To cushion the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the city government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol have started giving financial assistance to Grades 11 and 12 senior high school students.

Out of the targeted 1,666 recipient students here, at least 300 of them received on Monday PHP3,000 each through their parents.

Vice Mayor Robert Cristobal said during the distribution held at the Bagumbayan Elementary School that the cash assistance is part of the support to students, particularly those whose parents lost their jobs and livelihood due to the health crisis.

“This is just the first day of the four-day distribution of cash assistance to the senior high school students. After this distribution, another 475 college students in Legazpi will also receive PHP4,000 each on October 4 and 5,” he said.

Cristobal said the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will continue to pass urgent resolutions and ordinances to cushion the impact of the pandemic on students and their parents.

Meanwhile, Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal, in an interview, said the financial assistance materialized through a PHP5-million allocation from the national government.

He said the names of the recipients were submitted to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) by the 70 village chairpersons in this city.

Rosal recently distributed laptops to 120 teachers in the Learning Information System (LIS) and ICT Data Management coordinators.

Two weeks ago, some 72 tablets were also handed to teachers of the Legazpi City National High School, Legazpi City Science High School and Albay Central School, the mayor said. (PNA)