PGMA ensures college education for best public HS graduates
Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00 Written by Filipinas Press Tuesday, 24 March 2009 00:29
Through President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "One Town, One Scholar" Program, all town scholars will each receive a scholarship for a four or five-year college degree program, including free tuition and transportation and living allowances, not exceeding P15,000 per semester for SY 2009-2010 and every year thereafter. The Town Scholar, however, must pass the state college or university's entrance examination.
"The President's One Town, One Scholar Program, which is a separate, special program under the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) Scholarship Program, aims to ensure that the best public high school graduate from every municipality, especially those who have no financial means, will get a college education," Presidential Management Staff Secretary Hermogenes Esperon said. "President Arroyo wants to provide one scholarship for each of the 1,500 municipalities/towns in the entire country," he added.
The minimum qualifications for becoming a Town Scholar are: (a) a natural born Filipino citizen residing in the municipality/town; (b) graduating student of a public high school in the municipality/town; (c) belongs to the top 10 of the graduating class of a public school in said municipality; (d) with a combined gross annual family income below P300,000; and, (e) possesses good moral character and good health.
The program will take effect immediately after the program's MOA Signing between PMS, CHED, DepEd, DBM, DILG, Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) slated Thursday during the National Directorate Meeting of the LMP at Torre Venezia Hotel in Quezon City.
For SY 2009-2010, CHED shall use existing funds, allocating some P46.35 million from its existing budget, while DBM shall ensure allocation of new money for the program for SY 2010-2011 onwards. Municipal local government units will also be encouraged to augment the scholarship benefits to the Town Scholar such as the stipend and tuition, depending on its capacity and the need of the beneficiary.
Interested applicants must submit their letters of application to their respective schools, subject to the screening and selection process agreed upon by Municipal/Town Head and DepED and in addition to the programs' minimum requirements. Period for application, screening and selection of grantees at the municipal town level is from March 1 to April 15, 2009. The Town Mayor shall then endorse to CHED Regional Office (CHEDRO) the selected Town Scholar and CHED shall validate the qualification of the endorsed grantee as Town Scholar prior to final issuance of Scholarship Certificate.
The Town Scholar shall execute a Scholarship Contract with CHED; carry a full semestral/trimestral load as prescribed in the course curriculum and finish within the subscribed duration of the course; enroll only in CHED-identified priority programs, preferably in a SUC near the municipality, and should not shift to another course or school, except for meritorious reasons. He/she should maintain an average of 2.0 in all subjects, with a grade of not less than 2.75 per subject, in order to be retained in the Program.
After graduating, the Town Scholar should render a return service for one year for every year of study grant within the country, with priority within the municipality of his/her residence.
Esperon said that, as directed by the President, the Presidential Management Staff shall ensure program implementation and as such, shall act as oversight. The program's implementing rules and regulations shall be issued by CHED as lead implementing agency.
Esperon called on all interested public high school students who belong to the top ten of a graduating class to apply and vie for this scholarship, and get the opportunity to promote their school and their municipality's pursuit of excellence.
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