Inorder to ease the plight of students who can no longer afford to pay tuition, the government has been increasing its assistance to deserving students.
According to Press Secretary Serge Remonde, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has doubled this year the budget for our scholarship program, through the Commission on Higher Education, and Tesda [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority] for vocational training.
Of The P1.415-trillion budget for 2009, the President has allocated P7.2 billion for scholarships, including P3.7 billion for the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education, a program that is intended for 665,975 high school students.
Another P508 million is set aside for scholarships under the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute, for a combined 13,500 beneficiaries.
The new funding likewise includes P1 billion for Tesda’s Training for Work Scholarship Program, for 150,000 grantees; another P851 million under the Commission on Higher Education, for 51,797 scholars; plus P692 million for 3,226 students at the Philippine Science High School.