“THE opening of school year 2007 - 2008 was another opportune time for some of our less-fortunate Camarinenses who have long been needing special assistance, to further their education and eventually reach for their dreams… Now, that long wait is over for these new aspirants.”

        This was revealed by Edith Prades, Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) Coordinator for “Sulong Dunong Special Scholarship Program” after she revealed that Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund R. Villafuerte Jr. has allocated P900,000 educational assistance this school year to deserving and willing constituents of Camarines Sur who belong to the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC), Persons With Disabilities (PWD) and Students from the Muslim Communities (SMC) of this province.

        Prades added that the office of the PSWD, being the screening and implementing agency of the Sulong Dunong Special Scholarship Program, has already granted educational subsidies to hundreds of specially-abled and sectoral constituents of Camarines Sur. “This scholarship program”, she stressed, “has been one of the priority programs of Governor LRay Villafuerte on education since he first took office as the chief executive of the province”.

        The PSWD special scholarship coordinator outlined that for this semester alone, the provincial government subsidized a total of P449,144.40 for the free schooling of 32 student-grantees. As PSWD records show, P176,915 were allocated for the 16 indigenous students; P216,686.90 were granted for 13 deserving PWD’s and three Muslim students were funded P55,536.00.

        The Sulong Dunong scholarship program of the province covers 100% of the tuition fees of the scholars including miscellaneous charges. It also subsidizes book allowances, uniforms, school project expenditures, food allowances, bed spacing and/or boarding, and even house rentals.

        The tuition fees and miscellaneous assessments are paid directly by the provincial government to the respective schools where these 32 students are enrolled for the school year, while the book allowances, uniforms, school projects, food allowances, bedspace or boarding and house rental payments are released personally to the grantees thru checks issued by the provincial government.

        Last school year, four (4) student-grantees have already graduated and are now pursuing professional careers in their respective fields of endeavors. Maricel Bonilla of Iyagon, Baao, Camarines Sur graduated Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BS Agri) at the Camarines Sur State Agricultural College (CSSAC), Pili, Camarines Sur; Jason Andaya of Sta. Teresa, Baao, Camarines Sur graduated Computer Technology at the Philippine Computer Foundation College, Pili, Cam. Sur; Gemma Lorenzana of Iyagon, Baao, Camarines Sur graduated Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) in WorldTech Resources Inc.(WRI) and Mervin Rili of Mambayawas, Libmanan, Cam. Sur graduated Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology at the CSSAC- Sipocot campus. TrebbGomez-MMEC