Providing access to college education

Students from four rural high schools, all are applicants for the college scholarship for school year 2014, had their break after taking the qualifying examination in November 2013. The examination and interview was held in Betwagan National High School in Sadanga, Mt. Province. Located in the highlands of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Sadanga is one of the poorest towns in the province.

The TPEF awarded college scholarship to five students from Betwagan National High School, Sadanga NHS and Saclit NHS. All five—4 females and 1 male—belong to the Sadanga tribe (also called Bontoc tribe) of the Igorot indigenous people in the Cordillera Administrative Region, as stated by Jacinto Yassan, an educator and TPEF’s local partner in its selection of scholars in Sadanga. Four scholars currently study in St. Louis University in Baguio in engineering and science related courses, and one scholar in Mt. Province State Polytechnic College in Bontoc with business related course.

A total of 16 scholars from the rural poor in Sadanga, Mt. Province, Del Carmen, Siargao Island and Salcedo, Eastern Samar were awarded the college scholarship starting school year 2014.