The Commission on Higher Education is calling on students in geographically isolated and communist terrorist group (CTG)-affected barangays to avail of the financial assistance offered by the Commission.
To avail of the program, students should be enrolled in quality-assured program offered in CHED-recognized institutions. They must be Filipino citizens enrolled in first undergraduate course.
Application of students is co-facilitated through all the 41 public and private higher education institutions in the Cordillera.
Grantees may fall in any of the four prioritized categories: Expanded Student Grant-in- Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation, a banner program of Department of Social Welfare and Development; students belonging to households listed in the most recent Listahanan identified under the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of DSWD; students not included in the two categories and are ranked according to their per capita income; and students studying in cities and municipalities with no state universities and colleges or local university and college.
Financial assistance may be in the form of tuition and other school fees and educational expenses such as books and cost-of-living allowance which may vary depending on the category they may fall.
For school year 2018-2019, Kuengan said CHED had 1,488 student-beneficiaries in Abra, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province that covered some CTG-affected areas.
Abra has 38 recipients, 369 in Mountain Province, 20 in Ifugao and 1,061 in Kalinga.
CHED hopes to raise to the Regional Development Council to enjoin state universities and colleges to formulate programs to enhance access of disadvantaged students such as indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, students from public schools, and students from depressed areas primarily students from identified CTG areas.
The CTG-affected areas in the Cordillera which are the targets for convergence of government services of the Regional Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict are Lacub (Bacag, Buneg, Guingguinabang, Lan-eg, and Paco-Talampoc); Malibcong (Gacab, Lat-ey, Matarangan, Pacgued, and Umnap), and Tubo (Alangtin, Dilong, Kili, Tabacda, and Tubtuba) in Abra; Bauko (Balintaugan, Bagnen Proper, Bagnen Oriente, Otucan Norte, and Otucan Sur), Besao (Tamboan, Gueday), Sagada (Ankileng, Aguid, Fidelisan, Bagnen, and Madongo), and Bontoc (Dalican, Mainit, Guina-ang) in Mountain Province; and Asipulo (Nawal, Camandag and Cawagan) and Tinoc (Wagang, Danggo, Binablayan, Luhung, and Tukukan) in Ifugao.
The target areas in Kalinga are Dupag in Tabuk City; Pinukpuk (Ammacian, Apatan, Ba-ay, Limos, Waguid); Lubuagan (Upper Uma, Lower Uma, Western Uma, Tanglag, and Mabaca); and Balbalan (Ababa-an, Poswoy and Gawaan). – Susan C. Aro
April 27, 2024
