City hall to spend P40m for scholars; 8 schools sign agreement

By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents .

CITY hall would be spending P40 million to pay for the tuition of 1,504 college students under the local government’s scholarship program until 2019.

This was revealed even as Mayor Oscar Moreno signed an agreement with eight colleges and universities here on Tuesday in connection with the scholarship program.

Signing the agreement were officials of the Cagayan  de Oro College-Phinma, Capitol  University, Liceo de Cagayan University, Lourdes College, Pilgrim Christian College, Southern de Oro Philippine College,  University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, and Xavier University.

According to Moreno, the scholarship program is a continuation of what was done during the administration of  former mayor Vicente Emano.

Councilor Suzette Daba, chair of the city council’s education committee and author of the city’s 2018 Scholarship Code, said the P40-million budget was approved by the local legislature in January in addition to a “continuing appropriation” set aside last year.

Of the 1,504 city hall scholars, 1,309 were just recently admitted and chosen among 2,046 applicants.

Daba said those who qualified are from impoverished families who excelled in their studies.

“Kinahanglan gyud nga below poverty line ang income and only students who can show their academic performance mao pud ang gi-consider,” Daba said.

Moreno said the standards have been set by the City Scholarship Office.