P10 million scholarship allowances distributed to students

CEBU, Philippines —  After all the waiting, the Cebu City government, through its college scholarship office, has finally distributed the remaining scholarship allowances for the last semester to almost 6,000 scholars.

The city government has 5,662 scholars from the urban areas and 322 from the mountain barangays. Close to P10 million was released for the allowances of the scholars from the different schools.

Most of the scholars are enrolled at the University of Cebu with 3,518, while the rest are studying at the Asian College of Technology-International Education Foundation, CCMC-College of Nursing, Cebu Normal University, Cebu Technological University, Golden Success College and the University of the Visayas.

The FREEMAN learned that scholars from urban barangays who are studying in the city’s private partner schools got P1,000 each for their school supply allowance and P2,500 each for those in the state universities and colleges.

Those enrolled in the SUCs are given more, since the city government is not paying any tuition for them.

Scholars from the mountain barangays, on the other hand, are receiving P5,000 for their transportation allowance, aside from their school supplies.

City’s College Scholarship Program’s Executive Director Judy Conception Navarrete said the distribution of their allowances had been delayed because of other pressing matters that the city government is prioritizing in line with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The distribution of allowances to scholars was finally given via Executive Order No. 98 of Mayor Edgardo Labella.

“I thank all the people behind this successful distribution despite the pandemic. Vice Mayor Michael Lopez Rama always reminded us how to get rid of the COVID. Mag-unsa man daw ng kwarta kon ma-COVID. We had several meetings together with our chairman, Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, city treasurer Marie Vae Reyes, former councilor Noel Gonzales Wenceslao and Atty. Jerone Gumadlas Castillo,  the men in uniform under CCPO para ang lagda sa IATF matuman,“ said Navarrete.

The Local School Board headed by Raddy Diola also provided additional disbursing officers to support the program staff in the distribution.

Despite the pandemic, the city’s scholarship program also continues in the new school year. — GAN (FREEMAN)