By: Delaila Irma T. Calindas, Project Technical Staff II

More and more Cordillerans are benefiting from UniFAST as CHED-UniFAST CAR continues to expand its reach. On March 5, 2025, With the support of Mountain Province State University (MPSU) and the Provincial Government of Mountain Province, another batch of grantees under the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP-TES) attended an orientation at the Multipurpose Hall in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

A total of 554 student-grantees, currently enrolled at MPSU and XiJeN College of Mountain Province, make up this latest batch. This group is part of the broader set of grantees previously oriented on February 27, 2025, at BIMAAK Hall, Harrison Road, Baguio City.

MPSU President Dr. Edgar Cue warmly welcomed the participants, emphasizing the significance of the financial assistance in empowering students to achieve their academic goals.

Ms. Ana Grace P. Salibad, one of the Regional Coordinators of UniFAST-CAR, led the orientation, providing an overview of the program and guiding the grantees through their roles and responsibilities. She emphasized the importance of complying with the program’s requirements to ensure the continuous support of their financial assistance.

Following the orientation, the distribution and accomplishment of the Notices of Award were facilitated, ensuring that each grantee formally acknowledged their grant and understood the obligations that come with it. The Tulong Dunong Program is part of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under Republic Act No. 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA). This program provides financial assistance to economically disadvantaged yet deserving students, granting each beneficiary Php 7,500 per regular semester. The subsidy helps cover tuition and other education-related expenses, alleviating financial constraints and enabling students to focus on their academic pursuits.

For more information about the TDP-TES program and other initiatives under UAQTEA, visit www.unifast.chedcar.com.