President Marcos supports final school year of SCPF scholar
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — A ray of hope appeared before Chrizzel Mae Golez, a 4th-year Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) student at North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU)-Cantilan campus, Surigao del Sur, after her family received P20,000 from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s educational assistance under the Socio-Civic Project Fund (SCPF).
The program dubbed Bawat Bayan Makikinabang (BBM) supports underprivileged youth and ensures they complete college despite financial challenges.
Golez is a resident of Barangay San Pablo in the municipality of Sison, Surigao del Norte, and is the eldest of four siblings. She shared that her mother is currently undergoing life-threatening and costly regular dialysis treatments, while her father works long hours as a security guard to keep and meet the household’s basic needs.
As a beneficiary, she has long felt the pressure of balancing her academic goals with the present realities at home. “Her father’s salary is rarely enough to cover necessities at home, let alone the specialized medical care required for her mother, who has chronic kidney illness, and the educational needs of four growing siblings.”
“The educational aid comes at a critical time for my family. Balancing the heavy expenses of my final year in college, while dealing with our family’s financial struggle, has been incredibly challenging. My mother is currently undergoing regular dialysis treatments, and a huge portion of our family’s income goes directly toward her lifesaving medical expenses,” she said.
“Because of this assistance, the burden of my upcoming school fees, graduation expenses, and daily allowance are significantly lifted. It ensures that I can focus entirely on finishing my degree without burdening my parents,” she added.
“Thank you, Mr President, and to the offices involved, for providing this lifeline to students like me. This is not just a financial grant; it is a major boost that helps secure my future and supports my family during a very tough time,” Golez said during an interview.
San Pablo Punong Barangay Danilo Maylon, on the other hand, expressed gratitude to the national government for choosing his barangay as a beneficiary of the SCPF’s scholarship assistance for five college students in his barangay.
“Our barangay received a total of P200,000 under the SCPF. On May 27, out of the said fund, P100,000 was given as a cash grant to five deserving fourth-year college students who each received the amount of P20,000,” he said.
Maylon shared that the remaining P100,000 will be used to purchase new tables and chairs for barangay meetings and events, eliminating the cost of renting these items in the future.
“The cash grant will be a massive relief for the family’s daily living and medical requirements. While the funds are designated as an educational scholarship to cover school-related expenses, graduation fees, and projects for her final year, it effectively frees up the family’s tightly strained budget,” he added.
The Socio-Civic Projects Fund is a direct financial assistance program administered by the Office of the President. It bridges the gap between the national government and local communities by funding grassroots initiatives like educational scholarships, public service digitalization, and disaster relief. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte)
