OWWA sets 20 scholarships for OFW dependents in MP

By Juliet B. Saley

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has allotted this province 20 slots under its Overseas Filipino Worker Dependents Scholarship Program for school year 2013-2014.

Ernesto Emilio the  provincial Public employment Service Office officer said the ODSP is a scholarship program that offers financial assistance to qualified dependent of an active OWWA member OFW who is earning a monthly salary of not more than US$400.00, and shall enroll in any four-year or five-year course or associate course in any state college or university.

Under this program, legal dependents of qualified OFWs either a child of married OFW or a brother/sister of single or childless married OFW will be entitled to a financial assistance of P20,000 per year, Emilio said.

This scholarship program does not require qualifying examination but qualified dependents must pass the entrance examination conducted by an OWWA-partner state college/university or any Commission on High Education recognized and accredited educational institution located in the region/province.

Emilio urged legal dependents of qualified OFWs in the province to avail of the program.

Interested applicants are advised to submit to the provincial PESO office at the Provincial Capitol the following:  duly accomplished evaluation form; application form; and forms for health certificate, certificate of good moral character, applicant’s certificate of not having taken post secondary or undergraduate/college units and not a recipient of any scholarship grant/has not taken the Education for Development Scholarship Program qualifying examination, and sworn statement that applicant has no pending application for resident immigrant status from any country and does not have dual citizenship.

Other requirements  include two  2” x 2” recent and identical photos; proof of OWWA membership like official receipt of OWWA contribution and OFW verification sheet;   proof of relationship to OWWA-member/OFW such as birth certificate (issued by  the National Statistics Office) of applicant, if child of OFW, birth certificate (issued by NSO) of both applicant and OFW, if OFW’s sister/brother, certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) from NSO if OFW is unmarried; and secondary school record (Form 137).