CEBU Provincial Board Member Raymond Joseph Calderon is pushing for a significant amendment to the Cebu Province-Governor’s Incentive for Tertiary Studies (CP-GIFTS) scholarship program.
If approved, his proposal would allow Cebuano students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) even outside Cebu to qualify for financial assistance.
Currently, the CP-GIFTS program is restricted to beneficiaries attending SUCs within Cebu. However, Calderon, who chairs the Committee on Education, argues that this limitation unfairly excludes many students.
He pointed out that students, especially from southern Cebu, often choose to study in nearby SUCs in Negros and Leyte due to better accessibility or the availability of specific courses not offered locally.
“Dili sila ka-avail tawn kay tua man sila nagskwela sa gawas sa Cebu, even if it’s a state university (They can’t avail of it because they’re studying outside Cebu, even if it’s a state university),” Calderon said in an interview on Monday, July 14, 2025, after the Provincial Board approved his proposed amendment on its first reading.
Elaborating on his proposed change, Calderon added: “Ang akong proposed amendment, as long as Cebuano voter sila and maka-comply sa other requirements, pwede gihapon sila maka-avail bisan outside Cebu pa sila moskwela basta SUC gihapon.”
Calderon cited examples like students from northern Cebu towns such as Pilar who enroll in state-run institutions in Leyte, or those attending specialized schools like the Visayas State University (Visca), which are currently not covered by the program.
Students’ allowance
The CP-GIFTS scholarship provides P10,000 per semester in allowance. This aid is primarily intended to support students’ daily needs and other educational expenses, especially since tuition fees in SUCs are now free under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
He said the allowance isn’t for tuition, which is already free, but for daily needs. In private schools, it would likely just cover tuition, so it’s better that public school scholars receive the benefit.
Calderon clarified that his amendment does not seek to include private institutions in the program, maintaining the focus on public higher education.
In addition to expanding eligibility, Calderon plans to recommend that the vice governor be granted an allocation under the program.
He noted that the current ordinance does not include the vice governor in the distribution of scholarship slots, which are currently allocated annually to each board member at 100 slots, accumulating each year.
Calderon said he pushed for the amendment based on the feedback from his constituents in the southern part of the province.
He expressed optimism that his proposed amendment will receive strong support from the Provincial Board, as it aims to broaden access to the province’s educational aid and adapt to the evolving needs of Cebuano students. / JPS with reports from Reydante Tinapay and Jallee Haze Marimon, HNU Interns