During the distribution of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) this afternoon, December 28, at the Audio-visual Center, 109 out of 341 student-grantees were present and were able to receive their P20,000 allowance for the 1st Semester of S.Y. 2018-2019.
Through Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education of 2017, the TES was implemented by the national government granting support to the cost of tertiary education to students identified by the DSWD Central Office through matching Listahanan 2.0 (poorest of the poor) to the data of students imported in the TES Portal.
A 1st Year BSED Social Studies student, Jasper Alegro, gave a message of thanks being one of the student-beneficiaries of the subsidy.
“We are so blessed because we are the few ones chosen. Let’s use this money wisely for our better future. Let’s not use our money for things which are not important because it will just go to nothing,” he said.
Meanwhile, some parents were also present in the venue to show how pleased they are and how greatly they recognize the help given to them by the government.
One of them was Melinda Montallana, mother of an SSU grantee, who said that she cannot help but cry because according to her, she was not expecting that her daughter would be qualified to receive the subsidy.
“Damo nga salamat nga may mga programa nga sugad hini. Dako nga bulig para ha mga estudyante, ngan labi na gud ha mga kag-anak para diri na problemahon an iba nga mga garastuson ha eskwelahan, labi sugad ha akon nga damo akon mga anak (Thank you [to the government] that there are programs like this. It’s a big help for the students, especially for the parents because they won’t worry about the school expenses anymore, especially for a parent like me who has many children to raise),” Montallana said.
The University President, Dr. Marilyn D. Cardoso, was moved to tears while talking to the grantees.
“I got so emotional when I saw your faces. I am so happy for you because I know that your education is already assured. This is history, a milestone for our country that there is free tuition and miscellaneous fee, plus allowance. Now, you have no reason to stop schooling. Big thanks to this great gesture done by the government,” she said.
Cardoso also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the higher authorities for the “kind gesture” they have made.
“We will submit a resolution signed by all of you who have been granted of this allowance as an expression of our gratitude to His Excellency Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines and CHED Chairperson, Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III for the full implementation of the Tertiary Education Subsidy,” Cardoso stated.
Also present on the event were the three vice-presidents, Dr. Felisa E. Gomba, VP for Academic Affairs; Dr. Ronald L. Orale, VP for Research and Extension Services; and Engr. Ma. Lourdes P. Amante, VP for Student Affairs and Services.
The distribution of the TES will resume on January for those who were not present earlier.