The Pasig city government has opened an initial 50 slots for its newly launched arts and design scholarship, which will add to its existing 18,000 scholars.

In his social media post on Tuesday, Mayor Vico Sotto announced the expansion of the city government’s scholarship program, which seeks to provide opportunities for students with artistic talent, to avail of free education.

“This school year, we’ve launched our Arts and Design Scholarship with a pilot batch of 50 students from Rizal High School,” Sotto said.

This city government has earlier extended Pasig’s scholarship fund to cover 3, 000 indigent students from the private schools amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Pasig also expanded the city’s sports scholarship program.

“Kung maayos po ito at nakita nating na talagang epektibo para sa mga talento sa larangan ng sining ay ie-expand pa po natin yan sa susunod na taon (If this will work and if we see that it would be effective for those who have artistic talents, then, we will expand the scholarship next year),” Sotto said.

Sotto noted the city government should support students’ multiple intelligence development.

In Valenzuela City, meanwhile, some 717 scholars received PHP30,000 financial grants for the entire academic year under the Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholarship Fund.

“Itong (This) scholarship program, nanggagaling ito sa mga (came from the) portion ng (of the) business taxes na binabayad sa (paid to the) City of Valenzuela, pinasasalamatan natin ‘yung mga taxpayers ng (We really want to thank the taxpayers of) Valenzuela,” Mayor Rex Gatchalian said during the ceremonial awarding of financial assistance to the scholarship grantees.

Gatchalian said the city government also vowed to provide the scholars with additional support to sustain their holistic learning despite the prevailing health crisis.

“The Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholarship Program has been instituted in Valenzuela City since 1995 through Ordinance No. 95-12 and has helped a lot of the City’s deserving but underprivileged students to pursue higher education for more than two decades,” the city government said in a statement.

The city targets “to encourage young Valenzuelanos to keep their heads high and still hope for their future”. (PNA)