Aiming to ensure higher rate of success by providing interventions for ESGP-PA Grantees on their academic, career, personal-social development and values formation, the Scholarship Office conducted a three-day Team building Activity Level 3 with the theme, “Training tomorrow’s Leaders, today” last July 27-29, 2016 at Subic Grand Harbour Hotel, Subic, Zambales.

One hundred eleven poor but deserving students from the family-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program(4Ps) in the province were given these opportunity to pursue their college degree through the Expanded Student’s Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA), a joint program of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) and the Aurora State College of Technology which started its implementation since the First Semester of SY 2014-2015, aimed to address poverty by increasing the number of graduates in higher education among poor households and to get these graduates employed in high-value added occupations in order to lift their families out of poverty that will contribute to a wide-ranging economic development. Under the program, a student grantee is entitled for a maximum of Php. 60, 000.00 scholarship grant per school year which is allocated for Tuition Fee – 20, 000.00, Text Books and other learning materials-5,000.00 and the remaining 35, 000.00 is distributed to Php. 3, 500.00 monthly stipend allotted for board and lodging, transportation, clothing, health/medical needs, school supplies, and other related costs. In addition, the SUC partner is also in charge in extending all the needed support that will guarantee the completion of their studies which include training, seminars and activities that will enhance their potentials for them to become a productive workforce of the society.

The ESGP-PA grantees learned and participated from the different lectures and activities which provided them with both personal and professional development opportunities. Throughout the activity, the grantee-participants were given the opportunity to explore and build on their personal and interpersonal skills, leadership skills, develop confidence, and collaborate on team assignments.

They were trained by experts from ASCOT, Dr. Oscar C. Barawid, Jr.; DOLE, Engr. Pedro Fernando; DSWD, Ms. Ronsan Pelariza, Allain Malit, and Ariel Bautista; TESDA, Ms. Alejandra De Jesus on the basics of managing resources, financial management, employment opportunities and labor market demands to consider in choosing their career in the Region, and on how they can make use of their leadership potentials in developing their respective communities.

It is believed that a well-balanced program intervention will help facilitate in achieving the rationale of this government program.