A TOTAL of 4,000 students in Zambales received financial aid and scholarships under the groundbreaking social service program Integrated Scholarships and Incentives Program (ISIP) for the youth of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. that aims to benefit many students and members of the youth in every province in the country.

The ISIP, an initiative of the Office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in partmership with other government departments as part of President Marcos’ dedication to supporting the education sector, is envisioned to aid disadvantaged students and was launched Saturday in Zambales at the SMX Convention Center in Olongapo City.

“We are rolling out this program to give life to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr.’s directive to help qualified Filipino students who are financially incapable of paying for quality education. Inilunsad natin ito sa Iloilo noong nakaraang taon, at dito naman sa Zambales ang ating tututukan,” Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives, said in his keynote speech during the launch of the project.

The program targets tertiary and vocational students who will receive financial assistance every six months through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to cover tuition and other expenses.

Each of the 4,000 students in Zambales will receive P2,000 in financial assistance from the DSWD and identified student beneficiaries will be enrolled under the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) where students can get scholarship assistance of up to P15,000 per year.

The Olongapo and Zambales program was undertaken in collaboration with Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun.

“We do this so our children can reach for their dreams, graduate and become productive members of our communities, more than capable of contributing to nation-building. Ito ang hangarin ng ating Pangulo, at ito rin ang aming pangarap para sa ating mga kabataan,” Speaker Romualdez said.

The ISIP for the Youth was launched in collaboration with government agencies to assist deserving students facing financial challenges in pursuing quality education.

The program aims to empower disadvantaged Filipino youth, enabling them to contribute to nation-building. Key objectives include prioritizing education, improving literacy and easing financial burdens on families.

The ISIP is a financial assistance initiative for students in high school, Alternative Learning System, tertiary levels and vocational education institutions.

It is a convergence project with DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco