Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan visited some public schools in the city to distribute school supplies and observe classes on the first day of school on Monday, July 29.
Accompanied by Manila Vice Mayor John Marvin "Yul Servo" Nieto, the mayor distributed bags and notebooks and called on the students to study hard for a better future.
Among the schools she visited were the Rosauro Almario Elementary School, Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School, and Quirino High School.
"Excited na kami sa first day of school kasi makikita niyo gaano natin pinaghirapan itayo itong paaralan, pwede n'yo na to angkinin parang private school (We are excited for the first day of school because you can see how hard we worked to build the school, you can now own it like a private school)," she said.
Lacuna-Pangan appealed to the students to take care of schools' facilities and treat their school like their own home. She said the walls of the classrooms, comfort rooms and hallways must be maintained clean.
"Dahil inyo din ito, marami pang dadaan sa eskuwelahan na ito at ang gusto sana namin, kung paano n'yo ito dinatnan ngayon ay gayun din nila makikita sa susunod na mga taon (Because it's yours, many more will pass through this school and what we want is they will see it in the next years as how you see it now )," she added.
The local chief executive urged the students to listen to their teachers and make their parents proud by finishing their studies.
The city government, she assured, will be there to aid them with their needs the best way it can, and that the only thing she asks of the students is for them to finish education, since it is the surest way to attain better lives.