Governor Bong Lacson together with Brother Joaquin Severino Martinez, University of St. La Salle – Bacolod President and Chancellor, Bishop Patricio Buzon, Dr. Marsette Sabbaluca, Negros Occidental Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Annabele Balor, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and USLS Project Free Director, and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Magno signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the Batch 3 of Project Free – Paglaum Scholarship Program, at the St. Brother Miguel Hall of USLS, today.
The Project FREE or Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence – Paglaum Program is a scholarship program initiated by the Provincial Government that is open to all public elementary and high school teachers in Negros Occidental who would like to avail of post-graduate studies. It is a joint partnership between the provincial government, University of St. La Salle – Bacolod, Department of Education, and Commission on Higher Education.
According to Gov. Lacson that it is his utmost aspiration that all children regardless of economic and social status will have the same level of good quality education.“Education is the most important component of this administration and it is my utmost priority to strengthen our educational policies,” he said.
The governor also said that the teachers’ responsibility to train globally competitive and efficient students has intensified and the challenge was aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Upgrading our teachers’ knowledge and skills is an investment for the future of our children,” he added.Board Member Agustin Ernesto Bascon, chairman of the SP Committee on Education, and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Head, Karen Dinsay, were also present at the signing ceremony.
