THE COMMISSION on Higher Education and the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education vowed to give more scholarships to members of Indigenous Peoples Communities.

CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said that the higher budget allotted for the Tertiary Education Subsidy will help the IPs continue their studies.

“President Rodrigo Duterte signed the 2021 GAA recently which increased funding for the Tertiary Education Subsidy which now includes the Tulong Dunong program. Many of the needy and deserving IP students are unable to avail of the TES because of lack of information and the inability of government agencies to include them in their welfare list because they live in remote upland areas,” De Vera said.

He said that CHED and UniFAST must coordinate with local governments units and IPs to disseminate information on the TES program.

“UniFAST and CHED must now meet and link with local governments and IP groups who can assist in information dissemination and identification of beneficiaries,” De Vera said.

The program was discussed during a meeting with Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla, IP Board Member Sammy Balinhawang, Santa Fe Mayor Tidong Benito and leaders from 10 tribal groups in Nueva Vizcaya.

De Vera lauded the support of Padilla and Balinhawang for bringing together the Ayangan, Bugkalot, Gaddang, Ikalahan/Kalanguya, Ibaloi, Isinai, Iwak, Tuwali, Kankaney, and Kalinga leaders in Nueva Vizcaya and other provinces so that CHED and UniFAST could explain to them the Free Higher Education program.

“I will be visiting and meeting with more IP leaders and local governments in the coming months so UniFAST can fully implement the commitment of President Duterte for our young people to complete their education,” he said.

RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education law provides financial assistance to close to 1.8 million students in public and private colleges and universities through free tuition and miscellaneous fees and the TES.

There are 16,118 TES beneficiaries in Region 2 and 1,660 in Nueva Vizcaya, many coming from the IP areas.