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

Hundreds of student-beneficiaries gained clearer direction on their educational journey as the Commission on Higher Education–Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR), through its UniFAST Unit and in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), conducted an orientation for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) beneficiaries of the University of the Cordilleras (UC) on May 6, 2026.

Organized in collaboration with the UC Student Development and Welfare Center (SDWC), the orientation was conducted in two sessions—morning and afternoon—gathering a total of 1,357 beneficiaries, with 884 attendees in the morning and 473 in the afternoon.

Ms. Marie Cynthia S. Dirige, Officer-in-Charge of the UC SDWC, formally welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of the activity in ensuring a smooth and transparent subsidy process.

Representatives from LANDBANK—Ms. Kristine Santos, Mr. Michael Valdez, and Mr. Joel Cabrera—guided beneficiaries through the process of opening a LANDBANK PISO Plus Account. The LANDBANK PISO Plus Account is a student-friendly deposit account designed to facilitate the efficient and secure release of stipends. Beneficiaries with existing LANDBANK accounts were also encouraged to enroll in iAccess to enable convenient and cardless transactions.

A question-and-answer session followed, involving representatives from LANDBANK, CHED-CAR UniFAST Unit, and UC offices, which addressed concerns related to account opening procedures and grant disbursement. The discussion helped clarify issues and respond to students’ queries, further ensuring their readiness for stipend release.

Ms. Nova C. Baldo, Director of Student Affairs Services (SAS), delivered the closing remarks, while Ms. Mervhi Lynne B. Lucio, Scholarship Support Program (SSP) Coordinator, provided additional announcements regarding the submission requirements for beneficiaries.

Regional Coordinators Ms. Marife Calimodag and Ms. Danielle Galong were also present to assist beneficiaries throughout the session. Other UC representatives who attended included Ms. Jyka Reego S. Hipona, UC Registrar; Ms. Gemma D. Malagayo, Accounting Staff from SDWC and SAS; Mr. Jerome P. Quitola, Data Analyst from the Office of the Registrar; and Ms. Lucio.

The orientation forms part of the strengthened partnership among CHED, UniFAST, and LANDBANK established in March 2026, which aims to expedite the release of student stipends through direct fund crediting to beneficiaries beginning Academic Year 2026–2027.