GSIS opens scholarship program

State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has opened 400 scholarship slots for incoming college students this year.

GSIS president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas said they will accept applications for the enhanced GSIS Scholarship Program for academic year 2018-2019 from April 16 to June 15.

“Out of 400 college scholarship slots for children or dependents of low-income GSIS members this year, at least 40 are allotted to dependents of persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and solo or single parents,” he said.

“Since meeting their basic needs is already a struggle for a lot of our members, they need support for other vital expenses like defraying the cost of college education,” he added.

The pension fund has been granting scholarships to deserving children or dependents of low-income members and pensioners since 1998 as part of its corporate social responsibility program, Aranas noted.

A total of 3,283 scholarship grants have been awarded under the program.

Under the program, GSIS will shoulder the actual cost of tuition and miscellaneous fees not exceeding P40,000 per academic year of the 400 new scholars. Each scholar will also each receive P3,000 allowance every month.

Monetary incentives await scholars who will graduate with honors.

Qualified GSIS members may nominate their children or dependents to the scholarship if they are incoming freshmen who have been accepted in any four- or five-year program or in priority programs in Commission on Higher Education-recognized schools.

Children or dependents of active members and children of permanent total disability pensioners who are less than 60 years old may be nominated to the program.

Active members are qualified to nominate scholars if they are permanent government employees who have at least three-year government service, have a salary grade of 24 or below (or its equivalent job level) and have paid premium contributions for the last six months.