Benguet: The provincial government of Benguet has announced the opening of 158 scholarship slots for incoming first-year college students for the Academic Year 2025-2026, as confirmed by Governor Melchor Diclas.
According to Philippines News Agency, a total of 158 scholarship slots are available for incoming first-year college students under the Provincial Government of Benguet scholarship program. Of these, 140 slots will be designated for each of the province's barangays, while 18 slots will be allocated for Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduates. These slots are distributed as one per Department of Education (DepEd) district, and four additional slots for students who have brought honor to Benguet in sports or technical skills.
Applicants for the barangay slots are required to submit their requirements to their respective barangay offices. ALS scholars should submit their applications to the DepEd district offices, and special achievers are to apply directly to the Governor's Office. Governor Diclas has also revealed plans to double the barangay slots to two per barangay by the next school year to support more underprivileged but deserving students.
The scholarship program provides monetary allowances, tuition, and book support. Governor Diclas emphasized the importance of this initiative by stating, "This is a long-term investment in our youth and our province. An educated population is key to our development."
In addition to the general scholarship slots, the province offers scholarships for incoming freshmen pursuing medicine, with one slot per municipality. This initiative aims to address the need for more doctors in rural communities. Governor Diclas, a medical doctor himself, highlighted the necessity of more doctors in the barrios and the goal to have at least one doctor per municipality by supporting the education of future medical professionals.
Governor Diclas concluded by underscoring the importance of health, stating, "Health is an important part of life, and we believe that by investing in our children's education, we will be able to produce more medical professionals who will help us in ensuring the good health of our people."
