DSWD urges 4Ps beneficiaries to apply for gov’t tertiary scholarships

As the graduation season nears, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) urged Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, particularly students who are eligible for college, to explore government scholarship opportunities to secure their tertiary education.

4Ps Social Marketing Division chief Marie Grace Ponce said on Wednesday at the DSWD’s 4Ps Fastbreak online program that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have scholarship programs that prioritize students from 4Ps households. 

“Wala pong ino-offer ang 4Ps na scholarship for college students pero may mga katuwang po tayo na nagbibigay ng mga scholarship kagaya po ng TESDA at saka CHED,” Ponce said. 

(4Ps does not offer any scholarships for college students, but we have partners who provide scholarships like TESDA and CHED.

She said students may apply for CHED’s scholarship program through the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), which has already provided tertiary education support to 275,881 monitored children. 

This program supports the full or partial cost of tertiary education of students from low-income households studying in state universities and colleges (SUCs), CHED-recognized local universities and colleges (LUCs), and private higher education institutions (HEIs).

“Syempre importante po talaga para sa ating mga 4Ps beneficiaries na makatapos sila ng four-year course o ng vocational course. Ito kasi ang magbibigay ng tsansa o opportunity na magkaroon sila ng mas maayos na trabaho, makapaghanap ng mas permanente at mas malaking kita para sa kanila,” Ponce said. 

(Of course, it is really important for our 4Ps beneficiaries to complete a four-year course or a vocational course. This will give them a chance or opportunity to get a better job, find a more permanent job, and earn a bigger income for themselves.) 

Aside from the CHED, the 4Ps also link beneficiaries to the TESDA, Ponce said that they offer short-term and long-term skills development or skills enhancement training.

“Ito yung vocational courses na tinatawag natin na pwedeng magamit na mai-apply ng mga kukuha ng scholarship,” DC Ponce pointed out. 

(These are what we call vocational courses that can be used to apply for scholarships.) 

Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News