Story & Photos By JOSEPHINE MENDOZA
GOV. BEN P. EVARDONE of Eastern Samar applauded 31 college graduates who successfully hurdled the requirements of a bachelor’s degree through the assistance of the “Isang Propesyonal, Isang Pamilya (IPIP) Program of the provincial government.
“It is very fulfilling to have initial graduates under this program especially that some of you graduated with honors and are now the first degree holders in respective families,” Governor Evardone said in his message during the presentation of the graduates and their parents to the provincial government officials.
The governor conveyed that the program was launched with meager resources from the provincial treasury midyear of 2022. To accommodate the initial requirements, the program needed the help from friends and other stakeholders.
One of the ready takers was the GT Foundation which allowed to initially accommodate only 57 third and fourth year college students.
Thirty-one of them were fourth year college students from families who as yet do not have a degree holder for reasons of scarcity in family resources.
“It is very fulfilling to have initial graduates under this program especially that some of you graduated with honors and are now the first degree holders in respective families,” Governor Evardone said in his message during the presentation of the graduates and their parents to the provincial government officials.
The governor conveyed that the program was launched with meager resources from the provincial treasury midyear of 2022. To accommodate the initial requirements, the program needed the help from friends and other stakeholders.
One of the ready takers was the GT Foundation which allowed to initially accommodate only 57 third and fourth year college students.
Thirty-one of them were fourth year college students from families who as yet do not have a degree holder for reasons of scarcity in family resources.
“While tuition and other fees are already free in state colleges and universities, there are still needs such as boarding houses, food, school requirements, mobility and other essentials which the provincial government considered and decided to extend assistance in the form of monthly allowances so our students will have an amount to afford these expenses not covered by the schools’ free education programs,” Evardone emphasized.
In the presence of Vice Governor Maricar Sison and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, Governor Evardone stressed the need to generate more funds from the provincial government to equate with the pledges of private individuals and other stakeholders to the program.
In addressing the graduates, the governor continued that “the IPIP program is inspired by the belief that one degree holder in the family will serve as inspiration who will motivate the rest of the siblings to also finish college.”
Expressing his personal belief based on his personal experience, Governor Evardone stressed that “a degree holder will have better opportunities for employment and with a job, these graduates will be capacitated to help sustain the education of their siblings, thus improving the economic conditions of the family.”
In the presence of Vice Governor Maricar Sison and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, Governor Evardone stressed the need to generate more funds from the provincial government to equate with the pledges of private individuals and other stakeholders to the program.
In addressing the graduates, the governor continued that “the IPIP program is inspired by the belief that one degree holder in the family will serve as inspiration who will motivate the rest of the siblings to also finish college.”
Expressing his personal belief based on his personal experience, Governor Evardone stressed that “a degree holder will have better opportunities for employment and with a job, these graduates will be capacitated to help sustain the education of their siblings, thus improving the economic conditions of the family.”
INSPIRATION OF THE IPIP PROGRAM: “Education program has been a priority of Gov. Evardone since he started his political career believing that education is very vital in pursuing a job,” Provincial Administrator Nelson Cortez said in his message.
Gov. Evardone is a son of a fisherman and a smoked fishcake (locally known “pudpod”) maker going as far as Guiuan to sell their produce. His quest for education led him to as far as Bulacan until he became a lawyer, a Congressman and now the Governor of Eastern Samar.
“Seeing in himself the difficulties he hurdled as a student and looking at where he is now, his heart goes to students who are determined to pursue their studies but whose families cannot afford the financial requirements of achieving a bachelor’s degree,” PA Cortes said and continued that “it is for the greener future of these deserving learners that the Governor is contemplating.”
Gov. Evardone is a son of a fisherman and a smoked fishcake (locally known “pudpod”) maker going as far as Guiuan to sell their produce. His quest for education led him to as far as Bulacan until he became a lawyer, a Congressman and now the Governor of Eastern Samar.
“Seeing in himself the difficulties he hurdled as a student and looking at where he is now, his heart goes to students who are determined to pursue their studies but whose families cannot afford the financial requirements of achieving a bachelor’s degree,” PA Cortes said and continued that “it is for the greener future of these deserving learners that the Governor is contemplating.”
BENEFICIARIES OF THE IPIP PROGRAM: The IPIP Program is an educational assistance different from the existing “Bulig Para Estudyante” (BPE) Progam.
“The IP IP program is a full educational support program that provides the student-beneficiaries a monthly assistance in the amount of Php3,000.00 until graduation,” IPIP Program Coordinator Emmanuel Arago informed.
The program started with an initial of 57 students from 48 barangays identified by the Provincial Poverty Alleviation Team (PPAT) as the most remote barangays of the province.
These are the areas that rarely avail of government programs because of being in the most remote areas where challenges for security as well as peace and order is prevalent.
These are the places in the province identified under the “End Local Local Communist Armed Conflict” (ELCAC) Programs in Eastern Samar.
“The IP IP program is a full educational support program that provides the student-beneficiaries a monthly assistance in the amount of Php3,000.00 until graduation,” IPIP Program Coordinator Emmanuel Arago informed.
The program started with an initial of 57 students from 48 barangays identified by the Provincial Poverty Alleviation Team (PPAT) as the most remote barangays of the province.
These are the areas that rarely avail of government programs because of being in the most remote areas where challenges for security as well as peace and order is prevalent.
These are the places in the province identified under the “End Local Local Communist Armed Conflict” (ELCAC) Programs in Eastern Samar.
From an initial 57 IPIP scholars in 2022, the population has now grown to 426 student-beneficiaries from first to fourth year college.
“After being qualified and having complied to requirements, the students under IPIP Program must have no failing grades, should have not withdrawn nor dropped from any of the subjects enrolled and should stick to the course enrolled in because no shifting of courses can be allowed,” Mr. Arago said.
The program will continue to provide assistance to costs of review to graduates of courses requiring licensure examinations.
Monthly allowances will be provided only during regular semesters. Mr Arago also informed that “the students under the program and/or their parents will be bound by a Memorandum of Agreement with the Provincial Government thru the Provincial Governor as authorized in Resolution No. 79, dated September 16, 2022.”
“After being qualified and having complied to requirements, the students under IPIP Program must have no failing grades, should have not withdrawn nor dropped from any of the subjects enrolled and should stick to the course enrolled in because no shifting of courses can be allowed,” Mr. Arago said.
The program will continue to provide assistance to costs of review to graduates of courses requiring licensure examinations.
Monthly allowances will be provided only during regular semesters. Mr Arago also informed that “the students under the program and/or their parents will be bound by a Memorandum of Agreement with the Provincial Government thru the Provincial Governor as authorized in Resolution No. 79, dated September 16, 2022.”
LEGALITY/ SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM: To ensure that the IPIP become a regular program of the provincial government and to secure allocations for monthly allowance to students from the annual budget of the province, Resolution No. 61, Series of 2022 was passed and approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan entitled “A Resolution Institutionalizing the Provincial Government’s ‘Isang Propesyonal, Isang Pamilya Program’ Which Provides Benefits To Eligible Recipients Amounting to Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php7,500,000.00) Out Of The Amount Allocated for the Student Assistance Program in the CY 2022 Annual Budget.”
Funding for the IPIP Program is authorized to be sourced out from available local funds and by way of resource mobilization from private sector, individual, groups or organizations, as stated in Resolution No. 69-A, dated August 22, 2022 that authorizes the Provincial Governor “to receive donations for and in behalf of the Province of Samar which will then be deposited to the Special Trust Account created for the purpose in a government depository bank.” (CJ/JMM)
Funding for the IPIP Program is authorized to be sourced out from available local funds and by way of resource mobilization from private sector, individual, groups or organizations, as stated in Resolution No. 69-A, dated August 22, 2022 that authorizes the Provincial Governor “to receive donations for and in behalf of the Province of Samar which will then be deposited to the Special Trust Account created for the purpose in a government depository bank.” (CJ/JMM)
