Pampanga gov’t offers 2,600scholarship grants to studes

By George Trillo

BACOLOR, Pampanga— Here’s a good news for poor but deserving students in Pampanga’s 3rd District.

Rep. Aurelio Gonzales announced additional 2,600 slots for his "Iskolar ng Dong" program for the next school year that will start in June.

Because of the latest announcement, some 2,000 scholarships are now available for high school students and another 600 slots for students in college and vocational courses.

“Our constituents can now be assured that our scholarship program will continue this school year,” Gonzales said.

Since 2007, a total of 18,000 high school and college students have been given scholarship grants in the said district.

The 3rd District of Pampanga covers the municipalities of Bacolor, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Ana, and the City of San Fernando.

Gonzales advised students aspiring to get a scholarship slot in the said program to submit their credentials to his district office in Barangay Sindalan in the City of San Fernando.

He said that indigent students who would like to finish their studies would be given the number one priority.

"We do not look on the grades but on the willingness and determination of the student to finish his studies," Gonzales said.

The Iskolar ng Dong program has grown from 1,200 scholars in 2007 to 7,000 in 2008 and to 18,000 in 2009.

The solon said that he would also open new slots to accommodate more students wanting to avail of the said scholarship program.