Scholarship for Farmer
Beneficiaries’ Sons and Daughters
To boot,
there are more than hundred of them enjoying DAR’s scholarship program in
Region X and many more in the entire
country. Joven Esconde, Ericson Barros
and Bonifacio Maballo just represents the blessed ones and are all from Malitbog, Bukidnon.
They were very happy lately because they
qualify to final screening of DAR-Iskolar ng Bayan making them eligible to enroll
in any State Colleges North Bukidnon ,
they are the only lucky ones making it
for my assigned municipality. But they have to pass yet any State Universities
Written
of course in their faces as they came back home after an orientation for all scholars in Hotel
Conchita are their happy faces for the rare breakthrough of their lives.That
hopefully would turn their respective
family’s life around. But more than the happiness of the three qualifiers, are their parents,
relatives including those in the background of the program, DAR fieldworkers who
are all elated for the promise the scholars bring. In the first place, they compose the first
batch. As the pioneers, they also bring
along with them the dream of all farmer beneficiaries of the area hopefully
they would all make it all the way as good role models.
The screening
was incidentally tough in that they should have at least grade not below 80
average in their high school and that they should maintain certain scholastic
record or the benefits would be passed on to other deserving sons and daughters
of farmer beneficiaries. Most importantly, they should be direct descendant of
their parents as holder of Certificate of Landownership Award or CLOA, land title given by DAR to farmers. As
precondition too of their entry, they
should pass the required entrance exam to the school their choice for
agriculture related courses or the benefits of free tuition fee, monthly and
book allowance would again be forfeited in
favor of the lucky ones.
As
their MARO, I’m doubly happy that Joven Esconde made it. Why so? Well, he
happens to be the only one given the chance to proceed into College as his
parent’s income in peddling Linga’s modest appliances and decorations in Cagayan
de Oro City and elsewhere are not enough for their family of eight. In fact the
rest of their five children have not attended College education. Nicknamed
Rocky, I think he is tough that could
handle the pressure and would survived unscatched given his gung-ho
personality in exploiting the
opportunity extended to him.
Brgy. Captain
Luciano Esconde, Omagling’s Barangay Chair and Rocky’s uncle was also specially
in high spirits as his ward made it. Magsul-ob
ko’g bali nga karsones if Rocky would make it, he confessed in vernacular.
Now he should start reflecting if he intends to make good his promise or merely
eat his words believing the capability of
Rocky, like his namesake, could be earning a degree like a true champion.
Yes
readers might ask, why DAR has a scholarship program unlike other agencies and
institutions. Well how could we secure the gains of Agrarian Reform if after
acquiring and distributing agricultural lands are left idle and abandoned at
the mercy of their parents. While it’s the parents’ hands who are making the
land fertile and productive, it’s now incumbent upon the children, armed with
relevant courses in agriculture to boot
as scholar, to protect and continue
the tradition of agricultural productivity improving the technology for
greater results.
As
different study shows, agrarian reform is precondition for rural and urban
development. No country has ever leapfrogged to tiger economy status without
jumpstarting their agricultural development.
This what tiger economies in Asia have
shown. Given therefore needed technology, we could more or rest secure that our
farms would all the more be developed, productive and the family reaping big
dividends in farm income contributing to the
country’s GDP at the end of the year.
Setting
blistering pace in its vision providing not just needed intervention and support services by farmers
in the field from solar energy with IT
component like internet to infrastructure projects, production loans to
farm-to-market roads, bridges and water system and now scholarship program
leaving no stones unturned for our farmer beneficiaries, how could they not
improve and help our country’s economy. It is just hoped then that concerned
successful DAR scholars would strive all the more so they would be successful
and in the end would return the compliments
back to the next generation by making things happen in their respective
farm. So be it.!
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