The local government of Quezon City on Wednesday turned over 176,000 tablets to the local school board which will be used by public high school students in the upcoming blended learning amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte led the ceremonial turnover ceremony of the tablets.

“These tablets forms part of the PHP2.9 billion supplemental budget approved by the Quezon City Local School Board,” stated in the Quezon City’s Facebook page.

The supplemental budget will also be used for allowances to be given to teachers and the distribution of learning materials such as flash drives, modules, and printed materials, and hygiene kits for students.

“May custom software ang tablets na ito at lahat ng app na kakailanganin ng mga estudyante ay naka-install na dito (These tablets already have installed customized applications which will be needed by the students),” it said.

Quezon City public schools have around 430,000 enrollees and the city government will be providing tablets for 155,921 enrolled junior high school students and 19,810 senior high school students.

Kinder and grade school students will also be given learning packets that contain flash drives and other printed materials.

In a media interview, Belmonte urged the students and parents to take care of the tablets which will be returned to the city government after the school year.