Romer Butuyan 
HINDI na magiging problema ang malaking gastusing kalakip ng pagpasok sa kolehiyo ng mga top graduates ng senior high school matapos lumusot sa ikalawang pagbasa ng Kamara ang panukalang Presidential Merit Scholarship Program (PMSP).
Sa ilalim ng House Bill 8477 na inihain ni House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, bibigyan ng scholarship ang mga top senior high school graduates pata tiyakin ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral sa kolehiyo kahit walang kakayahan magbayad ng matrikula ang kani-kanilang pamilya.
Kabilang ang HB 8477 sa mga priority bills na isinusulong ng Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
“By institutionalizing the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, we are creating a permanent system that supports outstanding senior high school graduates who belong to the top one percent of their class and want to pursue priority degree programs identified by CHED,” wika ng House majority leader.
Sa panig ni Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre, chairman ng House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, layon aniya ng panukala bigyan ng oportunidad ang mga tinawag niyang “academically-gifted Filipino students.”
“At its heart is a clear conviction: that the country must not only recognize excellence among our young people, but also ensure that excellence is given the opportunity to grow and serve the nation,” ani Acidre sa sponsorship speech ng nasabing proposed measure.
Ayon kay Acidre, ang programa ay nakatuoon sa pagresobla sa problemang pampinansyal ng mga pamilya na papag-aralin ang kanilang mga anak sa kolehiyo.
“Behind every classroom seat is a young Filipino with dreams—dreams not only for themselves, but also for their families and communities. Many of these students study late into the night and work hard to achieve the highest marks possible. Yet for many families, the cost of pursuing higher education remains a serious concern,” pahayag ng partylist congressman.
“The [PMSP] recognizes academically gifted students coming from poor to middle-income households—young Filipinos whose talent is clear, whose potential is undeniable, but whose financial circumstances may otherwise limit their opportunities,” dugtong niya.
Sa 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), inilahad ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang pagpapatupad ng isang merit-based scholarship program para sa SHS graduates na makakakuha ng highest honors.
Sa datos ng Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) para sa Academic Year 2026-2027, naglaan ang gobyerno ng P600 milyon para sa 20,000 senior high graduates sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng bansa sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program.
