SSO addresses non-acceptance of new FAG applicants
The Student Scholarship Office (SSO) pinned the reason behind the failure to accept new applicants for the Financial Aid Grantees (FAG) to the low number of enrollees brought about by the K-12 program that consequently lowered the budget allocation for the student scholarship fund during the second semester of academic year (AY) 2018-2019, as per SSO Coordinator Linda Lou Palomino.
Every start of the AY, the Finance Office allocates the general budget for the scholarship fund subject for utilization throughout the entire period, whereas the general budget comes from supplementation through donations from agencies or foundations that support the program, according to the webpage of the SSO found at the DLSU-D official website.
Moreover, there is no fixed budget for the scholarship fund as the allocation is based upon the number of enrollees every start of the AY.
Furthermore, the allocation of the scholarship fund is parted into the FAG, Financial Aid for Student Trainees, and Enhanced Brother President Scholarship Program.
“[Kung] ano ang natira noong first semester … kasi hindi naman iyon [na]dadagdagan eh, so doon kami nagbe-base ng number of scholars, that’s the reason why, hindi nag-approve ng mga new applicants, so as is ‘yong mga old applicants, na-prioritize sila,” Palomino said.
To add, there have been a tuition hike for the previous academic years, resulting in a higher amount of coverages for programs offering higher tuition fee and laboratory expenses.
SSO addresses late announcement of official list
Palomino addressed the concerns behind the late announcement of the official list of FAG scholars due to budget checks of the scholar fund, “It took us a while to post the result, because we really need to check the budget kasi mahirap mag-release kaagad-agad ng result[s] … kasi baka ang mangyari is mag-over kami doon sa budget, [at sa bilang ng] applicants na scholars,” she said.
On the other hand, a student from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication expresses her sentiment against the decision to not accept new applicants, “Ako ay medyo na-dismaya sa desisyong hindi pagtanggap sa akin dahil sa panahong ito kailangang-kailangan ko ng scholarship dahil sa pinansyal na sitwasyon ng aking pamilya na magsasabay kami ng pangalawa kong kapatid sa college. Sa kabilang banda, tinatanggap ko nalang ang maging desisyon dahil maaaring di ko alam ang buong detalye ng hindi pagtanggap sa aking aplikasyon sa nasabing scholarship,” she said in an online interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO.
Meanwhile, Palomino advice aspiring scholars to be vigilant in applying as there could be another chance for new applicants to be accepted next AY 2019-2020.
