“May inaayos akong pagkukunan ng pondo para sa mga scholars natin,” said Cong Garcia.
Earlier, Gov Abet S Garcia assured the thousands of provincial government scholars of his administration’s commitment to continue funding the scholarship program to enable the poor but deserving students study in college.
He assured that although the PDAF had been abolished “we are still going to sponsor the scholarship of our students in Bataan, so they can continue their college studies.”
The bachelor governor pointed out, however, that the supposed fund intended for the second semester in 2013 was not given anymore due to the sudden abolition of the PDAF.
The scholarship program in Bataan, however, will still continue after the Governor, Rep Enrique “Tet” Garcia, and Mayor Joet S Garcia of Balanga city find ways to sustain the educational fund for the poor students.
With the millions of funds allocated to the scholarship programs of the Garcias, thousands of students have been able to graduate from colleges, making Bataan the envy of others.
In a related news, Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon vowed yesterday to prioritize six legislative measures that would ensure a more accessible and quality educational system throughout the country.
In his press statement emailed to this writer, Drilon said these include the “Iskolar ng Bayan Act” authored by Senate Majority Leader Allan Peter Cayetano which mandates all state universities and colleges to provide automatic admission and scholarship to top 10 graduating high school students across the country, and the National Student Loan Program which would tap banks and lending institutions to grant loans to financially-challenged college students.
The Congress will also institutionalize the open distance education in the country through the Open Learning through Distance Education in Post-Secondary Education and Tertiary Levels and Open High School System for Out of School Youth bills.
The Congress also agreed to pass a bill instituting a ladderized education for students taking up technical and vocational (tech-voc) courses aimed at integrating tech-voc education and higher education and creating more job opportunities for skilled graduates.
It likewise plans to institutionalize the establishment of special education centers throughout the country “to address the special needs of differently-abled students.”
“The Congress recognizes the need for laws that will make education more attainable for all and we can make it happen when we address the biggest barriers that hinder the delivery of education throughout the country such as poverty, distance and age,” explained Drilon.
