DESPITE being faced with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the local government of San Simon continues to support the education of thousands of Simonian students through scholarship grants.

Starting last week, the local government led by Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. has started distributing financial assistance to around 7,000 senior high school and college students.

Punsalan said some P5.9 million were allocated for the scholarship grants of beneficiaries for the first semester of the school year alone.

Each college student received P4,000, while senior high school students got P3,000 each, said Punsalan.

"The amount was lessened because we included additional beneficiaries so we can help more students this time," the mayor said.

He said cash grants are needed even in the conduct of distance learning as school expenses such as tuition, project-making and even payment of internet subscription are continuous.

"I hope that the financial assistance will be beneficial to the students and their families, especially that many parents have lost their livelihood due to the pandemic," Punsalan said.

He, meanwhile, assured that all health and safety protocols were observed during the face-to-face distribution of cash grants.