DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — For hundreds of students in Negros Oriental, financial assistance from the national government is offering more than immediate relief—it could mean one less obstacle standing between them and a college diploma.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial distribution of ₱20,000 in educational assistance to student scholars during his visit to Negros Oriental on August 17, as the administration expanded its Bawat Barangay Makikinabang initiative in the province.
The initial rollout covers 250 scholars from Dumaguete City, Valencia and Bacong, while the broader scholarship initiative is projected to reach 2,785 students across 557 barangays in Negros Oriental.
For beneficiaries, the assistance can help cover some of the costs that frequently make college difficult to sustain—from school requirements and transportation to daily allowances and other education-related expenses.
Students hope more Negrenses will benefit
While the first batch of beneficiaries welcomed the assistance, the program has also fueled calls for broader coverage so that more students facing financial difficulties can receive support.
The scholarship component is funded through the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) under the administration’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang program.
Under the current framework, ₱200,000 is allocated to each barangay, with half of the amount intended for scholarships. Five scholars per barangay may receive ₱20,000 each, while the remaining ₱100,000 can be used for local projects and efforts aimed at improving basic services.
The structure is designed to move assistance closer to communities by allowing local officials to identify beneficiaries and prioritize needs within their respective barangays.
That approach is particularly significant for students in rural and lower-income communities, where education costs extend well beyond tuition.
₱20,000 may be a lifeline for students
The Negros Oriental rollout is part of a wider national push to provide direct assistance to Filipino students.
Similar scholarship distributions have already been reported in other parts of the country. In Camiguin, for example, the Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars Program provides ₱20,000 to five selected scholars per barangay, with the program funded through the same ₱200,000-per-barangay allocation.
In Biliran, five scholars from Barangay Sto. Niño also received ₱20,000 each under the Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars Program.
Meanwhile, other government education programs continue to provide separate forms of assistance.
The Commission on Higher Education’s Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), for instance, has been receiving increased government funding. In January 2026, CHED said its budget had risen by 40.11 percent to ₱47 billion, supporting free tuition and other financial assistance programs for college students.
Another program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, provides financial support to participating low-income college students while deploying them as tutors for struggling elementary learners.
More than scholarships on Marcos’ Negros Oriental visit
The President’s visit was not limited to student assistance.
Government agencies also distributed rice assistance to vulnerable residents in Dumaguete. About 2,230 beneficiaries, including farmers, fisherfolk, vendors, laborers and other low-income earners, received 10 kilograms of rice each under the Local Government Support Fund-Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program.
The province-wide rice initiative is expected to reach 386,673 beneficiaries, according to reports from the Philippine News Agency and local media.
Marcos also visited the 302nd Infantry Brigade at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City, where he recognized the military’s work in security operations, coordination with local governments and humanitarian assistance.
The bigger question: How far can the program reach?
The Negros Oriental rollout highlights a broader challenge facing government scholarship initiatives: getting assistance to students who need it most—and making sure eligible students outside the initial beneficiary list are not left behind.
With the program projected to cover thousands of students across hundreds of barangays, its long-term impact will depend not only on the amount distributed but also on how consistently the assistance reaches qualified beneficiaries.
For students who receive it, however, the ₱20,000 represents something immediate and tangible: additional breathing room to stay in school.
And as calls grow for wider coverage, the next question may no longer be whether government assistance can help students—but how many more Negrense students will get the chance to benefit from it.
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