In response to the clamor to make the scholarship in degree courses more accessible to the intended beneficiaries, particularly the dependents of the deceased and permanently disabled overseas contract workers, the implementing guidelines of the Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program Phase II is hereby revised.

I

Nature of the Program

The SESP Phase II provides scholarship in collegiate courses leading to baccalaureate degrees not exceeding five (5) years of program of instruction to less fortunate and deserving dependents of overseas contract workers.

II

Objectives

To alleviate the financial condition of less fortunate overseas contract workers by providing opportunity for college education to their deserving dependents and placement assistance after graduation.

III

Coverage

The program shall be made available to target program beneficiaries in the following order of priority:

1)	Dependents of deceased OCWs
2)	Dependents of OCWs who sustained work-related inquiries at the jobsite and were rendered permanently disabled

Dependents as used herein shall be limited to OCWs' legal children, who are single and not more than 21 years of age.

The number of grant recipients and their respective courses and school/s shall be determined solely by the Scholarship Committee in accordance with the program budget as approved by the Board of Trustees.

IV

Qualifications

Applicants/nominees for scholarship must possess the following qualifications:

1) Must be a Filipino citizen
2) Must be single
3) Must be of good moral character
4) Must be physically and mentally fit
5) Must be deserving

a) Must belong to the top ten (10) of the graduating class.

b) High School graduate nominees must have a general average of not less than 85% in fourth year high school.

Nominees in the collegiate level must have a general weighted average of 85% or its equivalent and must not have obtained an incomplete grade or failing grade in any subject.

c) Must pass the competitive entrance examination to be given by the designated college or university.

6) Must belong to a family with an aggregate income not higher than the poverty threshold as determined by NEDA at the time of application and place of residence of the applicant.

The poverty threshold schedule by region is appended hereto as Annex A^* .

7) Must be willing to enroll in any of the courses prescribed by the program.

8) Must be a full-time student.

V

Requirements

a) accomplished application form
b) ID picture 2" x 2" (2 copies)
c) birth certificate duly authenticated by the local civil registrar
d) police clearance/Barangay certification of good moral character
e) high school card/college transcript of records
f) Certification by Principal/Registrar as to applicant's rank in the graduating class, in the case of fourth year high school applicants
g) medical/health certificate issued by government physician
h) OCW's death or permanent disability certificate
i) employment contract with DOLE or POEA stamp or seaman's service record book in the case of seamen
j) proof of OCW's Welfare Fund Contribution to OWWA or any of the following:

- official receipt of welfare fund contribution
- certification from the Social Benefits Division of burial/disability benefits received from OWWA

- Travel Exit Pass (TEP) or Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)
- OCW's Info Sheet
- OWWA I.D.

k) Original copy of latest income tax return (ITR) of parents or BIR certification of exemption from payment of income tax, whichever is applicable
l) certification from the Manpower Development Division that neither the OCW nor any one of his/her dependents (son/daughter, brother/sister) was a grantee of SESP-I.

Regional applicants must apply at the Regional OWWA Units.

VI

Selection

a) The regional OWWA Units shall screen regional applicants for the purpose of selecting and endorsing a minimum of two (2) "nominees" for every slot available.

The Manpower Development Division (MDD) shall screen applicants from the National Capital Region (NCR).

b) Regional nominees' applications, together with the required documents, shall be forwarded to Manila for review by MDD.

Applications with incomplete and/or defective documents shall not be considered.

c) Applications shall then be referred to the Selection Committee for final selection of the "awardees".

The decision of the Selection Committee shall be final.

The Selection Committee shall be composed of the following:

- Director, Field Services Office (FSO)
- Director, Regional Office Coordinating Center (ROCC)
- Director, National Capital Region (NCR)

VII

Benefits

The scholarship covers the following assistance:

a) free tuition and standard school fees

b) monthly allowance of P500.00 for ten months every year for four (4) years in a 4-year course or for five (5) years in a 5-year course as the case may be

c) clothing allowance of P750.00 every semester

d) Allowance for books and school supplies of P750.00 every semester

VIII

Availment Procedure

1. Awardee and parent/s attend orientation to be conducted by the Regional OWWA Unit or MDD prior to enrolment.

2. Awardee, assisted by his/her parent, signs AGREEMENT with OWWA (appended hereto as Annex B^* ) with the latter to be represented by the regional supervisor on the case of regional awardees.

3. OWWA Regional Unit or MDD Awards the educational plan to the awardee and issues referral slip to College Assurance Plan (CAP) for instructions on enrolment procedures.

IX

Continuance/Termination of the Grant

Each awardee shall continue to enjoy his/her scholarship until graduation from the designated school provided that he/she meets the requisites for continuance of the scholarship specified in the AGREEMENT.

The awardee can elect to transfer to another school of the same category specified in his/her educational plan, provided that the transfer shall be with prior OWWA approval and shall be done only in the second semester of the first year.

In such a case, the awardee shall shoulder the tuition fee of additional subjects resulting from the transfer.

X

Monitoring and Reporting

The Manpower Development Division (MDD) and the OWWA regional Units shall monitor the academic performance and status of the awardees, prepare and submit to the Scholarship Committee a consolidated report on the same and such other reports as may be required by the Committee at the end of every semester.

XI

Enforceability of Agreement

The agreement between OWWA and the AWARDEE shall be an integral part of this Memorandum of Instructions (MOI).

XII

Effectivity

All other provisions of previous issuances inconsistent with this MOI are hereby repealed.

This MOI shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 27 October 1994

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^* See Appendix 1, page 347.

^* Not included here.