Tue, 09/18/2018

The best way to show your gratefulness and appreciation for the education assistance program is to ‘Pass it Forward’.

The 1,886 Metro 3rd Skolars with (front standing, left to right) Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano, Dr. Kiko Benitez, Cong. Albee Benitez, EBM Councilor Eric Matulac and Victorias Mayor Wantan Palanca.

This was the advice of Third District Congressman Alfredo Benitez to 1,886 students – the Metro 3rd Skolars, from all over the district who gathered Sunday, September 16 at the Silay City Plaza Covered Court for the 2nd Tulong-Dunong Program Orientation and Dialogue.

Cong. Benitez has partnered with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) since 2010 for the implementation of the Tulong-Dunong Program, an educational assistance for college students.

Philippine Women’s University President and younger brother of Cong. Benitez, Dr. Jose Francisco Benitez who was guest speaker, highlighted three reminders for the Metro 3rd Skolars - to finish and graduate; to always look back to those who have helped; and to help uplift the community from poverty.

Click here to check out the message of Dr. Jose Francisco Benitez...

A performance report on the program and orientation on guidelines was given by CHED Education Supervisor II Maria Karen Grecia-Zaldivar.

Also present were the scholarship coordinators of the colleges and universities where the education assistance grantees are enrolled. The partner-schools are Bago City College, Bacolod City College, Binalbagan Catholic College, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, CEDAR, Central Philippine Adventist College, Central Philippine State University, Colegio de Sta. Ana Victorias, Colegio de San Agustin Bacolod, John B, Lacson Colleges Foundation Bacolod, La Carlota City College, La Consolacion College Bacolod, NONESCOST, Philippine Normal University-Visayas, Riverside College, Silay Institute, STI-West Negros University, Technological University of the Philippines, University of Negros Occ.-Recoletos, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, University of the Philippines-Visayas, and Visayan Maritime Academy Global College.

The summary of beneficiaries for school year 2018-2019 include 302 for EB Magalona; 325 from Murcia; 449 from Silay; Talisay – 270,, Victorias – 340; and 200 new grantees.

The Office of Cong. Benitez also reported covering a total of 14,286 grantees for three CHED programs since 2010 – Priority Development Assistance Fund-Educational Assistance, Special Study Grant Program for Congressional Districts, and the Student Financial Assistance Program-Tulong Dunong Program.

Also present during the September 16 Orientation Program were Vice-Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Silay City Mayor Mark Golez, Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano and Vice Mayor Gerardo Rojas, Victorias Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, EB Magalona Councilors Jovie Madalag, Joey Pugales, Boy Gamboa, Jun Gomed, Gelit Parcon, and Eric Matulac, and several barangay officials from the Third District.

An open forum for concerns and clarifications was a highlight of the program, capped by a raffle with 30 students winning a laptop each.*