Koronadal City – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Welfare Office (OWWA RWO) XII warmly welcomed One Hundred Thirty Four (134) new scholars under the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) and OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) for SY 2022 – 2023 during the Scholarship Program Orientation and Signing of Memorandum of Agreement last August 25-26, 2022 at The Farm @ Carpenter Hill Koronadal City. 

Scholars were divided into two batches, a total of One Hundred Fifty Six (156) scholars and parents attended the 1st day of the event last 25 August 2022 while One Hundred Twelve (112) scholars and parents attended the 2nd day of the event yesterday, 26 August 2022.

Regional Director Marilou M. Sumalinog in her message, warmly welcomed and congratulated the scholars and their parents and encourage the students to do the best to finish their degree and consider the scholarship opportunity as a reminder to persevere and to keep going despite difficulties and challenges.

“Congratulations to our new OWWA Scholars and to the proud parents. Through this program, we are able to provide scholarship opportunities to young people and support them throughout their education. We trust that the path ahead is considerably brighter with this scholarship being the establishment of their future endeavor.”, she said.

Meanwhile, Mae Delle B. Guanga, Program Handler of Education and Training and Scholarship Programs, discussed the salient points contained in the scholarship agreement to scholars and parents/guardians present during the orientation.

The Orientation on Educational Scholarship/ MOA Signing is a regular activity which serves as a venue in orienting the scholars and their guardians about OWWA, the scholarship program, scholarship agreement and the scholarship guidelines. It shall serve as a forum for signing of scholarship agreements.

A ceremonial signing of the scholarship agreement was led by Regional Director Marilou M. Sumalinog and OIC Chief of Programs and Services Division Christelyn R. Caceres together with the new OWWA scholars and their parents/guardians. This was subsequently followed by an open forum which aims to address queries and concerns of the attendees.

Mary Shelle Cantal, EDSP Scholar and a 2nd year student taking up Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education major in English in Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges – Marbel Inc., extended her sincerest gratitude to the agency not only for the support given to them, but also for the opportunity that they will be carrying throughout their journey in pursuing their degree.

As of this writing, the Regional Welfare Office XII is currently maintaining a total of Seventy Seven (77) scholars under the EDSP and Three Hundred Fifty Seven (357) scholars under the ODSP.

The Education for Development and Scholarship Program (EDSP) is a scholarship grant offered to qualified beneficiaries/dependents of active OWWA members who intend to enroll a 4-5 year baccalaureate course in any preferred colleges/universities. It shall be in the form of financial assistance amounting to a maximum of P60, 000.00 per school year.

On one hand, the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) is an educational assistance to qualified dependents of active OWWA-member OFWs who intend to pursue any 4 or 5 year baccalaureate degree or associate degree in state college or university. The scholarship shall be in the form of financial assistance of P20,000.00 per year to a dependent of OFW whose income is not more than US$600.00.