House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos took center stage on Friday to launch key education initiatives under the PBBM-GABAY ng Bayan Program at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena. The event was part of the 2nd Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee Meeting, where education agencies like Commission on Higher Education(CHED), DepEd, and TESDA aligned efforts to address challenges in the country’s education system.
The speech, delivered by Marcos on behalf of President Bongbong Marcos, focused on making education accessible to every Filipino. “Education is a right that must reach every Filipino, no matter how far, poor, or marginalized,” Marcos said, highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring that educational opportunities are available to all.
A major highlight was the launch of the Bagong Pilipinas Merit-Based Scholarship Program (BPMSP), fulfilling a promise made by the President during last year’s State of the Nation Address. This scholarship program offers merit-based opportunities to top-performing senior high school graduates from public and private schools and qualified TESDA National Certificate holders. The BPMSP aims to develop the country’s workforce by aligning educational programs with high-priority sectors in need of skilled professionals.
Marcos also introduced Project PEPA (Patuloy na Edukasyon, Patuloy na Pag-Ahon), a nationwide information caravan aimed at providing 490,000 senior high school graduates from 4Ps households with clear and timely details about government-funded educational opportunities. This initiative is designed to empower families by equipping them with the information needed to make informed decisions about their children’s futures.
In addition, CHED-TANAW, a national data visualization platform for higher education, was launched to help students access information on institutions, scholarships, and graduate outcomes. This platform strengthens transparency and supports evidence-based policymaking in the education sector.
Marcos concluded his remarks by expressing gratitude to educators for their role in shaping the nation’s future, encouraging both teachers and students to take full advantage of the opportunities now available. With these new programs, the Marcos administration aims to pave the way for a more inclusive and progressive education system.
