Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Scholarship Grants for Barangay Officials Pushed

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Agusan del Norte recently asked the Committee on Education of the House of Senate and House of Representatives to ensure the fund allocation of the Scholarship Grants Program for barangay officials and their beneficiaries.

The SP passed and approved a resolution requesting the House of Congress for the inclusion of fund allocation in the General Appropriations Act for the sustainable implementation of the said scholarship grants as provided for under Section 393 B (4) of RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991. 


Pursuant to Section 393 B (4) of RA 7160, it mandated that the punong barangay, the sangguniang barangay members, the barangay treasurer, the barangay secretary and their legitimate dependent children, and the sangguniang kabataan officials attending state universities or colleges (SUCs) shall be exempted during their incumbency from paying tuition to the schools they enrolled.


In adherence to the said provision, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued Memorandum Order Nos. 62-1997 and 15-2009 to provide guidelines for all SUCs on the said scholarship grant.


However, a problem ensued as the scholarship program is not honored by SUCs because there is no assurance of fund allocation from the national government and there is no existing clear-cut mechanism as to where they can obtain the payments or reimbursements of the tuition or matriculation fees incurred by the beneficiaries. 


The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao Oriental and Marinduque expressed the same concerns on the matter and were soliciting the support from the SP of Agusan del Norte to request the national government to adopt a clear-cut mechanism that will ensure the fund allocation of the program and payment to SUCs. 


The SP of Agusan del Norte strongly supported the move and immediately passed and approved a resolution requesting the House of Congress to address the said problem. (Original Post: Agnor SP backs scholarship grants for barangay officials)



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