Introduction

In higher education, students' continued enrollment in the institution, successful accrual of credit hours and on-time
graduation are among the definitions of success (Ganem & Manasse, 2011). However, the financial barrier has remained
a primary obstacle for students pursuing higher education with the rapidly rising cost of tuition rates (Rapp, 2005). As
the costs of attending college have risen and access to higher education has declined, policymakers and educators are
increasingly looking for grants and scholarships as an avenue for making college more accessible (Johnson, 2014). In
addressing the said issue, efforts such as scholarships, administration of financial aid and grants to college students have
been implemented to facilitate student success. In the study of Ononye (2018), it has been shown that scholarship
coupled with academic/ enrichment support programs are essential to reduce attrition for low-income, first-generation,
women and minority students. Scholarships are primarily given to deserving students for them to be able to continue
their education. In the Philippines, there are various types of scholarship providers, such as the government,
corporations and the schools themselves. Merit, skills, need or context-based in such forms as grants, loans, tuition
remission private or institutional constitute the financial aid for higher education (Ganem & Manasse, 2011). However,
some cited studies suggested that financial aids showed a varied effect in direction and intensity and across types of aid
and characteristics of students, concluding that it may not work at all times to fulfill its objectives in promoting success
to the higher education institution. This is also shown in the study of Cabrera et al. (1992) involving a sample of 466
college students who were attending a large public institution. The results appear to suggest that financial aid and its
concomitant attitude are important not only because they equalize opportunities between affluent and low-income
students, but also because it facilitates the student's integration into the academic and social components of the
institution. The components also influence his or her commitment to stay in college. President Ferdinand R. Marcos has
ordered the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to offer scholarships to students in the
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track program.

The directive was made during the Cabinet meeting held at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Tuesday morning,
Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer in charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), said in a press statement.
"President Ferdinand R. Marcos wants the government to offer a scholarship program for STEM courses to address the
lack of talent for information and communication technology businesses," Garafil said. "During a Cabinet meeting on
Tuesday, Marcos said a scholarship program should be set up to encourage more students to pursue STEM courses." She
said Marcos has directed DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy to coordinate with industry players to determine their specific
needs and address jobs mismatch. This was after Uy noted a shortfall in students taking up STEM courses. Uy also cited
the ICT industry's observations that many IT graduates do not have the right tools and training required by the ICT
industry. The President, Garafil said, emphasized the importance of making "necessary adjustments." "Marcos has since
expressed commitment to fixing the gap in research and development in STEM, saying the Philippines has 'a lot to catch
up' in the STEM fields," she said. "Experts said the Philippines needs to invest in addressing these issues to have a strong
STEM community to make the country competitive. They say investing in STEM can boost the country economically,
politically, and educationally." On Monday, the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute
(DOST-SEI) urged interested Grade 12 students who wish to pursue careers in science and technology to apply for the
2023 Undergraduate Scholarship Program.

The application is open to STEM students, as well as to non-STEM students who belong to the top 5 percent of their
graduating class. In his first State of the Nation Address delivered on July 25, Marcos said his administration would focus
on developing and refining Filipino students’ STEM performance to enable the country to gain a competitive education
standing worldwide. (PNA) PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wants the government to set up a scholarship
program for students who will take up STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses to help fill the
gap in the fields of information and communication technology businesses, Malacañang said Tuesday. The Chief
Executive bared his plan during the Cabinet meeting Tuesday, saying that having a scholarship program in place will help
entice more students to pursue STEM courses. Marcos directed Department of Information and Communications
Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy to coordinate with industry players to determine their specific needs and
address jobs mismatch, which, he said, is important to enable the government and the industry to make necessary
adjustments.
Uy hailed the timeliness of the order, admitting that many IT graduates do not have the right tools and training required
to thrive in the ICT industry. The DICT chief also noted that very few students take up STEM courses.‌ Marcos said that
the Philippines has a lot of catching up to do in the said fields compared to neighboring countries. The Chief Executive
earlier this month committed to support the advancement of Filipino scientists as he highlighted their important role in
the country's economic recovery and in confronting challenges.He urged the Department of Science and Technology to
develop more initiatives that will inspire young people to pursue scientific and technological courses. Marcos also wants
incentives to be given to the returning scientists who wish to continue their careers locally through the Balik Scientist
Program such as equipment, facilities and necessary funding.