CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is intensifying efforts to help more military dependents avail of free education as the number of beneficiaries rises to 4,129 in February 2018.
The number is expected to increase in the following months as the AFP continues its scholarship generation activities, nationwide. Spearheading these is the AFP Educational Benefit System Office (AFPEBSO).
The AFPEBSO reported that 769 beneficiaries are in the National Capital Region; 1,408 in Luzon; 499 in Visayas; and 1,453 in Mindanao. All of which are benefitting from scholarships consisting of law mandated programs and those by virtue of partnerships with educational, government, socio-civic, and financial institutions.
Among the benefits being received by current AFPEBSO grantees are free tuition and miscellaneous fees, monthly stipend up to P20,000 per year, food and transportation allowance.
The AFPEBSO has over 290 scholarship partners as of February 2018. These include around 280 academic institutions and foundations that have entered into a memorandum of agreement with the AFP. It can be recalled that the AFPEBSO recently renewed its partnership with the Mercury Drug Foundation Inc. in providing full scholarships to students completing bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy.
The AFPEBSO has been managing educational programs to qualified dependents since its activation in 2000. It caters mostly to the disadvantaged orphans whose parents have died or were incapacitated in combat. Other beneficiaries are dependents of non-battle casualties, active and retired soldiers, and Civilian Employees of the AFP. ###