(File photo) MANILA-Students from areas hit by calamities, disasters, or other emergencies, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, will be excused from paying their loans if the measure filed by Senator Lito Lapid is passed into law. Lapid said Wednesday Senate Bill 975 would defer the collection of all fees, charges, and costs relating to student loan programs for both Higher Education and Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for a reasonable period during the existence of hardship and difficulties, such as disasters, calamities, and other emergencies. "Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nawalan ng trabaho at pagkukuhanan ng kita dahil sa mga kalamidad gaya ng lindol, bagyo, at nitong huli lang, dahil sa pandemya. Kaya sinusulong ko ang panukalang batas na ito upang mabawasan ang pasanin ng mga magulang na nagpapaaral ng kanilang mga anak sa mga pagkakataong tinamaan sila ng sakuna o pandemya (Many of our countrymen have lost their jobs and sources