- Rep. Leandro Leviste donated over 150,000 school bags with supplies to students across the 1st District of Batangas at no government cost.
- He plans to expand a student financial aid program and has proposed a bill for a ₱1,000 monthly allowance for all Filipino students from kindergarten to college.
- Leviste, after selling his energy company stake for ₱34 billion, is using his wealth to support education and fight poverty through public service.
In a landmark initiative supporting education in the Philippines, Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste has donated over 150,000 school bags to students across the 1st District of Batangas, covering all public elementary and high school students in the region. This large-scale donation marks one of the largest private educational support efforts in the country.
The distribution of school bags began at the opening of the new academic year, spearheaded by the Lingkod Legarda Leviste Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Leviste. Each school bag is filled with grade-specific school supplies, ensuring that every student is equipped with the tools needed for a successful school year.
The initiative has been warmly received by students, parents, and educators across the municipalities of Balayan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lemery, Lian, Nasugbu, Taal, and Tuy all part of Batangas’ 1st District. Notably, the entire program was funded personally by Leviste at no cost to the government.
This donation is part of Leviste’s broader mission to uplift education in the Philippines. In addition to school supplies, he launched a financial assistance program for students during the previous school year, which he now plans to expand.
Leviste, known as the Philippines’ youngest billionaire entrepreneur, shifted his focus to public service in 2024 after selling a controlling stake in Solar Philippines New Energy Corporation to Meralco for P34 billion. Now serving in Congress, he is championing reforms to help break the cycle of poverty through education.
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He has filed a bill proposing a monthly allowance of Php 1,000 for every Filipino student from kindergarten to college to support basic needs such as food, transportation, and school materials. The bill also seeks private donations and external funding sources to sustain the initiative alongside government support.
“I see it as my responsibility to share what I have with others, especially to address the shortage of funding for education”, said Leviste. “A lack of budget for food, transportation, or school supplies should not stand in the way of any child’s right to education”.
