- The province reaffirmed its commitment to equitable learning through a joint meeting of scholarship boards for Indigenous Peoples (IP) and Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
- New scholar batches Batch 9 (IP) and Batch 8 (PWD) were approved, with over 380 IP grantees since 2016 and 84 PWD grantees for 2025-26.
- The boards were reconstituted to enhance coordination and transparency, supporting Iloilo’s flagship Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya education reform program.
The Iloilo Provincial Government further reiterates its stance on inclusive and equitable education through a joint meeting conducted between Provincial Educational Assistance Program for Indigenous Peoples Management Board (PEAPIMB) and Provincial Scholarship Management Board for Persons with Disability (PSMBPWD).
The session was used as an opportunity to discuss program updates, assess grantee performance, and synchronize future plans for both the IP and PWD scholarship programs.
During the session, reports indicated that most of the beneficiaries continue to perform well academically, proving the favorable effect of the province's continued investment in education and empowerment.
It also approved the roster of incoming scholars for the new school year, including Batch 9 for IP grantees and Batch 8 for PWD grantees. The list will be submitted to Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. for ratification.
Based on the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), the Indigenous Peoples Scholarship Program has granted assistance to 380 grantees since 2016, while the PWD scholarship program has screened 84 grantees for the 2025-2026 academic year.
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Furthermore, 54 PWD and 120 IP applicants are being screened by the boards for potential inclusion in the succeeding batch of beneficiaries. Other than grantee updates, the meeting also involved the reconstitution of both the management boards to strengthen coordination, transparency, and governance in implementing the scholarship programs.
The action is intended to see that policies of operation continue to respond to changing educational needs of IP and PWD students. Provincial leaders reasserted themselves in pursuing enhanced systems of educational support favoring equality and opportunity for all groups. They asserted that inclusive education continues to be a pillar of Iloilo's development agenda.
The programs under PEAPIMB and PSMBPWD are parallel to the Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya (BEs Probins) reform program, a flagship activity of the provincial government that emphasizes education as an important element in the construction of a more progressive, empowered, and inclusive Iloilo.
