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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider CHED eyes 20,000 top SHS graduates for presidential merit scholarship program

CHED eyes 20,000 top SHS graduates for presidential merit scholarship program

Published Sep 15, 2025 03:03 pm
CHED has launched the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program to support 20,000 top Senior High School graduates from low- to middle-income families who will pursue priority courses in college, aiming to develop globally competitive Filipino professionals. (MB Visual Content Group)
CHED has launched the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program to support 20,000 top Senior High School graduates from low- to middle-income families who will pursue priority courses in college, aiming to develop globally competitive Filipino professionals. (MB Visual Content Group)
To support top-performing Senior High School (SHS) graduates from low- to middle-income families who plan to pursue priority courses in college, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Monday, September 15, formally launched the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program.
“This is an additional promise for the future,” said CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis during the Converge to ACHIEVE: The Higher Education Summit held at the Manila Hotel.
Agrupis explained that the new presidential merit scholarship program aims to give “equal opportunity to incoming college students who are not within the qualification” of the existing Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).
“This will specifically address the entry of top-performing incoming college students into sectors that are very hard to fill,” she added.
New scholarship program
In an interview on the sidelines, Agrupis said the new scholarship program seeks to support 20,000 top-performing SHS graduates from low- to middle-income families who will enroll in priority courses in college, as part of the government’s push to develop globally competitive Filipino professionals under the Bagong Pilipinas vision.
CHED said the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program is a merit-based initiative designed to support academically talented Grade 12 graduates under the government’s Bagong Pilipinas education agenda.
Under the National Expenditure Program (NEP), Agrupis said CHED has requested more than P600 million to fund the program, which will benefit 20,000 incoming college students from low- to middle-income households, particularly those who graduate in the top five of their SHS class and enroll in priority degree programs.
“We will soon approve the portal for this presidential merit scholarship program,” Agrupis said.
Priority courses for nation-building
Agrupis explained that the scholarship is aligned with national workforce needs and will prioritize degree programs in health sciences, digital technology, agriculture, fisheries, education, and other undersubscribed but critical fields.
CHED emphasized that the program is “data-driven” and will be crafted in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure transparency and fairness.
Budget and implementation
For fiscal year 2026–2027, CHED has requested over P600 million to fund the 20,000 beneficiaries. A dedicated online portal for the scholarship will soon be launched to streamline applications and screening.
“The President himself asked how we can expand assistance. While our focus has been the poorest of the poor, this program also seeks to encourage top-performing students to pursue fields essential to national development,” Agrupis said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The scholarship is open to qualified students from both public and private higher education institutions, provided they meet the merit and course requirements.
With over 12,000 SHS nationwide, CHED expects the program to provide “a very good opportunity” for deserving graduates who can contribute to building a competitive Filipino workforce for Bagong Pilipinas.
RELATED STORY: 
https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/15/ched-unveils-roadmap-for-philippine-higher-education-reform-at-2025-summit

Related Tags

CHED Presidential Merit Scholarship Program Bagong Pilipinas SHS graduates priority courses scholarship program
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