By Felipo
David Malcampo
ZAMBOANGA CITY - The National
Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)-9 has extended educational assistance this
school year to 46 college students from this city belonging to indigenous cultural
communities such as Kalibugan, Sama, Bajaus, Subanon and Yakan.
Engr. George T. Jocutan, caretaker of the NCIP office
here, pointed out that NCIP has been implementing the Educational Assistance Program (EAP) and the Merit-Based
Scholarship Program (MBSP), which provide grants to students until they finish
their respective undergraduate and/or postgraduate courses.
Whichever program they belong, Jocutan said, these
students are entitled to grants of P5,000 or P10,000 per semester for their
educational expenses either in private or public universities.
“A prospective grantee must, however, pass a set of
criteria to qualify, and must maintain and comply with academic requirements
and conditions to be able to continuously avail himself of the assistance from
NCIP,” Jocutan added.
The NCIP in Zamboanga City has allocated P490,000 for
this school year’s 46 grantees.
Last school year, there were 62 grantees with an
allocation of P620,000.
(PIA9)