BATANGAS First District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste has announced that he will forgo his congressional salary, following in the footsteps of former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Instead, Leviste said he will allocate his monthly earnings to fund scholarships, allowances, and other forms of educational assistance for students across his district.

A first-term lawmaker, Leviste is the principal author of House Bill No. 27, which proposes a ₱1,000 monthly allowance for all students from Kindergarten to college.

He emphasized that education is at the core of his legislative agenda and expressed his intention to serve as a member of the House Committee on Basic Education.

On Friday, July 11, Leviste took the first step toward this goal by personally leading the distribution of an initial ₱1,000 allowance to approximately 180,000 students in his district — even before his proposed bill advances in Congress.

“This is just the beginning,” Leviste said. “While we await the passage of House Bill No. 27, I want to show our students and their families that we’re serious about putting education first.”

The young legislator also vowed to closely monitor national budget deliberations, particularly allocations for the education sector. He stressed the importance of ensuring that funding priorities reflect the urgent need to improve the quality and accessibility of education in the country.

Leviste’s bold move has drawn praise from supporters and education advocates alike, with many viewing his initiative as a refreshing and concrete step toward student-centered governance.