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

More than 1,600 students gathered under one roof, united by a shared goal—to secure their educational future through government support. On May 7, 2026, the Commission on Higher Education–Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED‑CAR), through its UniFAST Unit, in partnership with Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), conducted a comprehensive orientation for Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) and Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries at the Tupayya Gym, CCDC, La Trinidad, Benguet.

The activity equipped student-grantees with essential information on their benefits, responsibilities, and the guidelines governing educational assistance under Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

Opening the program, Mr. Jaylo Lacaden, Director of the CCDC Student Services Office (SSO), opened the program by commending the beneficiaries for their active participation and encouraging them to stay engaged in their studies. He thanked the CHED‑CAR UniFAST Unit for its continued support and reminded grantees of the importance of honesty, urging them to be transparent with their parents since the financial assistance is meant to help ease their families’ financial needs.

The highlights of the orientation continued with Ms. Jezeny O. Laoyan, Lead Regional Coordinator of the UniFAST Unit, who explained the programs under Republic Act 10931. She discussed the roles and responsibilities of the beneficiaries, emphasizing that these responsibilities reflect their accountability to themselves and their families. Ms. Laoyan encouraged students to do well in their studies and serve as good role models, noting that their success helps sustain the program and show its positive impact.

A key feature of the event was the step‑by‑step orientation on account opening conducted by Mr. Joel Cabrera, Branch Manager of LANDBANK–Naguilian. Following the recently signed Memorandum of Agreement between CHED‑UniFAST and LANDBANK, a series of regional rollouts have been initiated to ensure that all beneficiaries are properly guided in opening their accounts, which will serve as the official channel for grant disbursements.

An open forum followed, facilitated by Ms. Mia Charisma Langpaoen, Accountant II of CHED‑CAR, where beneficiaries raised concerns and sought clarifications on the updated disbursement processes. Ms. Langpaoen emphasized the importance of maintaining active LANDBANK accounts, reminding students that strict compliance with requirements is essential since all succeeding releases will be coursed exclusively through these accounts.

The program concluded with announcements from Ms. Rhonalyn Aludos, CCDC UniFAST Focal Person, who provided clear guidance on the submission of account details and other post‑orientation requirements. Her closing remarks ensured that beneficiaries were well‑informed of the next steps needed to facilitate the timely and seamless processing of their financial assistance.