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

CHED-UniFAST CAR brought Project ACCESS to Kapangan National High School in Kapangan, Benguet on October 16, 2025, as part of the school’s Career Quest 2025 celebration.

Project ACCESS — Acquainting In-Coming College Entrants on Scholarships and Grants-in-Aid System — is the official information, education, and communication (IEC) initiative of CHED-UniFAST CAR that aims to raise awareness of available government support programs for higher education.

A total of 92 learners from Grades 11 and 12 participated in the session, where Dr. Bernadette C. Pal-ec, Education Supervisor II and UniFAST Focal Person, served as the resource speaker. Dr. Pal-ec discussed the range of scholarships and grants-in-aid programs offered by CHED and UniFAST, emphasizing opportunities that support students in pursuing tertiary education.

She also detailed the CHED Merit Scholarship Program (CMSP), which caters to academically deserving incoming college students, and the programs under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) — including Free Higher Education, the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), and the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP).

Present during the activity were Imelda P. Mang-osang, Principal I; Nancy F. Cuplang, Guidance Associate; and representatives from participating higher education institutions, including BVS Colleges and the Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC). Also in attendance were representatives from other government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO).

Through Project ACCESS, CHED-UniFAST CAR continues its advocacy of ensuring that learners are informed, guided, and empowered to access quality and equitable higher education opportunities.