The Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR), through its UniFAST Unit, successfully convened representatives from various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the region on October 2, 2024, at El Cielito Hotel, Baguio City. Themed “UniFAST @ 9: Continuous Commitment to Promoting Equitable Access to Quality Education in the Cordilleras,” the event served as a platform to review the status of programs under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) and address pressing implementation concerns.

This year’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) – Project Mobilizing Available Resources through Inclusive Training on Entrepreneurship of Student-Grantees (MARITES) culminated in an exciting Regional Business Pitch Competition held on October 17, 2024, at the Function Hall of Paragon Hotel, bringing together young entrepreneurs from across the Cordillera region. This joint initiative by the Department of Trade and Industry – Cordillera Administrative Region (DTI-CAR) and the Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) highlighted the innovative potential of the region’s youth.

Hanna Lei Pacito, a CHED Merit Scholar and Free Higher Education beneficiary from Benguet State University (BSU), emerged as the champion of the YEP-Project MARITES 2024 Regional Youth Business Pitch Competition held on October 17, 2024, at Paragon Hotel, Baguio City. The event brought together aspiring young entrepreneurs from across the Cordillera region, with Pacito’s innovative business idea, Silpo-Silpo, standing out among the 12 finalists.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III graced the YEP-Project MARITES 2024 Regional Business Pitch Competition, held on October 17, 2024, at Paragon Hotel, Baguio City, where he delivered an inspiring message about the transformative impact of Free Higher Education (FHE) and the importance of equipping students with the skills needed for nation-building.