By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III challenged the new scholars of the Alfredo G. Marañon, Jr. Scholarship Program to hurdle whatever challenges they face to achieve their dreams in life.

In a general assembly held on Friday at Balay Kauswagan, Marañon said the scholars should always get the opportunity to study, “especially that we are now in these trying times.”

“It is our will power to hurdle these trying times. We need to persevere and adjust. We need to be grateful that we are here and alive and have this opportunity,” he stressed.

The mayor added that he hopes to look forward to the day that the scholars will achieve their dreams and graduate.

Alfredo G. Maranon, Jr. Scholarship Program has been in existence for the last 11 years since 2008, with nearly 4,500 scholars, with 612 of them graduated.

He also cited the low percentage of graduates out of 4,449 scholars for the last 11 years is only 612 as some were not able to comply with the minimum grade requirements, changing of course, and others stopped going to school especially the ALS students.

The mayor also shared that for the last two months, the local government unit and Department of Education have been going around schools distributing school supplies especially to the far flung areas and there is really a challenge as we shift to the new normal.

He also urged the parents and guardians to support their children during this academic undertaking.

There are 375 scholars enlisted in the program for this school year with the following courses: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Engineering, BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Mechanical Engineering, BS in Chemical Engineering, BS in Electrical Engineering, BS in Education, BS in Veterinary Medicine, BS in Accountancy, BS in Nursing, Midwifery, BS in Agriculture, and BS in Fisheries.

Indigenous group and ALS passers, meanwhile, can choose any course and any school within Sagay City only./DGB, WDJ