CAPITOL NEWS

“BE responsible as a son and daughter, as a student and as a Pangasinense.”

This was the core message of Governor Amado I. Espino III to the new breed of provincial scholars for academic year 2020-2021 who received financial grant from the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.

Governor Espino, along Provincial Sports Development and Management Council Director Modesto M. Operania and Provincial Governor’s Office Chief Administrative Officer Irmina Francisco, led the awarding ceremony of the Provincial Scholarship Program at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center II in Lingayen on August 26.

Owing to the excellent leadership of former governor Amado T. Espino Jr., who started the Provincial Scholarship Program, Governor Espino said that this program desires to backstop the young Pangasinenses for their brighter future.

“Kung ano man ang kabutihan na ginawa ng inyong mga magulang, ‘yun sana ang ituloy ninyo bilang mga anak,” Governor Espino added as he urged the scholars to maximize the scholarship program and inspire other Pangasinan students.

For academic year 2020-2021, there are 300 slots allotted for the qualified scholars which include: academically highly competent scholars, automatic qualifier scholars, National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) and Muslim scholars, sports scholars and arts scholars.

Out of the 1,298 applicants under the academically highly competent scholars and automatic qualifiers, 180 slots are allotted for academically highly competent scholars while 30 slots are reserved for the automatic qualifiers.

Composition of the scholarship program in the remaining groups includes: 40 slots for sports scholars, 20 slots for arts scholars, 20 slots for NCIP scholars and 10 slots for Muslim scholars.

All scholars will receive P10,000 financial grant for every term or semester or P20,000 for an academic year. If the receiving school implements trimester program, the financial grants will be distributed at the first and third semester.

To date, there are already over 2,000 provincial scholars of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.

Due to COVID-19, Dr. Francisco disclosed that qualifying examinations for scholarship applicants were called off, and that the provincial government also implemented online application for the scholarship in addition to the regular application at the Provincial Governor’s Office – Admin Division.

“Ang mga regular academically highly-competent students ay napili batay sa taas ng kanilang senior high school general weighted average (GWA),” she disclosed.

Tagging the scholars as the ‘cream of the crop,’ Francisco exhorted: “Isipin niyo at lagi ninyong ilagay sa inyong damdamin ang araw na ito na kung saan at kailan ang inyong probinsya ng Pangasinan, sa pamumuno ng ating mahal na Governor Espino ay nagtiwala sa inyong kakayahan.”

Commending Governor Espino, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Jeremy Agerico B. Rosario who chairs the Committee of Education earlier assured that the Pangasinan provincial board also endeavors to support outstanding students to pursue college education and fulfill their dreams.

It can be recalled that BM Rosario authored Provincial Ordinance No. 205-2017, which institutionalized the provincial scholarship program in the province in granting financial benefits to poor but deserving students.

NCIP scholar Garyll Rose Delson expressed her gratitude to Governor Espino for his constant support in youth development through scholarship programs.

Delson is among the 19 NCIP scholars who received the financial grant on August 24.

“Maraming salamat po kay Governor Espino dahil nandito po ako ngayon dahil sa kanya… malaking tulong po itong provincial scholarship program para maituloy ko ang aking pag-aaral,” Delson stated.

The awarding of scholarship grants was held in six batches, which started on August 24. /Shiella Mae C. De Guzman

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