In a country where education is believed to be the key to a better future, schooling and being able to obtain a higher level of education is important. But not everybody can afford to go to the most prestigious universities or even the state-run colleges. Some families even need one member to leave and work abroad to be able to provide for their family's basic needs, hence, our modern-day heroes, the OFWs.
To ease the financial burden from families of OFWs to support their needs, including education, the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration or OWWA offers financial assistance for schooling to relatives of OFWs left here in the Philippines. This is in the form of OFW Dependent Scholarship Program.
What is the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program all about?
Sometimes called the OFWDSP, this is a college scholarship from the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration or OWWA that provides educational assistance to a relative (a child or a sibling of the OFW member) of an OFW who intends to take a 4-5 year baccalaureate degree or associate degree in a state college or university. The program entitles a qualified applicant to a P20,000 per year endowment from OWWA in support of his/her educational needs.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE OFWDSP GRANT
Provided that the OFW member is an active contributing member of OWWA and earns less that $400 monthly salary from the foreign employer, his/her dependent (a child or a sibling of the OFW member) may avail of the college scholarship.
The dependent must be 21 years old or younger at the time they apply for the scholarship grant, already or about to graduate from high school and physically, mentally and morally fit.
As how it usually goes, universities or state colleges conduct entrance examination, and OWWA requires the applicant to take the exam and pass it.
REQUIREMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED
The applicant must prepare the following documents to be submitted to OWWA office:
1. . Proof of OWWA membership of the member-OFW (Membership Verification Sheet issued by OWWA Membership Processing Center (MPC), or Official Receipt of OWWA contribution)
2. Proof of relationship to OWWA member, such as the following:
* Birth Certificate of applicant certified by the Local Civil Registrar or the NCSO (if applicant is the child of member-OFW)
* Birth Certificate of both applicant and member-OFW certified by the Local Civil Registrar or the NCSO (if applicant is the brother or sister of the member-OFW)
3. School Records (Form 137, Transcript of Records)
4. Certificate of Good Moral Character issued by the School Principal/Guidance Counselor
5. Medical Certificate/Clearance issued by hospital/clinic accredited by DOH
6. 2 copies of 2 x 2 photo (colored)
HOW TO SUBMIT THE REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must wait for announcement from OWWA as to when and where they can submit their application for the college scholarship grant.
