Some 717 students in Valenzuela City have received financial aid from the local government after topping the examination for the Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholarship Program.
Mayor Rex Gatchalian led the awarding of cash assistance to the grantees in a ceremony held at the People's Park. The local government on Monday said that the granting of the scholarship aims to "encourage" the youth "to keep their heads high and still hope for their future" amid the ongoing pandemic.
According to the local government, grantees received a total of P30,000 each, which they can use to cover their expenses at the university or college of their choice, for the entire academic year.
The scholarship program, which was named after homegrown Filipino hero Dr. Pio Valenzuela, has been instituted in the city starting 1995 through Ordinance No. 95-12. It aims to help the city's "deserving but underprivileged students to pursue higher education," the local government said.
Its funding is derived from the one percent of the total collection of the city's business taxes.
Following an increase in the number of applicants for the program over time, the city council passed in 2017 Ordinance No. 418 to raise more funds through including all income from the rentals and other fees paid by businesses within the compound of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela.