PGIN eyes offering senior HS scholarships

Laoag City—Senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc said that processes are underway for the Ilocos Norte provincial government (PGIN) to offer a scholarship for senior high school.

“It’s a basic scholarship for low-income and indigenous students,” he shared, “Wala namang limitation sa strand, but of course there are preferred or prioritized strands kagaya ng Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM), and Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL).”

According to his office, they expect the approval of the measure by August.

The senior high school scholarship would be the sixth type of educational grant offered by the provincial government during the incumbency of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos, who is on her third and final term.

The most recent addition was the Sirib Athletic Scholarship through Provincial Ordinance No. 005-2016, which Mr. Manotoc sponsored.

It assists youth in both public and private schools who compete in sporting events such as Palarong Pambansa and the Region I Athletic Association (RIAA) and Ilocos Norte Athletic Association (INAA) meets.

Under the program, it gives incentives to lesser-fortunate but deserving student athletes from elementary to college for harnessing and developing their skills in sports while also assisted in pursuing their studies.

“I’m hoping that awareness of this sports scholarship will spread, so that more athletes will be encouraged to continue competing,” Mr. Manotoc said.

Selection of beneficiaries of the athletic scholarship are based on athletic performance, financial need, and satisfactory grades. They also required to render a total of 30 hours’ community service.

Mr. Manotoc assured that they also encourage even persons with disabilities (PWDs) to apply for the scholarship and even compete in events such as the Ilocos Norte Youth (INYo) Games, saying, “Perhaps Ilocos Norte can be a trailblazer in terms of sports competitions with PWDs.”

Other grants include the Sirib Young Leader and Sirib Community Leader scholarships through the Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office (INYDO) and the Sirib Academic and Technical-Vocational scholarships through the Provincial Education Department (PED). (Mizpah Grace Castro and Jesslyn Keith Valite)