Scholarship grants are more than just “dole-outs.” They are a form of investment, or banking for the future.
That was the affirmation of the city government of Biñan, Laguna as it led the official payout of scholarship grants and release of enrollment permits for students under its “Iskolar ng Biñan” program last April 24.
A total of 480 INB and ABC grantees from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ (PUP) Biñan Campus received P10,000 in scholarship grants, representing their academic assistance for the second semester of academic year 2024-2025.
Meanwhile, some 500 new INB grantees received their enrollment permits for the 1st semester of academic year 2025–2026.
According to the Biñan City Education Office, the Iskolar ng Biñan program, as well as other scholarship programs, reaffirms the city government’s “strong commitment” to accessible, inclusive, and quality education for its students, artists, and athletes.
"Alam naman po natin na sa panahon ngayon, malaki na po ang ginagastos natin sa pagpapaaral sa ating mga anak. Malaki na po ang tuition sa mga private school kada semester, bukod pa po sa other fees at yung gastos sa pang-araw-araw. Kaya po mapapalad ang mga estudyanteng naririto na nakapasa sila sa Iskolar ng Biñan program," Education Officer Dr. Edmil Recibe said during the event.
Big help
“Para po sa akin na isang solo parent, malaking bagay na po sa amin itong scholarship program na ibinibigay ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Biñan,” was how Lea, mother of an INB scholar who is about to enter college next semester, said.
“Sa totoo po, nakakatulong po ito para sa amin, lalo na po't sa kasalukuyan ay sa bahay lang po ako nakapirmi at nagpapalaki sa aking anak.”
That was also the sentiment of Jemimah, an incoming Criminology student from Barangay Langkiwa.
“Pareho pong vendor ang aking mga magulang, so hindi po biro ang ginagawa nilang paraan para makapag-aral po ako. Ito pong Iskolar ng Biñan project ay nakakatulong po para kahit papaano ay makabawas po sa inaalalang gastusin, lalo na po sa araw-araw ko pong pag-aaral,” she told OpinYon Laguna.
Spending on education
In a country where spending on education has always been a low priority on both the national and local level, the city government of Biñan has proved to be one of the few exceptions.
And it’s not just because of the over P100 million a year (as Mayor Dimaguila disclosed in his speech) spent on providing scholarship grants for its students.
As the recent “Araw ng Biñan” showed, the Biñan LGU under Dimaguila had embarked on building additional classrooms and school facilities from the elementary to the tertiary level.
And aside from plans to construct two new campuses of the PUP-Biñan branch – one in Barangay Langkiwa and one in Barangay Malaban – Mayor Dimaguila disclosed that the Sangguniang Panglungsod passed last month an ordinance that will establish the future Biñan City College.
Speaking of PUP, Education Officer Recibe also bared that the city government has initiated plans to install air-conditioning equipment inside classrooms at the PUP-Biñan Campus to ensure that students can continue learning amid the current extreme heat in Laguna province in the past weeks.
Prudent investment
So why is the city government willing to break the mold and pour millions of pesos in educating its youth?
The answer, Dimaguila said, is simple: the LGU believes that the scholarship program is not only investing on the students’ future but also on the city’s future itself.
“Ang scholarship po na ito ay isang investment ng city government ng Biñan. At gaya po ng ibang uri ng investment, may ire-recover po ang city government mula sa inyo,” Dimaguila explained.
Unlike pension programs and other forms of “ayuda,” scholarship programs enable Biñanense students to pursue their goals and dreams, find employment and livelihood opportunities, and ultimately contribute to the city’s economy.
"Magtatapos kayo, magkakaroon kayo ng trabaho, itataguyod ninyo ang pamilya ninyo, magbabayad kayo ng buwis. That's how we recoup our investments in this program," Dimaguila stressed.
Poverty-solver
Moreover, the city government’s investments in its education center also underscores one key philosophy it has adopted: that education is the one way out of poverty.
By spending heavily on improving the city’s education sector from the elementary all the way to the tertiary level, the Biñan City LGU believes it is opening more opportunities and incentives for Biñanenses to work hard for their own future – and for the city’s continued progress as well.
As Dimaguila himself put it: “Bakit po sa Langkiwa at Malaban po tayo magtatayo ng bagong campus ng PUP? Simple lang po: dahil sa dalawang lugar po iyon ang may pinakamalaking concentration ng mga mahihirap na Biñanense. At ano po ang solusyon sa kahirapan? Edukasyon. Ganoon po iyon kasimple.”
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