Educational assistance distributed to IPs

A total of 56 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from the Municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental on Sept. 7, 2021 received their educational assistance worth a total of P420,000.

Gov. Eugenion Jose Lacson, together with Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr., DSB Mayor Marxlen Dela Cruz, and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program (NOSP) Division head Karen Dinsay personally distributed the cash assistance to IPS enrolled in elementary and high school at Brgy. Bagong Silang Covered Court in the town.

Each IP student received P7,500 each as allowance for the school year, under the scholarship category, Educational Assistance for IP’s Basic Education (EAIBE).

Gov. Lacson said that the grantees must study diligently because the Provincial Government will continue to support them.

He advised the parents to encourage their children to study well so that they can reach their dreams.

According to him, in the past there were only 80 to 100 IP scholarship grantees, but the program has been expanded and now there are 300 Ati, Ata and Bukidnon who are recipients of EAIBE scholarship.

He also said that someday he hopes to see an IP who will become a doctor.

When the IP community asked to help them acquire a WiFi connection, the governor pledged together with Rep. Valmayor and Mayor De la Cruz to provide a one-time installation of WiFi connection to be used by students for their online classes.

Rep. Valmayor thanked Gov. Lacson for the provincial government’s scholarship for the IPs, which is a big help their families; he also advised the beneficiaries to study well to become productive citizens, for the good of their future and to contribute to the country’s progress.

Joining the NOSP at the activity were representatives from the Provincial Treasurer’s Office and National Commission for Indigenous Peoples – Negros Occidental.

For the month of August to September of this year, a total of 297 IPs in different towns and cities of Negros Occidental received their allowances with a total amount of P2,227,500.