A lawmaker has filed a bill granting scholarship to children of poor Filipino farmers. Rep. Patrick Antonio (Partylist, AGBIAG said !o"se Bill #$## intends to make %"ality ed"cation accessible to small farmers who cannot send their children to finish higher ed"cation beca"se of financial constraints. &'he bill aims to increase the participation of Filipino workers in the agric"lt"ral sector by taking appropriate steps to "plift the standard of li(ing of small farmers,) Antonio said. Antonio said the bill promotes the de(elopment of agric"lt"re by financing the college ed"cation of talented and deser(ing children of small farmers and pro(ide incenti(es for them to p"rs"e a career in the field of agric"lt"re. 'he bill seeks to amend Rep"blic Act *+,* or the -agna .arta of /mall Farmers. It will also create a .hildren of /mall Farmers /cholarship "nder the .ommission on !igher 0d"cation (.!01 . .o(ered by the bill are small farmers whose ann"al income does not e2ceed P3$,,,,, based in 3445 constant prices. 6nder the bill, the scholarship shall be applied for any agric"lt"re or science and technology co"rses, as identified by the .!01 as a priority co"rse, and shall co(er the entire t"ition fees. 7"alified and deser(ing children of small farmers who enroll in co"rses other than those identified by the .!01 as a priority co"rse shall be granted financial assistance amo"nting to 8, percent of the t"ition fees. 'he grantees m"st maintain a general a(erage of $, percent and no failing grade in any s"b9ect. After grad"ating, a grantee m"st render ret"rn ser(ice to their home pro(ince e%"i(alent to one:half of the length of time he or she en9oyed the scholarship. Grantees who failed to ret"rn the ret"rn ser(ice obligation shall be liable to reimb"rse the go(ernment the amo"nt e%"i(alent to the scholarship f"nd granted to them. (#, mrs