Children and dependents of sugarcane industry workers and small sugarcane farmers have the opportunity to gain higher education through a scholarship offered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Based on R.A. 10659, the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) Scholarship Program caters to families of sugarcane industry workers and small sugarcane farmers who are certified by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). It covers undergraduate and graduate students qualified to enroll in agriculture, agricultural engineering and mechanics, sugar technology, chemical engineering, and other related courses.
Program Benefits
The SIDA scholarship program covers both undergraduate and graduate students, providing them with different types of allowances.
Undergraduate Program
For every academic year, the scholarship program grants undergraduate students with: stipend worth PHP 100,000; book allowance amounting to PHP 10,000; thesis and/or OJT allowance worth PHP 75,000; and an allowance of PHP 15,000 for one-time attendance to a local conference.
Graduate Program
Likewise, for graduate students, the program provides the following allowances per academic year: PHP 60,000 for tuition and other school fees; stipend worth PHP 100,000; book allowance worth PHP 10,000; dissertation allowance (for Doctoral candidates) worth PHP 100,000; thesis allowance worth PHP 75,000; and an allowance of PHP 15,000 for one-time attendance to a local conference.
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Return Service
Upon completing their degree, scholars are required to work in the Philippines, particularly in the sugarcane industry, for a period of two (2) years for every year that they benefited from the scholarship.
Eligibility
To qualify for the scholarship, applicants for undergraduate and graduate programs must meet the following criteria:
Undergraduate Program
- Filipino citizen;
- High school graduate or with earned college academic units relevant to identified degree program;
- Pass the entry level requirements of identified State University or College (SUC);
- Certified by SRA as sugarcane industry worker or small sugarcane farmer’s children and dependents; and
- Parents or guardians have a combined annual gross annual income that does not exceed PHP 400,000.
Graduate Program
- Filipino citizen;
- With related undergraduate degree and pass the entry level requirements of identified SUC for master and doctoral degree programs;
- Certified by SRA as sugarcane industry worker or small sugarcane farmer’s children and dependents;and
- Parents, guardians, and/or spouse have a combined annual gross annual income that does not exceed PHP 500,000.
Requirements
The documentary requirements when applying for the SIDA scholarship program are as follows:
Undergraduate Program
- Any of the following academic records: (a) for senior high school students, certified copy of grades for Grade 11 and first semester for Grade 12; (b) for lifelong learners eligible for college, High School Report Card; (c) for applicants with earned units or currently enrolled in college, certified copy of grades for latest semester/term attended; (d) for other applicants, certified copy of ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Test Passer Certificate; or certified copy of PEPT Certificate of Advancing to the next level;
- Certificate of Good Moral Character from the last school attended;
- Certificate from SRA as children and dependents of sugarcane industry workers and small sugarcane farmers;
- Any of the following proof of income: (a) latest Income Tax Return (ITR) of applicant and spouse/parents/guardians if employed; (b) Certificate of Tax Exemption from Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); (c) Certificate of No Income from BIR; (d) Certificate of Indigency from barangay; (e) Certificate/Case Study from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); or (f) for children of OFWs and seafarers, latest copy of contract or proof of income;
- Notice of admission from SUC; and
- Proof that applicant belongs to special group/s (if applicable).
Graduate Program
- Diploma and Transcript of Records (TOR) of baccalaureate/master’s degree or approved thesis/dissertation proposal approved and endorsed by Technical Working Group (TWG) for grant;
- Certificate of Good Moral Character from the last school attended;
- Certificate from SRA as children and dependents of sugarcane industry workers and small sugarcane farmers;
- Any of the following proof of income: (a) latest Income Tax Return (ITR) of applicant and spouse/parents/guardians if employed; (b) Certificate of Tax Exemption from BIR; (c) Certificate of No Income from BIR; (d) Certificate of Indigency from barangay; (e) Certificate/Case Study from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); and
- Proof that applicant belongs to special group/s (if applicable).
Application Process
Meanwhile, here is an overview of the application process for the scholarship program:
- The student submits an application to the SRA Mill District.
- The SRA Mill District submits the complete documents, including SRA Board Secretary Certificate, to CHED Regional Office.
- CHED Regional Office evaluates and ranks applicants.
- Office of Student Development and Services (OSDS) validates the rank list and approves the list of qualified beneficiaries.
For more information about the SIDA scholarship program, interested applicants can visit the CHED official website.
The SIDA scholarship program not only benefits the families of sugarcane farmers and industry workers. It plays an important role in the Philippine sugarcane industry, and in the country’s economic development, too.
Speaking of scholarships, another program offered by the government is the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP). Check out this link for more information about this program.