BENEFICIARIES of the Cebu Province Grants Intended for Tertiary Students (CP-Gifts) program have appealed to the Provincial Government to address year-long delays in scholarship allowance releases.
Students reported financial hardship during their thesis and on-the-job training (OJT) periods, citing inconsistent payouts across districts and a lack of a fixed timeline.
The scholars urged Governor Pamela Baricuatro to intervene and establish a systematic process, noting that some have not received funds for the 2024 and 2025 semesters despite complying with all requirements.
“We understand if the scholarship has many layers like budget allocations, endorsement, audit, changes in administration, and even unexpected events like earthquake and typhoons,” a pre-medical student who asked not to be named said.
“But the long waiting period has a real impact because many of us depend on this for daily allowances, transportation, and especially for graduating students, the situation is even heavier,” he added.
Scholars said CP-Gifts focal persons attributed the delayed release of allowances to administrative issues such as no budget, pending signatures, changes in leadership, and payroll processing by batch.
Another student said releases are delayed until all scholars in a district submit their grades. He said grades are first collated by the district’s focal person before submission for payroll processing, with each focal person handling around 100 students.
According to him, delays worsen when processing waits for all scholars in a district to submit their grades.
“If one student is late, everyone ends up waiting. There has got to be a better system,” he said.
He added they were earlier told the payroll was ready but could not be disbursed.
Scholars said delays become critical during OJT and thesis preparation, when school expenses pile up. Some reported delays ranging from five months to even a year.
Beneficiaries of the CP-Gifts receive a monthly stipend of P2,000, which amounts to P10,000 per semester. The payouts are coursed through Landbank ATM accounts.
“We are calling on Governor Pamela Baricuatro to intervene because the welfare of the scholars should be at the center of the conversation, as we -- the scholars -- are the primary stakeholders,” a student interviewed by SunStar said.
Scholars call for clearer communication on budgeting timelines and approval processes.
“When scholars understand the process and timeline, it reduces confusion and anxiety. Transparency is not about blaming anyone. It’s about building trust,” one scholar said.
As Christmas and the New Year approach, she said scholars remain hopeful but anxious.
“We have something to hope for, but there is also frustration and fear -- especially with graduation expenses like pictorials. You only graduate once,” he said.
A fourth-year Education student has this appeal to Baricuatro: “To Governor Pam, I know you have many responsibilities and that there are other priorities, especially given the calamities we have faced, but please hear our cries for help.”
“We have been waiting for our allowance for a year now, and we are repeatedly told that it is still awaiting signature from the approving authority,” she said, adding that the scholarship allowance represents recognition of scholars’ commitment and hard work.
“This is a reward for our dedication and perseverance in our studies,” she said.
“We hope to receive at least two semesters’ worth of allowance now—even if it is just our Christmas gift,” she added.
SunStar Cebu reached out to Fifth District Board Member Mike Villamor, chairperson of the Committee on Higher Education, and Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces for comments. Both had yet to respond as of this writing. (CDF)