Friday, March 29, 2024

Grants now available for calamity victims

By Kriztja Marae G. Labrador

Silliman University is accepting applications for financial assistance from students who were affected by recent disasters.
Headed by the Office of Student Services (OSS ), the Continuing Calamity Response Program aims to assist students from calamity-affected areas by granting them waivers for partial or full tuition and/or discounts on various university fees.
Mark Raygan Garcia, information and publication officer,said the program’s current top priority is to help students from Bohol and Leyte.
However, students who are not from priority areas but were directly affected by any recent calamity may write a letter of application to the Dean of Student Services.
“We want to make sure that there is very minimal disruption to the continuing dreams of these students who are in the university and allow them to finally earn their degree or at least finish the semester here,” Garcia said.
Students who want to apply for the said scholarship may visit the OSS located at the second floor of the Oriental Hall.
According to Garcia, applicants will undergo an interview with the program’s committee and will be identified according to their background such as, if they come from badly affected areas or if they have relatives abroad who support their education.
Moreover, the Board of Trustees has approved the appropriation of 3% of the university’s audited net income.
The allotment estimated at P2-3 million will be used for the Continuing Calamity Response Program.
“We believe that storms, typhoons, earthquakes will be the new normal, meaning it’s something that is going to affect us more often in the future.
So we want to prepare the university for that,” he said.
Garcia added that the program does not only aim to help SU students but also those who are struggling in Dumaguete as well as outside the city by enabling the university to send psychosocial teams to affected areas.
As of Dec. 9, the university has received around 14 application letters out of more than 150 enrolled students from affected areas.

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