Marcos meets San Juan scholars, leads school supplies distribution

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the Pinaglabanan Elementary School in San Juan City on Thursday to meet his 105 Presidential Scholars and lead the ceremonial distribution of tablets for the city’s 13,000 public school students.

He was accompanied by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Rep. Bel Zamora, San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, Special Assistant to the Mayor Rocco Zamora, Vice Mayor Angelo Agcaoili, and other city officials

During the demonstration on the use of tablets, he observed how the devices were being used to enhance learning and improve access to digital education among learners in the city.

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All classrooms in all San Juan public schools and students’ homes have fiber optic connections. The classrooms also have 55-inch Smart TVs.

The Presidential Scholars, who personally thanked Marcos, will each receive ₱20,000 in educational assistance from the national government to help support their tuition and other school-related expenses.

Afterwards, Marcos led the ceremonial distribution of school bags, school supplies, and tablets to K-12 public school students.

The visit ended with a program attended by students, teachers, parents, and government officials, highlighting the continued partnership between the national and the city government in advancing quality education for Filipino learners.

In his remarks, Marcos emphasized the importance of continuously improving the country’s education system.

“We really need to improve education for your youth. We are helping, giving importance to the educational system,” Marcos said in Filipino.

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Meanwhile, Mayor Zamora highlighted his city’s continued investments in education and student welfare.

“It is truly a great honor to have you, along with all our partners from the Department of Education, our Secretary, educators, learners, and fellow San Juan public servants, as we distribute tablets to all our 13,000 public school students in the city,” Zamora said.

The mayor also underscored the city’s various educational programs, including fiber optic internet connectivity in classrooms and homes, smart televisions, free school and PE uniforms, free customized Makabagong San Juan rubber shoes, and free emergency go bags, among others.

“These efforts have helped pave the way for San Juan to be recognized as number one amongst all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines in functional literacy rate by the Philippine Statistics Authority with a rating of 95%,” Zamora said.

“Again, Mr. President, this is how we are in our Makabagong San Juan. I say ‘we,’ because you are also a San Juaneño,” he added.

Zamora also thanked Marcos for the educational assistance extended to San Juan’s students and scholars and for funds to be downloaded to San Juan through the National Classroom Building Program of the Bagong Pilipinas Administration, noting that these will be used properly to build more school buildings and classrooms in the city. /atm