SIQUIJOR, Dec 12 (PIA)— The Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
recently launched in Siquijor province the Expanded Students’ Grant-in-Aid
Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PIA).
DSWD assistant regional director Maria
Shelaine Lucero said the program is created by the government to free the cycle
of poverty in the country as she urged student-beneficiaries to grab the
opportunity and take every single chance to finish college education.
“Not all students in the whole
archipelago are given the same opportunity, she said.
She said the study grant is a
continuous and additional financial assistance from the national government
that ensures full coverage of education for the children of the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.
Lucero said there are still
40 slots available out of the 234 given for Siquijor.
She explained that the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) has increased the scholarship slots nationwide from
4,041 in school year 2012-2013 to 40,453 this year.
The Department of Budget and Management
(DBM) allotted some P2.5 billion for the implementation of the ESGP-PA this
school year, adds CHED regional director Freddie Banal, also during the
launching.
He said the DBM would release the funds
directly to the 35 participating state universities and colleges (SUCs)
nationwide.
Student grantees would receive a
maximum of P60,000 each per year.
The fund covers students’ tuition and
other school fees and extracurricular expenses, textbooks, board and lodging,
transportation, and clothing, among others.
ESGP-PA is a joint program of the CHED,
DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Philippine Association
of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC).
It aims to contribute in effectively
addressing poverty by increasing the number of graduates in higher education
among poor households. (mbcn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from IAAbatayo)