Some 310 new Pantawid Pamilya scholars under the Expanded Students’ Grants-in-aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA), together with their parents, attend the program orientation last August 28, 2014, at Visayas State University Convention Center (VSU).

ESGP-PA aims to break the cruel poverty cycle afflicting the poor but completely deserving Filipino youth and their families, by increasing the number of graduates in higher education and getting them employed in high-value added occupations.

It is being implemented by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASCU).

Presently, there are 2,031 ESGP-PA scholars. 310 are enrolled in the Visayas State University (Baybay, Tolosa, Alangalang, Villaba, and Isabel in Leyte in courses that are aligned with the government key priority areas such as agriculture, education, fisheries, environmental management, and engineering. Each scholar is to receive P30,000 per semester.