ABOUT 1,370 applicants are vying for 300 slots under the provincial government’s “Paglaum” scholarship program for the incoming school year.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, the program’s proponent, said she is happy with the number of applicants for this year and she expects the number to go up in the next few years.
The P10 million tertiary scholarship program is intended for children of indigent parents, drug surrenderers or were victims of abuse.
Magpale said the program already has 154 beneficiaries enrolled last year.
Under the Paglaum program, the scholars should be a resident of the province and will receive P10,000 subsidy for school expenses and a monthly subsistence allowance of P1,500.
Beneficiaries can pursue their studies in state universities and colleges for any courses except for medicine and law as well as take up vocational and technical courses.
On its launching year, Magpale said they made special arrangements to accept third year and fourth year college students who could not afford to continue their studies due to financial constraints.
This school year, they will only be accepting incoming first year students.
Magpale said they will interview all applicants starting from May 4 to May 13 to determine those who will qualify for the program.