LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Rep. Nestor B. Fongwan, Sr. assured beneficiaries of the province’s educational financial assistance program that none among them will be displaced as he intends to pursue the implementation of the noble-undertaking.
The first-term lawmaker disclosed there will be no enrolled beneficiary of the educational financial assistance program of former Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan who will be deprived of the financial assistance until they graduate
“We will not allow the studies of the beneficiaries of the program to be unduly interrupted as we will continue the implementation of the grant of financial assistance to enrolled beneficiaries until they will graduate from their chosen courses,” Rep. Fongwan stressed.
He disclosed he will possibly source out additional funds from concerned government agencies to accommodate the increasing number of applicants wanting to avail of the benefits of the program so that more deserving students from the different parts of the province could pursue their desired higher level of education.
According to him, those who will graduate from their chosen courses in the coming semesters will be replaced by those who earlier filed their applications to avail of the educational financial assistance program so that no one will be displaced.
He agreed to the contention of many people that education is still the best inheritance parents and guardians can give their children and beneficiaries as this cannot be taken away from them, aside from it being the means by which to earn a livelihood.
He stated that the rules and regulations of the previous educational financial assistance program will be carried over during his term and adjustments will still be subjected to the appropriate consultations with the beneficiaries for them to be aware of any changes that will be introduced to improve the grant of the assistance to deserving students enrolled in the different colleges and universities inside and outside the province.
Fongwan appealed to the students who were not accommodated in the present list to be patient in awaiting the results of the initiatives being undertaken by his office in sourcing out additional funds for the program but the same will not immediately take effect since funds that may provided will only be included in the 2020 budget of the concerned government agencies.
He encouraged beneficiaries of the educational financial assistance program under his office to maximize the opportunity given them to pursue higher education so they can help their families as the beneficiaries are poor but deserving students from the different parts of the province who are interested to pursue a decent education..
The program is lodged with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Science and Technology among other agencies. By HENT
