During the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Caravan, Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Executive Director Atty. Ryan Estevez and CHED Regional Director Dr. Leonida Sigua-Calagui visited Holy Cross College, March 12.
The school with a heart, the first private and catholic educational institution in Santa Ana, is a beneficiary of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) that helps students pursue education.
Among the TES grantees is Jean Claude Lansangan Catajan, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology student. His inspiring story to pursue education despite the challenges of his illness touched the hearts of many. He is suffering from Ankylosing spondylitis, a rare type of arthritis that affects the spinal cord.
During the CHED caravan, Jean took the opportunity to thank those people who reached out to him.
“Nagpapasalamat po ako unang-una sa Panginoon, sa mga magulang ko, sa nanay at tatay ko. Nagpapasalamat din po ako sa Holy Cross College sa tulong na ibinigay nila sa akin at sa TES po na scholar na nakatulong sa akin. Aasahan niyo pong tatapusin ko ang aking pag-aaral at pagbubutihin pa po,” Catajan said.
There are 1,671 continuing beneficiaries of TES or students receiving P60,000 per academic year from 2nd year to 4th-year college students. With this number, many students who cannot afford tuition are given hope and the opportunity to study.
HCC President Elmer Nucum showed a virtual tour that displays how the learners and the school grow and develop through the help of CHED-UniFAST.
“TES is a very vital instrument for the school for the fixtures, buildings, and campus grounds. It contributes a lot for us to improve,” President Nucum said.
Moreover, Atty. Estevez thanked the school with a heart for providing quality education and improving school facilities for the students.
“This is the testament to your core values Fides, Caritas and Libertas. We hope that you form your students to be God-fearing citizens, students na may puso or love and students that advocate freedom. Maraming maraming salamat for giving us time, kami po ang dapat magpasalamat ni Dr. Calagui for receiving us. Hindi po kami ang dapat pasalamatan kundi kayo at mga estudyante,” Atty. Estevez said.
CHED-UniFAST also awarded the cheque for the TES grantees for the first semester of the academic year 2021-2022. Regional Director Leonida Sigua-Calagui said that Holy Cross College deserves to be a beneficiary of this program.
“As we’ve seen, you improved your facilities and based on the testament from students that they received a quality education. Sa ating mga officials at mga guro magpatuloy lamang po tayo, we continue to improve and look at the future,” Regional Director Calagui said.
“Sabi nga natin ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang sa tagumpay ng sino man,” she added.