Bacolod city: The Negros Occidental provincial government has extended educational assistance amounting to PHP1.5 million to support 300 children of former breakaway rebels, now members of the Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan (Kapatiran).
According to Philippines News Agency, Karen Dinsay, head of the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program division, stated that each grantee received PHP5,000 for the school year 2025-2026. This marks the third year of the province's next-of-kin educational assistance to Kapatiran students, a program initiated in 2023.
Among the 300 grantees, 221 are college students, while 79 are in senior high school. They belong to Kapatiran next-of-kin chapters located in the cities of Kabankalan, San Carlos, Cadiz, and Bago, as well as the municipalities of Cauayan, E.B. Magalona, and La Castellana.
In 2023, the provincial government initially allocated PHP1 million for 200 grantees. The budget increased in 2024 to accommodate 250 grantees, and by 2025, the program expanded to include an additional 50 slots, benefiting a total of 300 grantees.
This school year, 35 college student-grantees are expected to graduate, following the 25 who completed their studies in the previous year. The educational assistance was distributed in a ceremony led by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall on Tuesday.
Governor Lacson emphasized the importance of unity and collective action in achieving lasting peace and order in the province, highlighting the need for cooperation and shared responsibility in building a safe and progressive community.
The event was attended by several key figures, including Fifth District Board Member Rita Gatuslao, Director Susana Guadalupe Marcaida, Col. Victor Llapitan, and Veronica Tabara, who all acknowledged the significance of the program in supporting Kapatiran beneficiaries.
The next-of-kin educational assistance program is a vital government initiative underscoring its commitment to providing timely and appropriate interventions for Kapatiran beneficiaries in Negros Occidental. Tabara expressed gratitude for the continuous support and emphasized the hope that such efforts will inspire and strengthen the commitment to peace.
The Kapatiran group, formerly known as the Tabara-Paduano Group of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB), emerged as part of its transformation under a peace agreement with the national government.
