MANDAUE City’s scholarship program is seeing record-breaking interest this year, with over 900 students applying for financial aid.
While the city has increased the number of available spots, officials admit that limited funding means many deserving students will still miss out.
The high number of applicants highlights a massive demand for educational support in the city. City Administrator Gonzalo Malig-on shared that while the city is glad to see students eager to learn, the situation is bittersweet.
“We are happy to see such strong engagement in the city’s announcement, but at the same time, we feel sad because many qualified applicants cannot be accommodated,” Malig-on said.
Because government funds are limited, the city has to be very careful about who receives the slots, prioritizing those who meet specific criteria.
Under the leadership of Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, the program actually grew this year. The city increased the number of scholarship slots from 100 to 150—the highest number the program has ever offered. Even with this 50% increase, Malig-on noted it is still not enough to cover everyone who qualified.
To keep things fair, the city uses a very strict screening process. Every applicant must go through interviews and an evaluation based on objective standards. There are two separate interview panels to make sure everyone is judged by the same rules.
Malig-on emphasized that the process is honest and fair, with no special treatment for anyone. “There is no ‘palakasay’ or use of guarantee letters. The process is strictly based on merit,” he said.
The lucky students who are selected will receive P17,000 per semester. A major benefit of this program is flexibility: scholars can choose to enroll in any school within Cebu.
The College Scholarship Grant and Advisory Board, working with the Mandaue City Youth Development Office, has already released the names of those moving on to the interview stage.
While the city cannot help everyone right now, officials made it clear that education is a top priority for the Ouano administration. There are already plans in motion to expand the scholarship program in the future so that more Mandauehanon students can achieve their dreams. ABC