AMONG the regions in the country, Mindanao benefitted most from the educational program being implemented by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

I don’t know how this happened but we are all aware that our people in Mindanao are the ones who most need government assistance.

Pushing education in the war-torn region can boost efforts to eradicate poverty and end the long armed conflict between the state and rebel groups in that part of the archipelago.

The state pension fund announced earlier it will release a total of P100 million to 10,000 kin of GSIS members to augment their college education expenses through the GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP) for academic year (AY) 2021 to 2022.

Each college student will receive P10,000 from GSIS.

Out of nearly 17,300 received applications nationwide, the grantees for AY 2021-2022 were selected from different regions across the country, broken down as follows: 1,581 from NCR (15.81%); 1,994 from North Luzon (19.94%); 2,093 from South Luzon (20.93%) and 2,078 from Visayas (20.78%).

Mindanao had the highest number of grantees with 2,254 or 22.54%.

The grantees will receive the subsidy after submitting the requirements to GSIS. New grantees must submit the duly signed and notarized GESP agreement, the Information Sheet with two copies of the student’s latest 2×2 ID pictures, and a Land Bank of the Philippines account number.

These requirements must be submitted to the nearest GSIS office within 60 calendar days from the publication of the list of qualified students in the GSIS website or official social media account.

The list of qualified grantees for 2021-2022 may be viewed through https://www.gsis.gov.ph/gsis-educational-subsidy-program-grantees-ay-2021-2022/.

A student-grantee may shift course or transfer to any CHED-registered school provided that the course is completed within the duration of the original course.

Additionally, a written notice for the shift of course or transfer of school must be submitted to the Corporate Social Advocacies and Public Relations Facilities Department Manager, GSIS Pasay City.

GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said, “Malaking ginhawa ang hatid ng P10,000 na educational subsidy para sa ating mga miyembrong may anak o legal dependents na nasa kolehiyo, lalo pa ngayon na nasa gitna tayo ng pandemya.”

“Mula sa 15,770 qualified applicants, pumili tayo ng 10,000 grantees na pinakanangangailangang makatanggap ng educational assistance para sa pag-aaral ng kanilang kaanak,” Macasaet added.

No doubt this educational subsidy will go a long way.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) education ministry is doing its own share to promote education.

BARMM has turned over more than P35 million worth of school buildings in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.

“This is to give importance to teachers and students despite the pandemic,” Minister Mohagher Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education said.

Iqbal recently led the turnover of school buildings for Maguindanao Schools Division 1 and Lanao del Sur Schools Division 2 in the respective provinces.

The turnover was through the MBHTE Education Facilities Section worth P35,157,573.

The projects included six single-storey, 3-classroom buildings; and a single-storey, five-classroom building funded under the 2018 Basic Education Facilities Fund.

In Maguindanao Division 1, the school buildings were turned over to the Paglat National High School in Paglat town, and in Pandag National High School.

In Lanao del Sur Division 2, the recipients are the Kialilidan Primary School, Prentacom Elementary School, Marogong Central Elementary School, and the Ampaso Memorial National High School.

MBHTE has identified other areas in the region where school buildings will be built as a commitment to improving the region’s quality of education.

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