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What a scholarship program really means for a scholar and his family

A 19-year-old resident of Barangay Malanday thought he would never reach college.

But with the help of a scholarship grant from Valenzuela City government, B.S. Information Technology student Lloyd Santiago will be graduating in Pamantasang Lungsod ng Valenzuela or PLV this coming March.

 

“Napakalaking tulong ng scholarship program hindi lamang para sa akin kundi lalo na sa mga magulang ko,” Lloyd said.

The PLV student has been one of the 70 recipients of Dr. Pio Valenzuela or DPV Scholarship Program scholarship program since his freshman year in 2011.

 

It began offering free college education to poor but deserving students living in Valenzuela City with the issuance of a municipal ordinance that was approved in 1995.

 

When he was still serving as Valenzuela City mayor in 2009, incumbent Valenzuela City Congressman Win Gatchalian amended the ordinance to increase the educational assistance.

 

This enabled DPV scholars, like Lloyd, to receive about P30,000 annually or a total of P120,000 financial allocation that they can use to finish a college degree in four years.

 

“Itinatabi ko yung ibang (pera galing sa scholarship) dahil medyo magastos yung course ko,” explained Santiago, whose father works for a water refilling station.

 

“Hindi lang ang sarili ko ang iniisip ko kundi (pati) ang mga magulang at kapatid ko. Minsan kung kinakapos kami, kahit papaano nakakatulong ‘yung perang naitatabi ko,” he added.

 

Lloyd, who belongs the 16th batch of DPV scholars, needs to maintain a grade that is not lower than 2.25 with a general weighted average of 2.00.

 

“May mga kilala kasi akong scholar na nade-depress at nai-stress kapag hindi sila umabot sa grade requirement,” Lloyd said.

 

“Dumating na rin ako sa puntong iyon,” he added.

 

But the graduating scholar said that maintaining a grade requirement is a just a small price to pay in exchange for him to learn the things he needs to know to help his family get out of poverty. (Camille Nepomuceno)

 

 

Congressman Win Gatchalian’s Scholarship Program