SENATOR Pia Cayetano is pushing for stronger safeguards in the proposed Presidential Merit Scholarship Program Act to ensure that scholars receive stable financial support throughout their studies and can complete their education without disruption.

During the period of amendments to Senate Bill No. 2410, Cayetano emphasized the need to protect scholarship beneficiaries from reductions in financial assistance after grants have been awarded.

The senator cited experiences under the Tertiary Education Subsidy program, where cuts in assistance affected students and contributed to higher dropout rates. She stressed that scholarship recipients should be assured that financial support will remain stable until they complete their academic programs.

Cayetano also pointed out that the financial burden of pursuing higher education is not limited to low-income families.

Many middle-class households, she said, continue to struggle with the rising cost of quality tertiary education despite working hard to provide better opportunities for their children.

“We want the middle-class parents here, the hardworking middle class, to know that we hear them; we know how expensive it is to send your kids to school,” Cayetano said.

The senator also underscored the need to provide adequate funding and manpower to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which are expected to play key roles in implementing the scholarship program.

She noted that beyond providing financial assistance, the government must ensure that implementing agencies have sufficient administrative capacity to effectively manage and monitor the program.

Cayetano said adequate resources for CHED and TESDA are essential to ensuring that the proposed Presidential Merit Scholarship Program delivers its intended benefits and helps deserving students complete their education and achieve their academic goals.