DSWD offers college scholarship to Pantawid kids

By Jennifer C. Tilos

Tuesday 29th of May 2012

DUMAGUETE CITY, May 29 (PIA)--The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas has announced the Students’ Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA), which provide college scholarship grants for 282 eligible students in 47 municipalities in region 7 under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

DSWD7 Information Officer Aileen Lariba said the SGP-PA ensures the underprivileged children has a chance of getting a college education that may qualify for high-value added jobs and, thus giving the families a greater chance to cross poverty threshold for good as it supports its’ scholars entry to labor markets through placement assistance.

Of the 609 focus municipalities in the country identified for the SGP-PA implementation, 47 of these are from Central Visayas with 26 municipalities from Cebu, 19 from Negros Oriental and two for Siquijor province.

Eligible for the SGP-PA applicants are: (1) must be a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary; (2) not more than 30 years old at the time of selection; (3) should be physically and mentally fit; (4) should be a high school graduate and/or equivalent; (5) no other higher education scholarship/grant from public institutions; (6) pass the entrance exam and academic requirements set by the SUCs; (7) pass the requirements set by the National SGP-PA Committee; and (8) must enroll/shift/transfer to CHED priority programs preferably in the leading SUCs most accessible from their residence.

Priority courses that a scholar may enrol include Information Technology, Agriculture and Related Fields, Teacher Education, Science and Math, Engineering, Health Services such as Pharmacy, Radiology and Medical Technology, Arts and Humanities, Atmospheric and Environmental Science.

Lariba said each student-grantee shall be entitled to a maximum of P 60T scholarship grant per school year wherein P30T per semester covering tuition fee, textbooks and monthly allowance of P3,500.

The selected scholarship grantee shall carry a full load per semester as prescribed in the curriculum and finish within the required period of the program.

He/she shall also maintain a satisfactory academic performance in accordance with the policies and standards of the SUC and render a return service of 2 years after graduation in the Philippines except for highly critical courses determined by local industry and government services.

“On the other hand, the parents have a responsibility in the implementation of the SGP-PA as well though responsibilities is not new for them since they have already been trained to handle such while they were trying to comply with set conditions of the 4Ps,” said Lariba.

These conditions include pre and post natal care for pregnant women, immunization, weighing, monthly health check-up for children and attendance to Family Development Sessions to continue receiving the P500/month health grant and 85% monthly attendance is required to receive the P300/month/child education grant but for a maximum of three children only, she added.

For SGP-PA, the parents shall sign the contract with the SUCs as the executor of the program and support their child as recipient of grants-in-aid towards completion of college students.

In addition, the parent/guardian shall ensure that the related expenses and other incidental expenses for health and clothing shall be paid on time and that the recipient will religiously attend to his/her classes and minimize absences, and complete school requirements.

Furthermore, the parent/guardian must provide such other moral support and ensure that all the financial benefits directly received by the grantee shall be spent for all the legitimate purposes and on time. In the event that the head is the beneficiary himself he shall assume the foregoing responsibilities to complete his studies.

Lariba emphasized, like in Pantawid Pamilya program, monitoring and evaluation is of utmost priority taking into consideration that this is a pilot project. Therefore, the National SGP-PA Committee compose of implementing agencies shall conduct a spot check in the implementation of the program in accordance with the guidelines develop for its purposes. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)