UPLB and DA-BAR launch scholarship program

MANILA, Philippines - A P5-million scholarship program for deserving undergraduate students in agriculture has been signed by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) and UP Los Banos this month. DA-BAR Director Nicomedes Eleazar and UPLB Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz also welcomed the first 12 undergraduates scholars who are enrolled at the College of Agriculture (CA) in UPLB studying plant pathology, entomology, soil science, and agri-biotechnology.

Eleazar congratulated the scholars for being the first batch of undergraduate awardees, hence becoming part of history for both the DA-BAR and UPLB. Since 1998, DA-BAR has been awarding scholarships to graduate students. CA Dean Domingo Angeles acknowledged that the scholarship “is the biggest financial assistance received by the College for the past 100 years for the purpose.” Cruz, on the other hand, challenged the awardees to “uphold the values of being Iskolars Para sa Bayan and to plow back to the country the gains of enjoying quality education from UPLB.”

A brainchild of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano, and Eleazar, the undergraduate scholarship program “marks the historic partnership of the DA and UPLB” in boosting agriculture for development.

The scholars are Dyanah Joy Amorio; Roy Boten; Rejell Arjean De Venecia; Glorianne Excelsis Jamilla; Roden Carlo Lizardo; Kiran Nadeem; Nerissa Paduit; Jillian Temple; Llewelyn Jain; Vicelle Joy Ora; Ian Jomari Panaga; and Mark Paul Rivarez.