By Brian Campued
“Napakahalaga para sa administrasyong ito ang magandang edukasyon para sa ating mga kabataan.”
In line with the administration’s continuing efforts to support the education sector, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed to further strengthen the rollout of educational assistance to cover more qualified beneficiaries nationwide.
Marcos made the commitment during a meet and greet with presidential scholars at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on Wednesday.
In a speech, the President underscored the importance of helping the Filipino youth finish their studies, citing data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showing that almost 29% of college students dropped out in 2025.
“Dahil po, alam naman po natin na pagka nakapagtapos, may hawak na diploma, may hawak na na certificate, ang isang tao ay mas maganda ang kanyang kinabukasan. Mas maraming magagawa, mas madaling makahanap ng trabaho, mas maganda ang kinabukasan ng hindi lamang ng estudyante na nag-graduate, kung hindi, pati na ‘yung pamilya nila, pati na ‘yung komunidad nila,” he said.
Under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program and Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF), half of the P200,000 aid to each barangay is allocated to provide P20,000 financial assistance to each of the five presidential scholars per locale.
The government is aiming to cover approximately 42,000 barangays under nationwide implementation of the SCPF, helping more than 200,000 presidential scholars finish college.
“Kapag naparami po natin itong ating mga iskolar, mapapaganda rin ang buong Pilipinas. Kaya po napakahalaga po nito,” Marcos said.
The presidential scholarship program targets incoming graduating college students who are members of households where no member has yet completed tertiary education or those who are at risk of dropping out.
In Manila alone, around 4,426 Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars from the city’s 896 barangays received their financial grants, amounting to P88.52 million in total aid.
“Sa ating mga presidential scholar ay sana mapakinabangan ninyo nang mabuti itong pondong ito, itong P20,000 na ito, at pagbutihan ninyo ‘yung pag-aaral ninyo,” the President told the scholars.
In an interview following the event, Marcos also assured that funding for Local Government Support Fund will increase, provided that the program continues to deliver positive results.
“This is our continuing program sa Bawat Bayan ay Makikinabang. We have done this before. We will continue to do it hanggang mabuo natin ang buong Pilipinas,” he said.
“Pagka maganda talaga ang magiging resulta nitong programa ay sa pagsulat ng budget sa susunod na taon, susubukan natin, pipilitin natin na magiging mas malaki pa ang mabibigay natin sa mga local government,” he added. (with report from Kenneth Paciente / PTV News)
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