Recipients of the "Iskolar ng Bayan" program of the provincial government pay a courtesy call before Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor on Thursday (Sept. 20, 2018). (Photo by Cindy Ferrer)
ILOILO CITY -- A total of 125 college students are the new recipients of “Iskolar sang Iloilo” (Iloilo scholars) program of the provincial government.
They are the latest batch of scholars of the province since the implementation of the K to 12 program, said Alma Ravena, head of the Human Resource Management and Development Office.
Ravena presented the new scholars to Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. in a courtesy call at the Capitol on Thursday.
Each of the five districts of the province was allotted 25 scholars. They are enrolled in the various state colleges and universities in Iloilo City and in the province taking various courses related to education, computer, engineering and agriculture, among others.
Despite the free college education implemented by the national government, which provides free tuition for students, Ravena said they have decided to continue the program to provide the recipients financial assistance for their other needs.
From the previous PHP2,800 monthly stipend, scholars are now entitled to PHP3,500.
“This was also deliberated exhaustively by the scholarship board and this is based on the current economic situation,” she said in an interview.
Each scholar will also receive PHP2,000 book allowance per semester and PHP1,000 for their uniform per school year.
Ravena said the scholars just need to maintain general weight average of 2.5 and no grade lower than 3.0 to maintain their scholarship.
“Based on our track record, they can maintain higher than that,” she said.
The “Iskolar sang Iloilo” started last 1995 with only five scholars from each district of the province.
Since then, the number of the recipients continues to increase, with some getting academic honors.
Just this latest end of school year, one of the 97 scholars who graduated earned the highest honor or summa cum laude. There are also six magna cum laude and 18 cum laude graduates.
One of the scholars, Melissa Suganob of Cabatuan,Iloilo, ranked 4th in the September 2018 Forester Licensure Examination. She graduated magna cum laude in her degree of Bachelor of Science in Forestry at West Visayas State University-College of Agriculture and Forestry in Lambunao,Iloilo.
Some of the graduate scholars are currently employed with the provincial government.
One of the recipients of the scholarship is Carmela Francesca Adelantar of Janiuay, Iloilo, a freshman at West Visayas State University-Main Campus taking up Bachelor of Special Needs Education.
“I expect to maintain my grades and serve in the province of Iloilo as a teacher after four years,” she said. (PNA)
