The city government of Taguig has increased the allowances of students enrolled under its Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In Need (LANI) scholarship program aim to give children of less fortunate families fair opportunity to study.
Those availing from basic colleges, state universities and colleges, local colleges and universities, and Basic Plus scholars will be receiving P15,000 and P20,000, respectively, each set of students receiving a P5,000-increase per school year.
“We hope that through this, many of them will graduate and finish with flying colors. Because with excellence among our constituents, we may truly think big, dream big not just now but especially in the years to come,” said Taguig Mayor Laarni Cayetano.
On July 13, a total of 1,293 LANI scholars were the first to experience the upgraded educational assistance after they received their allowance during the first batch of LANI scholarship allowance distribution for this semester at the Taguig City University Auditorium.
Every semester, the city distributes scholarship allowances to three batches of scholars usually composed of around 13,000 students, under the program, which was pioneered in 2011 with an initial budget of P100 million.
The allowance given ranged from P15,000 to P60,000, depending on what type of scholarship the student has availed of—Premier, Full, Priority, Basic, SUC/LCU, Basic Plus, Leadership and Educators Advancement and Development or Review.
Cayetano also expanded the coverage of the Merit Incentive Program of the LANI scholarship program by extending it to those in Basic; SUCs/LUCs; and Basic Plus scholarship types. Prior to this, only those under the Full; Premier; and Priority scholarship types enjoy the P5,000 per semester Merit Incentive.
The Merit Incentive Program is for scholars with semestral weighted average (WA) of 1.75 or higher (or its equivalent). Thus, one whose WA is 1.75 or higher every semester gets additional P10,000 on top of their allowances. This means that those under these scholarship types can receive as much as P25,000 to P30,000 every school year depending on their WA.
Additionally, allowances for Taguig graduates who are preparing for their licensure or bar examinations have been increased to P20,000 for those taking law, medical, bar and board exams; and P15,000 for other professions.
Those seeking postgraduate degrees should not feel left out, the city said. Cayetano rationalized the allowances being given to those taking up Masteral or Doctoral degrees, and increased the amount being given to those under the Taguig Learners’ Certificate (TLC) program. From P5,000, each of the 5,000 grantees in 47 private partner schools will now receive P10,000 per school year.
The city’s scholarship program, which now boasts a P625-million fund, requires beneficiaries to have basic qualifications, including being a bona fide resident of Taguig for at least three years, being a registered voter of the city if 18 years or older, having at least one parent registered as a voter in the city, and having good moral character.
Around 42,000 scholars are enrolled in various institutions including the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University under the program, which has produced board topnotchers and licensed professionals.
To date, the LANI scholarship program has helped produce 15 board topnotchers, with two placing first nationwide in their respective board exams. This year, LANI scholars Engineer Guiseppe Andrew B. Buffe and Engineer Ronald Ian T. Borja ranked first in the Aeronautical Engineering Licensure Examination and and 10th in the Electrical Engineer Board Examination, respectively.
In December 2015, the city honored around 70 scholars who graduated with flying colors”•as summa, magna or cum laude”•in their respective universities.
By the end of the year, the city will recognize at least 90 who graduated with the distinction, and who have so far submitted their application. The number is bound to go up, as the city continues to receive scholar-applicants who have just graduated or will graduate before December 2017.
The Taguig City University also continues to offer free college education so high school graduates can pursue education up to the tertiary level. TCU students are also full scholars of the city since the local government shoulders all their tuition fees and miscellaneous expenses.