DEVCOMM| By the power vested in the student council: Student-to-Student Financial Assistance Program

By the power vested in the council: Student-to-Student Financial Assistance Program

Trixie Ann C. Bautista

“Leadership requires integrating support and concern for people with consideration of the environment and potential tasks.”

- David Purchase, Chief Officer: Principles and Practice (2014. Third Edition)

On the 6th of this year’s April, the Supreme Student Council of PHINMA - University of Pangasinan granted financial assistance to academically competent tertiary working students from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds presenting the SSC FAP batch 1. Justine Paul M. Ballesteros, Juliet D. Banayat, Jemalyn A. Bosante, Justine Reggie M. Mejia, and Jacqueline Mae CuerdoSalud are all from the College of Social Sciences, while Josiephine D. Reyes is from the College of Management and Accountancy.

During the most difficult times of financial need, the student leaders of the PHIN- MA - University of Pangasinan Supreme Student Council passed Resolution No. 2021-05, providing financial assistance to working students who are genuine members of the university, allowing them to become competitive and successful professionals in the future.

SSC- FAP seeks to assist academically capable working tertiary students from low to middle socioeconomic origins. It also seeks to provide financial help to academically qualified tertiary students in order for them to complete and achieve a high-quality education, in- cluding the creation of this resolution to assist with their financial needs a total of two thousand five hundred pesos (Php. 2,500). This academic year, there are twenty-five (25) spaces available in the first semester and twenty-five (25) slots available in the second semester. If a fraudulent document or documents are uncovered, the student will be automatically disqualified.

All applicants must meet the following criteria; a. Latest Certificate of Indigency b. Certificate of Matriculation (COM) c. A copy of your grades showing ratings no less than 2.5 as final grade. d. Application Form e. Proof of Billing • Recent electric bill f. Proof of Employment • For Privately Employed: latest payslip

Except for recipients of Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), MUNICIPAL/LGU Scholarship, CHED Scholarship, and DOST Scholarship, recipients who are eligible to obtain academic scholarships or other kinds of educational benefits or privileges from other external scholarship programs will continue to receive financial help from the Supreme Student Council.

The incoming President Lhae Quiles was the primary author of the resolution, elaborating the details about the resolution. “SSC Financial Assistance Program is the program for academically competent tertiary working students from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds. It all started with Wesley Halili, our former president. He gave us, the CAS representatives, the duty of developing a resolution to assist our fellow students financially.

The hardest part is deciding "who," but the most crucial factor is "why." Great things, in my opinion, always begin with "why." After much deliberation and consideration, we have decided to award financial assistance to academically competent tertiary working students since we know that many businesses have closed, many individuals have lost their jobs, and these events have impacted their financial ability to continue their education.”

The movement for the establishment of this resolution started on March 8, 202, with the help of one student to another. “We considered ‘yung nangyayari ngayon. Pandemic. We believe na bukod sa academic challenges some or many of our students nag-struggle na rin financially. That's why we chose them.” Quiles added.

In reviewing the resolution and its number of beneficiaries, the goal of 25 students were not met this semester, which is why Quiloes is also hopeful for more students to grab this wonderful opportunity despite this trying times, “We, the students, would like to encourage our fellow students as well to apply because this FAP could be a great help in their education. This is made for them. It might not be much, the slots might not be a lot, but in our little ways, we can be part of changing the lives of few. We can't provide the answer but we can be part of the solution.”

As to the interview with Quiles, the outgoing president of the council Wesley Halili also shares his statement on how the SSC FAP was originally established. “I told our SSC CAS Representatives to create a resolution in regards sa Financial Assistance hindi dahil naisip lang o nagkataon lang. Kailangan ng mga kapwa natin mag-aaral ng tulong financially. Lagi tayong nakaagapay sa bawat isa emotionally, physically/virtually, mentally pero parang hindi parin sapat sa iba lalo na't maraming nawalan ng trabaho ang kanilang mga magulang, maraming nawalan ng hanapbuhay at pagkakakitaan. Kaugnay nito, marami ring mga kapwa natin UPang students na breadwinner o ‘di kaya ay sila ang gumagawa ng paraan para makapag-aral sila.Dito nabuo ang plano, dito nag-umpisa ang SSC FAP, wala mang nag-request nito mula sa community pero napag-isipan naming ito ang pangangailangan ng ilan o marami sa atin. Sa simpleng tulong na maipapaabot natin sa kanila ay malaki ang maitutulong upang makamit nila ang kanilang mga pangarap. To tell you honestly, CAS Reps did a great job patungkol sa paggawa ng buong resolusyon na ito na sinangayon ko at ng buong kataas-taasang konseho ng mga mag-aaral.”

The publication was granted 3 interviews from the following beneficiaries—Juliet Banayat, Josiephine Reyes, and Jacqueline Salud. The three of them shared a similar discovery of this opportunity via Facebook. It may not be enough to fully-cover their expenses, but they are still grateful in appreciating the efforts exerted by the council in delegating funds to extend help for the tertiary working students.

A resident of Cabanbanan Manaoag, Pangasinan, Banayat is an assistant in a Facebook online shop named First Choice. “To be honest po mas naging okay nung nakuha po ako as beneficiaries ng SSC FAP, mas naging magaan po yung expenses dahil kaagad agad po nilang nai-less sa tuition fee ko yung allowance na ibibigay po nila, so nakatulong po yun nung finals namin. As of now po, since hindi pa ulit nag-sstart ang A.Y medyo okay naman po and kapag mag-sstart na po yung klase we'll do our best po para mas maging okay yung expenses ko as criminology student.” Banayat stated in expressing her experience as a beneficiary of the FAP.

Reyes, the resident of Brgy. Malued, Dagupan City, is an incoming fourth year BS Tourism Management, works as a saleslady of a frozen food dealer around town. “I was hesitant at first kasi po naisip ko maraming working students sa UPang na sa tingin ko mas deserving naman. Pero after ko makausap friends ko, nakapag-decide po akong sumubok.”, as she stated. Incoming 2nd year student this semester, taking Bachelor of Secondary Education, Salud resides in Brgy. Bonuan Gueset and works as a Service Crew in a fastfood chain. Through the means of social media, she expressed in an interview her discovery of the program. “Nakapag-apply po ako sa SSC FAP through their FB page, nag scroll po kasi ako sa newsfeed, tapos po nag appear po yung post nila, kaya chineck ko po agad yung post nila sa FB page, ayon po nag-try po ako.”

For the incoming school year 2022-2023, here’s an additional opportunity to be added in your cart. Financial assistance in aiding educational needs may still be limited and not enough, but take this as a hope that things can be easier, with the resolution written with integrity, and established with the goal of reaching out to the students who are in desperate need.