the fee shall be set by the individual elementary and secondary school but shall not exceed P20.00 per student.
   Similarly, for schools that publish school papers, collection of the school publication fee, which shall be set by the individual elementary and secondary school but which shall not exceed P50.00 per elementary school student, and P75.00 per secondary school student, may also be undertaken by the PTCA. Likewise, for schools with active student organizations recognized by the DepEd, the PTCA may undertake the collection of the student organization fee in the amount not exceeding P50.00 per student. The collection shall be deposited in an authorized depository bank as trust fund. It must be emphasized that the school publication fee and the student organization fee are voluntary contributions.
4. Regional directors, schools superintendents, school principals, school heads and teachers are directed to strictly implement this Order. Monitoring by the regional directors and schools superintendents of all schools in their areas is required to check the implementation of this Order. Any violation shall be dealt shall with administratively, including any case of collections other than those authorized in Paragraphs 2, and 3 which are made as a requirement for enrollment.
5. For immediate dissemination and compliance.

References: DepED Orders: Nos. 23 and 38, s. 2003
Allotment: 1— (D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CONTRIBUTIONS
FEES
POLICY
SCHOOLS PAPER

DO_s2004_030