Leyte: The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is streamlining its scholarship fund distribution for thousands of student beneficiaries in Leyte province through a collaboration with Land Bank of the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative transitions the disbursement of scholars' Training Support Fund under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) from manual checks to automated teller machines and an e-wallet system, as stated by TESDA-Leyte Director Enrico Banario. The shift aims to enhance scholarship management by eliminating manual transactions, a move facilitated by the partnership with Land Bank Tacloban.

Banario highlighted several benefits of the agreement, including the elimination of 'middleman' risks by directly transferring funds to scholars, reducing paperwork to allow TESDA to focus more on training, and supporting the ease of doing business goal through the adoption of modern financial technology.

Brendalyn Villavicencio, head of the LBP East Visayas branches group, expressed that the partnership with the Leyte provincial official is designed to expand financial access and promote economic empowerment. Villavicencio emphasized that the initiative is not just about opening accounts, but also about creating opportunities for the beneficiaries.

The pilot implementation of this program will initially benefit 5,324 scholars, out of more than 24,000 recipients in Leyte under UAQTEA. The UAQTEA provides free tuition and training for students enrolled in TESDA-registered programs at technical-vocational institutions, aiming to support marginalized Filipinos through free training, assessment, allowances, and tools.

Under this program, each student receives PHP14,500 per semester for the first three years of college to cover training support and school uniforms.