A total of 2,320 graduating college students across Bukidnon are set to receive P46.4 million in educational assistance from the Office of the President, as the Marcos administration steps up efforts to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent deserving Filipinos from earning their diplomas.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto highlighted the program during his meeting with 155 Presidential Scholars from Quezon’s 31 barangays, following his inspection of the ongoing construction of the Bukidnon Airport.
Each scholar will receive P20,000 under the Office of the President’s Socio-Civic Projects Fund to help cover tuition balances, transportation, learning materials, and other school-related expenses until graduation.
“Hindi dapat mapurnada ang ilang taong pagsisikap dahil lamang kapos ang pamilya sa panghuling gastos.”
“Hindi dapat mapurnada ang ilang taong pagsisikap dahil lamang kapos ang pamilya sa panghuling gastos. Ang tulong na ito ay tulay patungo sa graduation at sa mas magandang buhay para sa kanilang pamilya,” Recto said.
The 155 students from Quezon represent five scholars from each of the municipality’s 31 barangays and are among the 2,320 beneficiaries identified throughout Bukidnon.
Nationwide, more than 200,000 graduating students from over 42,000 barangays are expected to benefit from the Presidential Scholars Program. The initiative provides P100,000 to every barangay to support five college students with P20,000 each.
“Ang pangarap ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ay hindi lamang magkaroon ng graduate sa bawat barangay, kundi paramihin ang mga kabataang may diploma, kasanayan, at pagkakataong maiangat ang kanilang pamilya at komunidad,” Recto said.
The Presidential Scholars Program forms part of the Marcos administration’s broader push to make education more accessible, from free tuition in state and local universities and expanded tertiary education subsidies to merit scholarships, technical-vocational training, and stronger senior high school work-immersion programs.
The administration has also launched the Bagong Pilipinas Merit-Based Scholarship Program, targeting 20,000 scholars for School Year 2026–2027, and Project PEPA, which will connect approximately 490,000 senior high school graduates from 4Ps households with government-funded tertiary education opportunities.
“Sa Bagong Pilipinas, ang edukasyon ay hindi dapat pribilehiyo ng may kaya.”
“Sa Bagong Pilipinas, ang edukasyon ay hindi dapat pribilehiyo ng may kaya. The government will continue to help students not only enter school, but cross the finish line,” Recto stressed.
Marcos announced the nationwide Presidential Scholars Program during his 2026 State of the Nation Address as part of an expanded education and workforce-development agenda.
Recto was joined by Senator Migz Zubiri, Congresswoman Audrey Zubiri, Congressman Jose Miguel Alba, Congressman Jonathan Keith Flores, Congresswoman Arlyn Ayon, Congresswoman Laarni Roque, and Mayor Pablo Lorenzo III.
