The local government here is eyeing to provide 10,000 scholarship grants to qualified college students as its plan to construct a city college gains ground.

City Councilor Suzette Magtajas-Daba said the plan to increase the scholarship slots was part of the campaign promise of Mayor Rolando Uy.

“The scholarships are not only for students who have high grades but there are also (slots) for those who have average grades as long as they did not fail any subjects,” she said as a guest during Friday’s celebration of the 71st anniversary of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club Inc.

Daba, who chairs the city council’s committee on education, authored the Scholarship Code in 2018, which expanded the number of scholarship grantees in the city.

In 2013, there were only 300 scholars here, and only 700 in 2016.

After the passage of the Code, Daba said the number of scholars increased to 8,200, receiving stipends of around PHP1,000 to PHP1,500 monthly.

“We are also planning to expand these scholarships for those who wish to study medicine and law,” she added.

Meanwhile, creating a city college is also part of the current administration’s plans as there is a technical working group already doing a feasibility study.

The plan for a city college has long been proposed by the City Council for decades. (PNA)