Sotto: K-12 public school students in Pasig to get transport allowance

MANILA — K-12 public school students in Pasig City will receive P1,500 in transportation allowance next week from the local government, Mayor Vico Sotto has said.

In a Facebook post, Sotto said the transportation allowance would be distributed from Sept. 6 to Sept. 15, 2023.

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The city government will also distribute school supplies despite a "problem with delivery", he said.

"Hindi ko na muna idedetalye ang mga dahilan pero siguro masyado kami naging optimistic sa timeline at nagkulang sa buffer para sa mga aberya," said Sotto.

(I will not go into details for now but maybe we were too optimistic with the timeline and the buffer fell short.)

Factors for the delay include the disqualification of a supplier that failed to give the right quality of materials, the mayor said.

"Ako po ay humihingi ng inyong pasensya. First time lang din natin ito; maasahan niyo na sa susunod na school year ay mas aagahan namin ang timeline," said Sotto.

(I apologize. This is the first time this happened. You can expect that in the next school year, we will set the timeline for the distribution earlier.)

"Alam kong maraming gastusin pag magpapasukan, kaya sana makabawi ako sa inyo kahit papaano sa pamamagitan ng nasabing cash allowance," he said.

(I know you have so many expenses because of the school resumption, which was why I am hoping the cash allowance would ease your burden.)

Meanwhile, the distribution of Malusog na Batang Pasigueño (MBP) package that contains tuna, iodized salt, and vitamins, has started and is "on track", he said.

The program includes the distribution of milk this September and rice this semester, Sotto said.

Millions of public school students returned to classes last Tuesday.

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