Senator Imee Marcos led on Thursday the distribution of financial assistance to some 1,297 students in Ilocos Norte whose families were hard hit by recent Typhoon Egay.

During the ceremonial distribution held at the Mini Cultural Center in San Nicolas town, Marcos said she is overwhelmed by the more than 11,000 student applicants who applied for educational assistance.

For Ilocanos, the senator acknowledged that the education of children is a priority to them.

Due to limited budget, she said that each qualified beneficiary in Ilocos Norte will receive a maximum amount of PHP10,000 contrary to an earlier report of PHP15,000 each.

“Nagkalituhan sa amount kaya (there was confusion to the amount so )we will be giving a maximum of PHP10,000 each in Ilocos Norte. The PHP15,000 amount is for CHED (Commission on Higher Education). Actually, other provinces such as in Ilocos Sur and Cagayan will receive a lesser amount of PHP5,000 each due to a huge number of applicants,” she said.

She assured other applicants who were not granted educational assistance through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be given other government support programs from other sources next time.

In Ilocos Sur, some 1,228 college students also received PHP5,000 each on Thursday at the Bantay Gymnasium in Ilocos Sur.

They are children of farmers and fisherfolk from the first district of Ilocos Sur and the municipality of Santa who were hardest hit by the recent typhoon.

The 802 other identified recipients from the second district of Ilocos Sur will also receive their payout in the next batch of distribution which will be announced after assessment and validation of reported damage.

The assistance was provided under a program that aims to give educational, medical, funeral, and food provisions, among others, to poor Filipinos.

The same payout of educational assistance will be rolled out in Cagayan and Apayao on Friday. (PNA)