DENR offers college scholarship to kids of environmental heroes

DENR Sec. Ramon J.P. Paje

PAGADIAN CITY - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is offering a generous scholarship package to children of “fallen heroes of the environment” or workers of the agency who died in the line of duty.

DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje recently signed DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2013-02, which outlines the general guidelines for the scholarship program that aims to help send kids of slain environment workers to college.

This is our way of recognizing the service and contribution of our fellow workers who died while protecting the environment," Paje said.

“We came up with this scholarship program because apart from believing in the value of education, we know that it’s every parent’s dream to see his child secure a college diploma so we want to fulfill that dream in behalf of our environmental heroes who have gone ahead of us,” he added.

DENR date showed that more than 60 of ots workers havd died while performing their duties since the agency was establsihed in 1987, including "Bayani ng Kalikasan awardee Melanie Dirain, a 46-year-old forestry specialist who was shot and killed in her office in Sanchez Mira town in Cagayan on february 7, 2012

Paje said one of the two childre of Dirain may avail of the scholarship program.

The environment chief said the DENR scholarship package will help scholars cope up with the demands of a college education.

Under the guidelines, the scholarship award covers the recipienrt's full tuition in any state university within the country, monthly living allowances of Php5,000, book and internet allowances and other school supplies worth Php3,500 per semester, among others.

A scholar may opt to enrole in a private academic institution of his choice provided that he will shoulder the excess in the total cost of the tuition and other scool fees for every semester, where the actual fees are based on the prevailing rate at the Universitun of the Philippines.

Paje said recipients ofn the Scholarship  grant are required to only take nup courses "relevant tonthe DENR's strategic thrusts, plans and priority programs" scuch as environmental science. forestry, geodetic engineering, geology, mining engineering, chemical engineering, ocen and marine schience and taxonomy.

Other perks that scholars may enjoy include thesis alllowance amounting to Php10,000; reinbursable amount up to P10,000 for graduation expenses, including diploma fee, yearbook, toga rental, graduation picture and other relevant expenses; and two paid round-trip tickets per year to allow the scholars to return to their hometown during semestral breaks.

Under the terms, a scholars is required to maintain a weighted average of 2.75 its equivalent to remain in the program.  

Scholars will enter into an agreement with the DENR that places them under a service-obgligation contract, which calls for a year of government services in the department for every school year of enrollment after graduation.

The scholar-recipient may also at any national and government institutions including state universities and colleges. (RPAO, DENR-9PR)