A total of 57 members of household-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the CALABARZON Region finished college through the assistance of the Commission on Higher Education’s Expanded Student Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGPPA) this April 2016.

Implemented by CHED, the ESGPPA is a grant provided to high school graduates who are members of a Pantawid Pamilya household and are not more than 30 years old. Beneficiaries are provided a grant of PhP30,000 per semester that covers tuition, board and lodging and other school-related expenses such as textbooks, uniform and school supplies.

The grantees are required to take priority courses related to agriculture, information technology and teacher education among others as determined by CHED.

Of the 57 graduates, nine belongs to the first batch of grantees enrolled in Cavite State University (CvSU) Indang Campus under the Student Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGPPA) in 2012. Hence, they are the first batch of Pantawid Pamilya graduates who have been supported by the college grant all throughout their four years in college.

Imelyn Formentera, a graduated of BS Office Administration from Brgy. Poblacion in Real, Quezon, shared that the four years of college support provided by the SGPPA has secured her needs all throughout.

“Akala ko noon, hanggang pangarap na lang ang pagtatapos ng kolehiyo. Ngayong graduate na ako, hinding hindi masasayang ang tulong at oportunidad na ibinigay sa akin ng CHED at DSWD,” shared Formentera, who came from a family of eight siblings.

Maritess Villa, a graduate of BS Agriculture Entrepreneurship from Brgy. Laiban in Tanay, Rizal, is grateful for her college diploma as this means being able to provide for the needs of her children.

“Napakaswerte ko at isa ako sa napiling benepisyaryo ng SGPPA. Nagkaroon ako ng bagong pag-asa, lalong lalo na para sa mga anak ko. Itong pagtatapos ko ng college, napakalaking bagay nito para makahanap ako ng trabaho para lahat ng pangangailangan ng mga anak ko ay maibigay ko na,” said Villa, who belongs to the Dumagat indigenous people group.

Meanwhile, 48 are supported under the expanded program, which started in school year 2014-2015. These graduates are from Southern Luzon State University (Quezon Province), University of Rizal System (Rizal Province), Laguna Polytechnic University (Laguna Province), Batangas State University (Batangas Province), CvSU (Cavite Province), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (Sto. Tomas, Batangas) and Philippine State College of Aeronautics (Lipa City, Batangas).

There are also 128 graduates of two-year diploma courses in the region. These graduates will still be supported by the E-SGPPA if they opt to continue finishing their respective Bachelor’s degrees.#