Cebu expands educational aid for state university students

Local

CEBU Province is expanding its scholarship coverage, giving thousands more students a chance at financial assistance to continue their education.

The Provincial Board (PB) approved an amendment sponsored by Second District Board Member Raymond Joseph Calderon that allocates an additional 3,500 slots under the governor and vice governor’s offices through the Cebu Province Grant for Educational Assistance and Scholarship (CP-GIFTS) program.

Of these, 2,500 will go to the governor’s office and 1,000 to the vice governor’s office. The current distribution of 100 slots per board member remains in effect.

Calderon, chairperson of the Committee on Education, said the change responds to the reality that students and parents often seek help directly from the province’s top officials.

“This is not a scholarship na para sa ilang tuition fee. This is to help them sa ilang mga monthly needs while in school kay naa man juy uban nga naglisod jud so mao na atong gitabangan,” he explained.

Each scholar will continue to receive P10,000 per semester as a living allowance, with the provincial government allocating an estimated P150 million for 2026.

The aid is available only to those enrolled in state universities and public colleges, a limitation Calderon said is necessary because tuition in private schools is too high for the program to sustain.

“That’s why we are accepting ang kato rang naa sa state university kay kung naa sila sa private school, dako pa kaayo kinahanglan sa tuition fee lang daan,” he added.

The amendment also extends eligibility to Cebuano residents studying in public universities outside the province but still within Central Visayas.

Beneficiaries must maintain required academic standards to keep their slots, Calderon stressed, noting that some previous grantees lost their scholarships after failing to meet grade requirements.

The expanded program cleared its second reading during the PB’s regular session on September 15, two months after the first reading was conducted.(MyTVCebu)