The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has proposed a ₱1-billion annual government allocation to send 100 top-performing Filipino students to leading universities overseas. Under the plan, the scholars would be required to return to the Philippines and apply their expertise in the country.
The proposal, called the Brain Gain program, would provide an average of ₱10 million per student. PSAC has not disclosed the scholarship duration, specific funding requirements or selection criteria.
PSAC’s Digital Infrastructure Sector Group presented the proposal during the council’s 11th meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on November 3. The proposal is meant to reverse the usual one-way flow of talent abroad and to direct knowledge gained overseas toward the domestic economy.
PSAC was established by Marcos to build ties between the public and private sectors. It draws on business leaders and experts in six areas: agriculture, infrastructure, digital infrastructure, education and jobs, healthcare, and tourism.
Myla Villanueva, PSAC Digital Infrastructure lead and chairperson of MDI Group Holdings Inc., said that the group’s recommendations focused on practical solutions to help the government strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.
The Brain Gain proposal was one of several items the sector group presented at the meeting:
- Startup Venture Fund: PSAC called for faster release of ₱500 million to finance promising Filipino businesses and encourage entrepreneurship.
- Bayanihan SIM: The council urged the government to extend subscriptions for more than one million intended beneficiaries to sustain connectivity in underserved communities.
- Space and satellite technology: PSAC proposed a national roadmap to help local manufacturers enter these markets. It includes a shared testing facility in the Luzon Economic Corridor, support for the proposed Cagayan space launch facility, and expanded research and training for engineers and technical workers.
- Infrastructure protection: The council recommended stronger coordination among government agencies and industry to protect telecommunications and power infrastructure from natural disasters and cyberattacks.
The proposal follows earlier talent-retention discussions between PSAC and the President. In February 2024, PSAC’s Jobs sector said it supported a proposed scholarship program with a commitment to domestic work for two to three years, after Marcos raised concerns about the departure of skilled workers in healthcare and information technology.
Separately, Marcos announced a Presidential Scholars program in his State of the Nation Address on July 28, 2026. It provides ₱100,000 each to five students in every barangay.
No government response to the Brain Gain proposal was included in available reports. Details on duration, selection and funding would determine how the program is structured if it advances.
