Manila: National awardees of the Gawad Lingkod Bayani will now have the opportunity to pursue higher education at the University of the Philippines (UP) after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the state university signed a partnership to provide them with scholarship grants.

According to Philippines News Agency, the collaborative initiative was formalized through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by CSC Chairperson, lawyer Marilyn Yap, and UP System President Angelo Jimenez. Under the agreement, individual and group winners of the three prestigious categories under the Gawad Lingkod Bayani from 2025 to 2030 will be eligible for the scholarship program.

These categories include the Gawad Lingkod Bayan ng Pangulo, Gawad Dangal ng Bayan, and Gawad Pagasa. The grant can be availed within five years of receiving the award. It allows the individual awardees, group winners, or one of their qualified beneficiaries to enroll in a postgraduate degree program and pursue their studies until completion, provided they meet UP's academic and admission requirements.

Gawad Lingkod Bayani scholars can choose to pursue their graduate studies across any constituent university within the UP System, including UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Los Ba±os, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Tacloban, and the UP Open University. CSC Chairperson Yap highlighted UP's commitment to honor, excellence, and service, values that align with the CSC's principles.

UP System President Jimenez expressed the university's full commitment to welcoming the state awardees into its academic community, emphasizing the role of education in shaping future leaders. He stated that the program aims to develop leaders known for both their expertise and character, and for how they choose to serve.

To implement the program, the CSC will annually screen and endorse qualified Gawad Lingkod Bayani awardees to UP, as stated in the MOA signed on Monday. The national university will then evaluate the applicants based on admission compliance, merit, and fitness for their chosen degree programs.