DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) — The city government of Dagupan has allocated a ₱200 million scholarship grant for 5,000 indigent students to support their schooling and other financial needs.
Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez said the greatest objective of this program is to ensure that all children can attend school and complete their studies so that no child is left behind.
A scholarship is financial support given to students who are not financially capable of sustaining their education and cannot afford to pay for their educational needs.
Each semester, students receive about ₱20,500 in financial aid from the scholarship grant of the city government, enabling them to access quality education and continue their studies until graduation.
“Scholarships are important in allowing students to pursue higher education and cover the costs associated with their degrees, serving as a pathway to achieve their goals and dreams, “ Fernandez said.
Janet Iglesias, a solo parent whose son Arjan James Iglesias is a scholar, expressed her gratitude because it helps cover his financial needs as a marine transportation student for two years.
“Malaking tulong po ito sa amin lalo na sa anak ko. Malaking bagay ito sa akin kasi nakakapag-aral at makakapagtapos siya dahil sa scholarship na ito lalo na at solo parent ako. Mayroon pa po akong highschool na anak,” Iglesias said.
(This is a big help for us, especially for my child. It means a lot to me because he can study and graduate because of this scholarship, especially since I am a solo parent. I also have a child in high school.)
Fernandez also emphasized their efforts to help graduates secure employment by conducting a career fair for fresh senior high school graduates.
The fair aimed to inform them about government-recognized programs offered by major universities and colleges in Dagupan, as well as technical-vocational courses under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Additionally, graduates were endorsed to various companies for employment opportunities.
She also added the importance of the first higher education institution (HEI) career fair recently conducted in the city. This event, supported by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), focused on employment opportunities and career coaching.
The city recorded the largest budgetary allocation for education in its entire 77-year history, supporting students, as presented in the comparative yearly appropriation for scholarship grants by Mayor Fernandez in the recent State of the City Address (SOCA).
“I believe in my heart that giving young people access to quality education is one of the most catalysts of change.” Fernandez said. (MJTAB/RPM/JSZ/PIA Pangasinan)
