DAVAO City Councilor Atty. Antoinette “Petite” Principe has proposed an ordinance to institutionalize and strengthen the Educational Benefit System Unit (Ebsu), aiming to expand support for students in need.
Principe, who chairs the Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, said the ordinance would enhance the office’s services for students requiring financial and academic assistance.
“We want to collate everything and come up with an ordinance that would cover all that the Ebsu has given,” she said in a media interview Tuesday at the Sanguniang Panlungsod.
Ebsu has been operating since 2011, initially established through an executive order. Over the years, the office has expanded its offerings to include higher education scholarships, as well as medical and law school scholarships.
The proposed ordinance would consolidate all previous executive orders and related measures, including the “Iskolar ng Tribu” program initiated by former City Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Rodulfo Mande.
“We expect only minimal changes, considering the program has been running effectively for years,” Principe added.
Although the ordinance is still pending, Ebsu has received funding from the City Mayor's Office (CMO). Principe noted that any increase in funding would be at the mayor’s discretion.
Earlier on Tuesday, she raised the proposal during a privilege speech in the council session and moved for its approval on first reading, aiming for its passage before the 2027 budget deliberations.
Scholarship numbers
For School Year 2025–2026, Ebsu accepted around 453 scholars: 424 in tertiary education and 29 in law and medical programs.
Tertiary education scholars are divided into three categories: Part A (118 scholars) receive ₱50,000 each; Part B (125 scholars) receive ₱40,000 each; and Part C (181 scholars) receive ₱15,000 each.
Law school scholars total 17—seven full scholars (₱50,000 plus ₱8,000 book allowance per semester) and ten half scholars (₱25,000 plus ₱4,000 book allowance).
Medical school scholars receive ₱140,000 plus ₱20,000 book allowance per semester for full scholars, and ₱70,000 plus ₱10,000 book allowance for half scholars.
In 2024, Ebsu reported that 2,512 scholars benefited from its programs.
About Ebsu
Ebsu is a local government-run education assistance unit that consolidates and manages scholarship and educational aid programs for qualified Davao residents. It was created under Executive Order No. 27, series of 2011, to centralize all education-related assistance from the city government.
The office oversees programs including the Scholarship on Tertiary Education Program (Step), the Special Educational Assistance Program (Seap), technical and vocational training support, and other sector-specific educational initiatives. RGP