Plan to hike stipend for Mandaue City scholars passes 1st reading

A glimpse of the Mandaue City Hall. | CDN Digital file photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – A proposal to increase the per semester stipend for Mandaue City scholars from P17, 00 to P19, 500 was approved on first reading during the City Council’s session on Monday, March 10.

However, the proposed measure authored by Councilor Marie Immaline Cortes-Zafra will still have to undergo review by the Committee on Appropriations through its vice chairman and public hearing before this can be subjected to second and final reading.

If approved the P2, 500 increase in the stipend for Mandaue City scholars may already be implemented in school year 2025-2026, Cortes-Zafra said.

READ: Mandaue senior high grads to receive P2,000 assistance

Mandaue City currently has 240 scholars, including 100 incoming first year students.

“Mahal kaayo ang pag-eskwela, espsecially those walay chance nga makasulod og state colleges. So, they have to go to private institutions. Mahal gyud siya, but at the end of the day we have to invest sa education sa atoang kabatan-unan, because makabenefit ra man gihapon ang society kung makawork na,” she added.

READ: 100 students interviewed for Mandaue City scholarships

(The cost of education is now very expensive, especially for those who don’t have a change for admission in state colleges. So, they have to go to private institutions. That is also very costly, but at the end of the day we have to invest on the education of our children, because the society will also benefit when they start to work.)

Stipend for Mandaue scholars

Cortes-Zafra, the chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations of the Mandaue City Council, said she found it necessary to already seek an increase in the stipend that the scholars are getting from the city government because they also have to spend on projects and their other needs.

READ: Mandaue starts accepting applicants for scholarship program

In addition, the planned increase in stipend was endorsed by the Mandaue City Scholarship Grant and Advisory Board through the passage of Resolution No. 001-2025 on October 24, 2024.

However, Cortes-Zafra assured that the increase will not be a burden to the city government because this will be charged to the city’s share of Pagcor’s Host Cities’ Share Program to ensure the continuity of its release.

PAGCOR guidelines allow the use of their funds on “qualified projects,” including scholarships for high-impact short courses such as computer science, tailoring, auto mechanics, and other vocational subjects.

Mandaue City scholars have been receiving a stipend of P17, 000 per semester or P34, 000 per year since 2010.  The amount is taken from the city’s general funds.