The Pasig City government has hit a new record in the number of students under its scholarship program with more than 18,000 scholars this school year.
“We have a new record number of city scholars, over 18,000 students,” Mayor Vico Sotto said on Facebook Wednesday.
The previous school year, Sotto said there were 13,000 students under the Pasig City Scholarship Program.
Last month, the mayor announced that the local government has passed a measure extending its scholarship fund to 3,000 indigent students enrolled in private schools in the city.
“We will advance the entire semester’s or first five months of the monthly stipend so that they can use the entire amount to help pay for their tuition or buy a gadget,” the mayor said.
Pasig city has temporarily waived all regulatory fees of all private schools in the city until the resumption of face-to-face classes.
Sotto also announced Wednesday that the local government will start its distribution of tablet computers to public school students on October 1.
The suppliers of the gadgets are reportedly set to deliver the learning devices on September 30.
“May penalty silang milyon kung hindi nila mabibigay sa takdang oras (The supplier will be fined in the millions if they fail to deliver the gadgets on September 30),” he said.
In June, Sotto said the city has secured P1.2 billion for the purchase of learning devices for public school students and teachers.