TABUK, KALINGA – Sixteen scholars under the Social Integration Program (SIP) will finish their first year in college this month.

SIP provincial coordinator Bing Haddac said the scholarship grant is a joint program of the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and Commission on Higher Education.

Beneficiaries of the program are direct family members of rebel returnees such as their wives and children. Each rebel returnee is entitled to one grantee.

Scholars receive P5,000 allowance per semester for  four years for their tuition, books, and other incidental expenses in college.

But Haddac said their office provides additional food-for-school supply to augment the allowance of grantees willing to render extra work at their office.

Haddac hopes that this batch will push through with their college education so they can better integrate with the society as aimed under the program.

She cited previous grantees who have successfully completed their college education and are now enjoying their jobs. The latest is a nursing graduate who successfully passed the nursing board examination and an education graduate now employed in Pangasinan.