Sarangani graduates 36 scholars

By BEVERLY PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (May 23, 2008) – The provincial government's scholarship program posted 36 graduates this year with six cum laude graduates and one with honors.

This is the biggest batch yet since the program started five years ago.

Capitol officials see the continuous grant of scholarship privilege to poor but deserving students thru the Paaral Para Sa Sarangan (PPSS) as an investment for the province's human capital.

The scholarship program started with 20 scholars in school year 2002-2003 with a budget appropriation of P100,000. Up to this school year, PPSS has grown to 183 scholars with budget needs of almost P3 million a year.

PPSS' now has 79 total graduates both in baccalaureate and technical courses.

PPSS program convenor Vicente Camacho III said the program was initiated purposely to provide financial support to underprivileged students who want to pursue higher education.

"The widening gap between poor but deserving Filipinos every year hinders opportunity for them to have affordable education," Camacho said.

With the program, he said, requirements for high literacy rate in this province would be addressed and eventually would "create a lot of potentials here."

Meantime, he said the total number of students who have availed of the collegiate educational assistance is below the desired number to be addressed. But Camacho said there have been good results already in the impact of the program.

"We cannot compete with the actual number of students who need to be assisted but we can always provide impact even a little to the over-all goal of educational development of the province," Camacho said.

Governor Migs Dominguez said the scholar-graduates this year discredit the notion that poverty is a hindrance towards quality education and success.

"We have just proven to ourselves that nothing is impossible," he told the scholars. He added that more people would be inspired by the graduates.

Sarangani government, he said, is "a government that cares for its people."

Provincial administrator Fredo Basino challenged the graduates to help the local government address poverty incidence in Sarangani, the 4th poorest province in the country according to the 2004 poverty estimates of National Statistical Coordination Board.

"We expect you to rally behind us in combating poverty and become soldiers for development," Basino said.

PPSS started in 2002 from a very simple concept based on experiential learning process.

"We did not come up with a highly categorized concept for its mechanism. We learn from what we are doing and we are able to improve the mechanics, system and the application of the program as we went on," Camacho explained.

Starting next year, Camacho said PPSS would start engaging into resource accessing to tap other organizations and foundations offering scholarships.

Camacho pointed out that the number of applicants and financial requirement per student is increasing yearly and program funds are limited.

Camacho is also planning to initiate an alumni homecoming for the graduates within the year for him to keep track on their career development.

"Others have migrated from Sarangani while others have landed into local employment both in government and private institutions. But I don't see a jobless scholar," Camacho noted. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/BCP)