TAGUM City—Following its agenda on education under Mayor Allan L. Rellon’s Eagle Wings Program, the city government here sustained this year the implementation of the City Educational Scholarship Program (CESPRO), benefiting a total of 26 qualified college students. Mainly funded by the local government pursuant to City Ordinance No. 17 passed in 1999 authored by then CouncilorRellon, each scholar is entitled to a 15,000 pesos grant per semester, 1,500 pesos book allowance, 1,000 pesos uniform allowance and 500 pesos monthly stipend. The 26 city scholars were chosen from 238 hopefuls from the different barangays of Tagum who underwent a rigorous screening process that included an examination and an interview conducted by a representative from the Commission on Higher Education, Tagum Cooperative Board Chairperson Norma Pereyras representing the NGO sector and PESO Manager Rogeneth P. Llanos whose office oversees all the local government’s scholarship programs. Aside the interview, the parents’ income should not exceed 100,000 pesos annually), the number of siblings and their general average also became the basis in selecting the city’s scholars. According to Peso Tagum, some of the qualified scholars this year came from the city’s Muslim and Indigenous Peoples Communities and those whose parents are either with disabilities, senior citizens and solo parents. Scholars should be able to maintain a grade of 85 percent per subject to be able to continue in availing the said scholarship grant. In his talk to scholars, Mayor Rellon emphasized the importance of diligence and hardwork and even inspired them by sharing some of the successful CESPRO products like Miss Joy Jade Relos who is now the school principal of one of Tagum’s elementary schools. On his part, CouncilorNicandroSuaybaguio, Jr, the chair of the Committee on Education of the 6th City Council of Tagum, challenged the scholars to do their best in their studies and assured them of the local government’s continued support to education. Under Mayor Rellon’s EAGLE WINGS Program, education is in the forefront of the local government’s development agenda, with notable budget allocation under the Special Education and General Funds, respectively. This school year, a total of 933 high school students benefited in the LGU’s SulongDunongEducationalScholarship Program while 12, 750 students were also given free school supplies through the TabangEskwela Program. Louie Lapat/CIO)