The city government and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) opened about 9,500 scholarship slots for all tertiary students, the city hall said in a statement Saturday.

The initiative is under the High Priority Bus System’s (HPBS) “Tulong Dunong Program” offered to children of public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers affected by the public transport modernization system.

However, the city government here has asked CHED to give the other slots to qualified college students.

Commissioner Norman Baloro, the spokesperson of the Tulong Dunong Program, said the project is a four-year scholarship grant that provides PHP7,500 per semester for four academic years.

For the remaining slots, Baloro said priority will be given to Davao City residents, children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have lost their job, repatriated, and local residents who lost their jobs.

“Upon assessment, we cannot utilize the amount if we only base it on PUJ drivers’ children. Base on our profiling, many children of the PUJ drivers are not yet at the college level. Out of the 10,000 slots allotted for Davao City residents, 500 slots were already availed by children of PUJ drivers and operators,” he said.

He said the scholarship program is also open to those who have not availed the Eskwela Davao program or any scholarship grant offered by the government.

Baloro added that students are qualified if their parents’ annual income does not exceed PHP400,000, and who are enrolled from the school year 2019 to the present in CHED-accredited institutions.

“Interested tertiary students who wish to avail of the scholarship program can e-mail the following information to tulongdunong.cgd@gmail.com: complete name, date of birth, sex, complete address, school enrolled, course, year level during the school year 2019-2020, father’s name ad occupation, mother’s maiden name, and occupation, contact number, and email address,” he said.

The deadline for the submission of complete details will be on or before July 31, 2020. (PNA)