BATANGAS 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste, a first-time lawmaker, made a strong debut in the House of Representatives by filing his priority measure—House Bill No. 27, or the National Student Allowance Program (NSAP)—on Monday.

Setting himself apart, Leviste personally lined up with House employees to file the bill.

“If you want to get something done, you have to focus on one thing,” he told reporters while holding a copy of HB No. 27, underscoring his singular commitment to the measure.

The proposed law seeks to institutionalize a national student allowance program that would provide all Filipino students—from kindergarten to college—with an annual support of at least ₱1,000, potentially disbursed monthly over the academic year.

With around 27 million students currently enrolled, Leviste acknowledged the scale of the proposal but insisted it is both “necessary and doable.”

“If this bill is passed in this Congress, that alone would already be a huge achievement. Even if it’s the only thing we accomplish, I would already be satisfied,” said the 32-year-old congressman.

To qualify, students must meet a minimum 80% monthly attendance requirement or a threshold to be set by DepEd and CHED.

“All Filipino students who meet the requirements shall be eligible for the allowance. This shall be in addition to, and not a replacement for, other public or private scholarships, allowances, or aid,” the bill states.

The program will be funded through the annual General Appropriations Act, with provisions allowing DepEd, CHED, and the Department of Finance to explore additional revenue sources, loan mechanisms, and accept donations or grants.

Leviste defended the potential increase in public borrowing to fund the program, emphasizing its long-term value.

“This deserves to be supported, even if the government has to borrow more. Today’s students are tomorrow’s taxpayers,” he said.

As of day one of Congress, this remains Leviste’s sole filed measure—an indication of his focus on ensuring accessible, direct educational support for millions of Filipino learners.