March 23, 2010
DAR MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 04-10
SUBJECT : Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the Implementation of the Programang Agraryo Iskolar
Prefatory Statement
Pursuant to the provision of the Philippine Constitution, Republic Act 3844, Republic Act 6657, Republic Act 9700 and other related issuances, it is hereby emphasized that the vision of the Department of Agrarian Reform, among others, is to empower the rural population by focusing on the upliftment of the beneficiaries thereof through sustainable human resource development.
Toward this goal, a free tertiary education in state universities and colleges (SUCs) shall be made available within a meritorious framework to the qualified dependents of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).
To effectively institutionalize the implementation and operationalization of the PROGRAMANG AGRARYO ISKOLAR, thereby putting in place the policies, support systems and structures, the following guidelines are hereby promulgated for the guidance of all concerned, to wit:
1.0 The Objectives of the Programang Agraryo Iskolar
1.1 To develop a pool of highly motivated, technically equipped and well-educated dependents of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) who will assume responsibility for managing and making productive the land awarded to them under the CARP; and
1.2 To act as agents of change in the agricultural sector in order to spur rural growth and development.
2.0 Brief Description of the Program
The PROGRAMANG AGRARYO ISKOLAR is an innovative program designed to provide qualified dependents of the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program an opportunity to study and complete an agriculture-related four (4)-year college degree course from SUCs with financial support from the Department under a competitive screening system. The scholarship grant consists of tuition fee assistance, monthly stipend and book allowance. ISTHED
3.0 Qualified Applicants
3.1 A legitimate dependent of an Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB);
3.2 A high school graduate with a general average grade of at least 80% at the time of application;
3.3 Must have passed the college admission examination given by the SUC where he or she intends to enroll;
3.4 Must be in good health and of good moral character;
3.5 Preferably single;
3.6 Must not be more than 25 years old at the time of application;
3.7 Must not be convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude; and
3.8 Must not have pending administrative or criminal case.
4.0 Required Documents
4.1 Accomplished Application Form 01 with 2" x 2" recent photo in three (3) copies;
4.2 Certified machine copy of the Birth Certificate of the applicant;
4.3 Health Certificate issued by a government hospital or physician;
4.4 Barangay Clearance and current year Community Tax Certificate;
4.5 Certification by the Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer (MARO), that the applicant is a qualified dependent of an ARB (Form 02);
4.6 Certified photocopy of Form 138 (High School Report Card);
4.7 Statement of Commitment and Support (Form 04) to PROGRAMANG AGRARYO ISKOLAR by the parents of the applicant/guardian; EITcaD
4.8 Certification of Good Moral Character issued by the High School Principal or Religious Leader in the community;
4.9 Certificate of Rating from the SUC for passing the entrance examination; and
4.10 Certified True Copy of the Income Tax Return (ITR) of applicant's parents (optional).
5.0 Courses Eligible for Enrollment
5.1 B.S. in Agriculture
5.2 B.S. in Agri-Business
5.3 B.S. in Agricultural Technology
5.4 B.S. in Agricultural Education
5.5 B.S. in Animal Husbandry
5.6 B.S. in Agricultural Economics
5.7 B.S. in Development Communications
5.8 B.S. in Fishery Technology
5.9 B.S. in Food Technology
5.10 B.S. in Community Development and Rural Sociology
However, if the applicant for a scholarship grant has the aptitude and interest to enroll in a 4-year course not-related to agriculture, the Program may allow enrollment provided such courses are offered in the SUCs of the applicant's choice and after obtaining a written clearance from the Office of the Regional Director of the Department in the locality where the school is situated.
In like manner and under very exceptional cases, the Program may allow applicants for scholarships to five-year degree courses provided the dependent has completed all first year subjects and will be seeking entry as a scholar only for the remaining four years of the course that the grantee is enrolled in, provided further, that the applicant for scholarship has all the qualifications necessary for admission to the program. In such case, the applicant must first secure a certification from the SUC that he/she is an incoming 2nd-year student and attach the same to the application together with the other required documents. DaTHAc
Once the scholars have enrolled in the courses of their choice, the grantees are strictly required by the Program to complete the course they have enrolled in within the prescribed period unless disqualified for cause. The grantees will not be allowed to shift courses or enroll in subjects not included in the core subjects of the course that the grantee has initially enrolled in.
Ladder-type certificate courses related to agriculture and/or the application of agricultural technology or non-degree techno-vocational courses on agriculture may also allowed for enrollment by the Program, provided that these courses are preferred to by the applicants and are available in SUCs. Enrollment of scholars in privately-owned techno-vocational schools may also be allowed by the Program only after pre-approval by the National Program Office and only with techno-vocational schools or institutions provided accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
6.0 Scholarship Benefits
6.1 Actual tuition and miscellaneous school fees in an amount not exceeding TWO THOUSAND PESOS (Php2,000.00) per semester to be paid directly to the school where the grantee is enrolled or directly to the grantee upon submission of the original Official Receipt from the SUC.
6.2 A monthly stipend of ONE THOUSAND PESOS (Php1,000.00) to be paid directly to the scholarship grantee for every month that he/she is in actual school attendance in the first and second semester of the school year.
6.3 Book Allowance in the amount of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY Pesos (Php750.00) per semester to pay for the books, school supplies and materials needed to be paid direct to the scholarship grantees.
6.4 Tuition fee assistance and monthly stipend for On the Job Training (OJT) and summer classes will be shouldered by the program, provided the following documents are submitted:
a. Written request by the scholar;
b. Certification from the SUC that said OJT and/or summer classes are part of the course curriculum and offered only during summer;
c. Prospectus (Optional). DTSaHI
In no case shall the Program make provisions for summer classes intended for advance or back subjects.
The scholar or grantee is still entitled to the regular semestral benefits if OJT is undertaken outside the country provided that a Memorandum of Agreement exists between the SUC and its partner institution abroad.
Upon return from the OJT abroad, the grantee shall submit to the Regional Office concerned a duly authenticated Certificate of Completion of the OJT.
6.5 Payments of benefits will be made through the Provincial Cashier with the assistance of the Provincial Coordinator. The Provincial Cashier will be responsible for the liquidation and should be certified correct by the accountant and verified by the COA.
7.0 Application Procedure
7.1 The applicant shall secure from the nearest MARO/PARO office an application (Form-A01), which must be accomplished and submitted to the PARO/MARO office where the applicant resides together with the required documents; and
7.2 The PARO/MARO will immediately conduct preliminary evaluation of the application and the attached documents to ascertain compliance with the basic requirements. A currently enrolled university student may also apply and submit the required documents to the PARO/MARO. If the applicant meets the basic criteria and/or the requirements, the PARO/MARO conducts the initial interview of the applicant and his/her parents to ensure their commitment.
8.0 Selection Process (Annex A)
8.1 If the applicant passes the qualifying interview and the entrance test of the university where he/she intends to enroll, the MARO will indorse (Form-A03) the application folder to the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) for evaluation and further screening/selection;
8.2 PARO will undertake a careful review of the application and conduct further interview/consultation of the applicant and parents to determine the degree of motivation and aptitude of the applicant and to secure the commitment of parents. During this phase, the applicant shall be asked to write an essay to test his/her communication skills; HaEcAC
8.3 After the interviews and screening of all applicants have been conducted at the provincial level, PARO shall rank the applicants accordingly depending on the rating they obtained. At this stage, parents of the applicants who are accepted to the Program will execute a Statement of Commitment and Support (Form-A04) to confirm their support to the Program;
8.4 The PARO will endorse and submit the complete application folder to the Office of the Regional Director for confirmation;
8.5 The Regional Director will forward and endorse all the application folders to the Project Director;
8.6 The Project Director shall affirm the approval of the application for scholarships.
9.0 Enrollment Procedure
Procedure for enrollment during REGULAR SEMESTERS:
9.1 Upon receipt of the Notice of Grant (Form-A05) signed by the Regional Director, the grantees and his/her parents will report immediately to the Provincial Office concerned to manifest their interest in availing themselves of the scholarship. Having accepted the scholarship grant, the Regional Director and the Parents (in case the grantee is not yet of legal age) will execute a Contract (Form-A06) with the PARO and Provincial Coordinator as witnesses;
9.2 After signing the Contract, the Regional Director will issue Authorization Advise (Form-A07) to the SUCs, where the grantee intends to enroll;
9.3 Upon receipt of the Authorization Advice, the scholar/grantee will proceed to the SUC to enroll in the course she/he has selected. Thereafter, the grantee will submit to the PARO, a machine copy of the grantee's enrollment form, which indicates the amount of fees to be paid to the institution.
10.0 Grounds for Disqualification
The scholar/grantee may be disqualified anytime within the period that he/she is under the program if he/she has committed any or all of the following acts, to wit:
10.1 Giving false information on the application;
10.2 Having a general weighted average of below 80% or 2.75 during the immediately preceding semester; DSHTaC
10.3 Disqualification from the Program on disciplinary grounds shall be in accordance with the SUCs Policy on Student's discipline;
10.4 A rating of incomplete (INC) grade not completed within the prescribed period of the SUC.
11.0 Monitoring Scheme and Performance Evaluation
11.1 At the field level, the Regional and Provincial Coordinators are tasked to undertake a regular monitoring on the progress made by each grantee regarding his/her studies. The monitoring will also cover, among others, the behavior of the grantees and the activities they participate in within and off campus. The monitoring will be undertaken in close coordination with the concerned school authorities, which includes the submission by the latter of the scholars' final grades at the end of each semester. The Regional Coordinator will submit a consolidated regular and comprehensive semestral report (Form No. M02) to the Project Director containing the aforesaid information.
11.2 The National Coordinator will conduct an ocular random inspection of the schools where the grantees are enrolled in order to determine first hand information on the progress of the Program. The National Coordinator together with all the Regional and Provincial Coordinators will conduct an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of the Program in order to measure its impact on the ARB households and the realization of goals/objectives of the Program.
11.3 The Project Director will submit to the SECRETARY an annual progress report on the Program.
12.0 Program Administration
12.1 The National Program Office shall be headed by the Project Director under the direct supervision of the SECRETARY. The Project Director may delegate the responsibility for managing the daily operations of the National Program Office to the National Coordinator, who is authorized to supervise all the activities of personnel assigned to the Program. HcTEaA
Organizational Chart
13.0 Identification of Sectoral Responsibilities
13.1 Responsibilities of DAR to the Scholars/Grantees
o Ensure the participation and selection of qualified ARB dependents only;
o Allocation of funds and guarantee of payment of financial obligations to the grantees;
o Conduct of seminars, conferences and symposia that enhance skills, character and personality development.
13.2 Responsibilities of the Scholar/Grantee to the Program
o Must pass all subjects with satisfactory scholastic grades;
o Must maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.75 or its equivalent rating every semester;
o Must complete the course within the prescribed period;
o Must abide by the rules and regulations of the SUCs where he/she is enrolled;
o Must submit a copy of all his/her grades to the DAR after each semester.
13.3 Responsibilities of the DAR to the (SUCs)
o Ensure the prompt payment of all school fees as they fall due;
o Conduct regular consultations or dialogues with the school authorities on the academic performance of the scholars/grantees;
o Participate and/or lend support to the school activities where the grantees are the participants.
13.4 Responsibilities of the SUCs to the Program aIEDAC
o Ensure that the grantees acquire quality education within a conducive learning atmosphere;
o Submit Certification of Grades of the grantees to DAR before the beginning of the following semester;
o Provide the DAR with reports on the errant behavior of the grantee;
o Designate a representative or liaison officer for regular consultation with the DAR on Scholarship matters.
The Project Director shall ensure the implementation of the PROGRAMANG AGRARYO ISKOLAR at all levels within the Department. As the Program implementor, he/she shall see to it that the budgetary requirements are coordinated properly with the other units of the Department in accordance with General Memorandum Order No. 4, Series of 2005 and made available especially during the enrolment period.
This Memorandum Circular takes effect immediately and revokes all orders inconsistent herewith.
March 23, 2010, Diliman, Quezon City.
(SGD.) NASSER C. PANGANDAMAN
Secretary
APPENDIX A
FORM A-01
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM
Province of ________________________, Region ________
APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP
A. Personal Data
Name: _________________________ Sex: ___ Age: ___ Religion: __________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Address: _____________________________________ No. of Years: ___________
Name of Father: _________________________ Age: _____ Religion: ___________
Address: _______________________________ Occupation: __________________
Name of Mother: ________________________ Age: _____ Religion: ___________
Address: _______________________________ Occupation: __________________
Siblings or other dependents (if any) ECaHSI
Name Age Relation Name Age Relation
_______________ ____ ___________ _________________ ____ ______________
_______________ ____ ___________ _________________ ____ ______________
_______________ ____ ___________ _________________ ____ ______________
_______________ ____ ___________ _________________ ____ ______________
_______________ ____ ___________ _________________ ____ ______________
B. Educational Background
Level Name of School Address Year Attended
______________ _______________________ ______________ ______________
______________ _______________________ ______________ ______________
______________ _______________________ ______________ ______________
Your High School Average: _________ Pls. indicate Honors received (if any) _____
C. Economic Status of Household/Other Information
Size of land/leasehold awarded to your family _______ has. Location: ___________
Crops planted: ______________________________________________________
Amount of annual amortization: ________ Average annual family income ________
Does your family have an outstanding loan? ( ) Yes ( ) No If Yes, how much? _____
Do you have any pending administrative or criminal case? ( ) Yes ( ) No
Do you have any other scholarship grant? ( ) Yes ( ) No
This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge that the information I have provided herein are true & correct.
__________________
Signature of Applicant
Date Signed: _________
FORM A-02
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM
OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL AGRARIAN REFORM OFFICER
Municipality of _________________
Province of ________________________, Region ________
CERTIFICATION
To Whom it May Concern:
This is to certify that ________________________ (Name of Applicant) is a qualified dependent of an Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB). EDATSI
Name of ARB : ________________