Davao City (DSWD XI) – Some 80 Pantawid Pamilya college scholarship grantees will participate in the 4^th ESGPPA (Expanded Student Grant-In-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation) Students’ Congress at Eden Nature Park and Resort  on August 31 – September 2.

This year’s student congress focuses on capacitating the student grantees for them to become junior Gender and Development (GAD) advocates in their respective campuses.

Topics up for discussion during the 3-day activity are: Adolescent Reproductive Health Issues and Concerns; Gender, Sexuality and Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE); Stigma and Discrimination; Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI); Human Rights and Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 (RA 8504); and Tips in Counseling and Communication.

“The ESGPPA started in 2012 in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). ESGPPA ensures that grantees are enrolled in selected State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) duly recognized by CHED, and channelled to CHED priority courses and be extended the needed support that will guarantee completion of studies thus qualify them for a high-value added jobs in the future,” said DSWD XI Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat.

“ESGPPA aims to contribute in the increase of number of enrolment in higher education in line with the national government’s priority degree programs among poor households and support college graduates’ entry to labor markets through placement assistance,” she continued.

Davao Region currently has 2,028 college scholars in eight state colleges/universities –University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) in Mabini, Tagum, Obrero and Mintal campuses; Davao Oriental State College for Science and Technology (DOSCST) in Mati City; Davao del Norte State College Panabo (DNSC) in Panabo City; Southern Philippines Agri-Business, Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) in Digos City and Malita Campus. (DSWD)