Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the Marcos administration will continue expanding scholarships and educational assistance nationwide, aiming to help more Filipino students finish college and access better opportunities.
Recto made the statement while addressing presidential scholars during a visit to Cebu City on Thursday. He said financial difficulties should not force students to give up on their studies.
In Cebu City alone, 5,330 students across the city’s 1,066 barangays are covered under the program, reflecting the scale of the initiative’s reach in Central Visayas.
Under the Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Presidential Scholars Program, five fourth-year college students in every barangay nationwide receive ₱20,000 each in financial assistance. The government expects 210,000 students in more than 42,000 barangays to benefit from the program this year.
Each barangay receives a ₱200,000 allocation from the Presidential Socio-Civic Projects Fund, with ₱100,000 of that amount specifically earmarked for the five presidential scholars.
Speaking partly in Filipino, Recto conveyed the President’s confidence in the scholars, noting they were chosen to receive the assistance. He said the President’s request of them was simple: to study diligently, complete their courses, and eventually use what they have learned to help others.
Recto described the program as part of a broader government effort to widen access to education, spanning free basic education, tuition support in state universities and colleges, and scholarships for fields such as medicine, science, graduate studies, and other specialized courses.
He added that every scholar who completes a college degree represents an investment not only in that individual’s future, but also in their family and community.
The government did not specify additional programs or funding beyond the current allocations in its statement.
