Mayor Val tells 2nd batch of city scholars: Do well in school

IN this highly competitive world, you need a college degree. So, look for a course that suits you best. Mayor Valdemar M. Chiong said this as he addressed the new batch of 100 scholars during a formal briefing at Enan Chiong Activity Center (ECAC), East Poblacion, City of Naga, Cebu on Friday morning (May 03, 2013). They comprise the second batch of scholars following the launching of the City Government scholarship program in 2012. As government scholars, they must maintain a grade of at least 2.5 because lower than the mandated grade would mean disqualification of their scholarships. The mayor, who put education as among his top priorities, urged the incoming first year college students to do well in their studies so as not to put the citys efforts in vain. Chiong emphasized this after he noted that seven scholars, who belonged to the first batch, have already been disqualified this year for failing to maintain the required grade as mandated in the scholarship guidelines. For as long you study hard, you can easily get good grades higher than what is required in our scholarship program. Focus on your study ug dili sa mag uyab-uyab, he said in jest. The second batch of scholars already took and passed the Department of Education (DepEd)-assisted qualifying exam, earning them a slot of the scholarship program that accepts 100 beneficiaries per year. The mayor reiterated his administration's commitment to continue the scholarship program until these young recipients, most of whom belong to indigent families, earn college degrees. The launching of the scholarship grant is considered a breakthrough in the education program of the City Government, which forged a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with nine selected colleges and universities in Cebu, including the City of Naga-based Professional Academy of the Philippines (PAP). In the same speech, the mayor stressed that he maintains a hands-off policy to ensure that the scholarship program is not derailed or tainted with politics. The City is allotting P4 million a year to finance the scholarship program at P20,000 per semester or P40,000 per school year for each scholar. In attendance during the briefing were the parents, guardians and officials of nine selected colleges and universities and DepEd.