DAVAO CITY — NEDA Region XI formally turned over the screening of Mindanao nominees for foreign scholarships to DepEd XI, CHED XI and TESDA XI. This is pursuant to Executive Order No. 402, s. 2005 which abolished the Special Committee on Scholarship and transferred its functions to the DepEd for basic education, CHED for higher education and TESDA for non-degree courses. The turn-over ceremony was held last June 26 at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City.
In his opening speech, NEDA XI Director Nicasio Angelo Agustin announced that the affair was significant not only to mark the formal transfer of scholarship functions to the above-mentioned agencies but also to give recognition to partner agencies who have worked with NEDA XI in the screening of scholarship nominees from Mindanao before the passage of EO 402.
We hold this event with mixed emotions of fulfillment that we have contributed our share for the success of the scholarship program and a little bit of sadness, too, as we shall be missing our usual Tuesday interview team, he added.
NEDA XI also expressed optimism that with this development, Davao Region and the whole of Mindanao will reap benefits in terms of more foreign scholarships and the country, in turn, may be able to reciprocate by hosting trainings for scholars from other countries in the near future.
TESDA XI Director Gaspar Gayona, Dr. Leonida Calagui of CHED XI and Dr. Minerva Fabros of DepEd XI formally accepted the task on behalf of their agencies.
EO 402 had stipulated that the transfer of the scholarship functions to DEPED, CHED and TESDA was to promote simplicity, economy and efficiency in the administration of trainings and grants sourced from Official Development Assistance.
NEDA XI has been the secretariat to the Mindanao Regional Screening Committee (MRSC) since 1996. The other members of the Committee were DepEd, Civil Service Commission, Dept. of Foreign Affairs and the University of Southeastern Philippines. (NEDA-PIA XI)
