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SUBJECT:        REVISED GUIDELINES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DAR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE DEPENDENTS OF AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES (DSP-DARBs)

PREFATORY STATEMENT

Pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order No. 129-A series of 1987 and DAR Memorandum Circular No. 1 series of 2015, the Agrarian Reform Capacity Development Service (ARCDS), successor of the Bureau of Agrarian Reform Information and Education (BARIE), shall be responsible to continue the conduct of trainings and education programs for the development of skills, acquisition of knowledge, value formation of the dependents of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), and information dissemination to increase awareness of the public on matters pertaining to agrarian reform.

Toward this goal, a free tertiary education in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) shall be made available to the qualified dependents of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

To effectively institutionalize the implementation and operationalization of the DSP-DARBs, thereby putting in place the policies, support systems and structure, the following guidelines are hereby promulgated for the guidance of all concerned:

1.OBJECTIVES

1. 1  Produce a pool of highly motivated, technically equipped and well educated dependents of ARBs who will assume responsibility for managing and making the land productive which were awarded to the ARBs under the CARP; and
2. 2  Act as agents of change in the agricultural sector in order to spur rural growth and development

2.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM

DSP-DARBs is a program designed to provide qualified dependents of the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program an opportunity to study and complete agriculture related four (4) year college degree course from SUCs with financial support from the Department under a competitive screening system.

3.DEFINITION OF TERMS

Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries refers to farmers who were granted lands under Presidential Decree No. 27, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law and Republic Act No. 9700 or the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Extension with Reforms" and regular farm workers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement, who benefited from the redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to include the totality of factors and support services designed to lift the economic status of the beneficiaries and all other alternative arrangements to the physical distribution of lands, such as production or profit sharing, labor administration, and the distribution of shares of stock which will allow beneficiaries to receive a just share of the fruits of the lands they work.

Dependents of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries - refers to the immediate household members dependent on the income from the land awarded to the ARBs.

4.ORDER OF PRIORITY

The following order of priority is to be followed in the selection of applicants:

5.COURSES ELIGIBLE FOR ENROLLMENT

• B.S. in Agriculture

     B.S in Agri-Business

• B.S. in Agricultural Technology
• B.S. in Agricultural Economics
• B.S. in Agricultural Education
• B.S. in Agricultural Extension
• B.S. in Agricultural Entrepreneurship
• B.S. in Agricultural Homemaking
• B.S. in Agricultural Chemistry  B.S. In Farming Systems
• Or other courses directly related to agriculture

6.CRITERIA 1 QUALIFICATION OF APPLICANTS

1. 1  A legitimate dependent of an ARB with combined gross income of not more than PIOO,OOO.OO annually;
2. 2  A senior high school graduate with a general average grade of at least 83% or its equivalent at the time of application;
3. 3  Must have passed the college admission examination given by the SUC where he or she intends to enroll;
4. 4  Must be in good health and of good moral character;
5. 5  Must not be convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude; and
6. 6  Must not have pending administrative or criminal case

7.DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

1. 1    Certification from the DARRO/DARPO that the applicant is a qualified dependent of an ARB;
2. 2    Personal Data Sheet (CSC Form 212)/Bio data/info sheet;
3. 3    Authenticated Copy/Certified machine copy of the Birth certificate of the applicant;
4. 4    Health certificate issued by a government hospital or physician;
5. 5    Barangay Clearance;
6. 6    Certified photocopy of Form 1 37 (High school Report card);
7. 7    Statement of commitment and support by the parents/guardian of the applicant;
8. 8    Certification of Good Moral character issued by the High school Principal or Religious Leader in the community;
9. 9    Certified True copy of the Income Tax Return (ITR) of applicant's parents;
10. 10  Certificate of Rating from the SUC for passing the entrance examination; and
11. 11  Certificate of enrollment (if enrolled).

8.SOURCE OF FUNDS

The fund for this program will be sourced out from the Fund for Agrarian Reform Education (FARE).

9.ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS

1. 1  Actual miscellaneous school fees assessed by the SUCs but not exceeding Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP10, 000.00) per semester to be paid directly to the school where the scholar is enrolled;
2. 2  A monthly stipend of Three Thousand Pesos (PhP3,000.00) to be paid directly to the scholar for every month that he/she is in actual school attendance in the first and second semester of the school year;
3. 3  Book Allowance in the amount of Two Thousand Pesos (PhP2,000.00) per semester to pay for the books, school supplies and materials needed to be paid direct to the scholar;
4. 4  Transportation Allowance of Five Hundred Pesos (PhP500.00) per month;
5. 5  Lodging Allowance of Five Hundred Pesos (PhP500.00) per month;
6. 6  Graduation fee not exceeding Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00);
7. 7  Thesis Allowance of Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP10,000.00), if applicable

10.OPERATING PROCEDURE

1. 1    ARCDS/Regional/Provincial Offices shall prepare and disseminate information regarding the program
2. 2    Applicants must meet the qualification requirements of the program and submit  the documentary requirements to the Provincial Offices where the applicant resides
3. 3    The Provincial Office shall endorse to the National Scholarship Committee (NSC)  all the applications for the preliminary evaluation of the attached documents to ascertain compliance with the basic requirements.
4. 4    The Scholarship Secretariat shall prepare the comparative qualification chart to  facilitate the evaluation process.
5. 5    The secretariat shall send notice of deliberation meeting to the NSC members.
6. 6    NSC members shall conduct deliberation process of the most qualified nominees; For urgent NSC decision, the secretariat shall route the agenda to committee members.
7. 7    The secretariat shall communicate the deliberation results to respective DARPOs and SUCs.
8. 8    The secretariat shall prepare the DAR-SUC Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)   and Contract of scholars for approval of the Secretary.
9. 9    The Provincial Office shall undertake a regular monitoring on the progress made by each scholar regarding his/her studies.
10. 10  The secretariat shall evaluate and review the semestral report of grades  submitted by the SUC.
11. 11  The secretariat shall prepare the vouchers for payment of tuition/miscellaneous  fees directly to SUCs and allowances to the scholars.

11.GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION

The scholar may be disqualified anytime within the period that he/she is under the program if he/she has committed any or all of the following acts, to wit:

1. 1  Giving false or fraudulent information on the application;
2. 2  Having a general weighted average of below 85% or 2.50 during the immediately      preceding semester;
3. 3  Disqualification from the Program on disciplinary grounds in accordance with the            SUCs policy on Student's discipline;
4. 4  A rating of incomplete (INC) grade not completed within the prescribed period of            the SUC.

12.PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

The Scholarship Program Secretariat shall perform the administrative and technical support in coordination with the designated DARPO Coordinators to the National Scholarship Committee.

13.RESPONSIBILITIES OF DAR, SUC & SCHOLAR

1. Responsibilities of DAR

• Ensure the participation and selection of qualified ARB dependents
• Allocation of funds and guarantee of payment for financial obligations to the scholars
  1. Responsibilities of SUC
• Ensure that the Scholarship Program requirements are implemented according to the plans, programs and priorities of DSP-DARBs
• Submit to the Department semestral certified true copy of grades of individual scholars
• Sign an Official Acknowledgement Receipt for the amount of the Fund paid by DAR
  1. Responsibilities of the Scholar
• Must pass all subjects with satisfactory scholastic grades;
• Must maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.50 or its equivalent rating every semester;
• Must complete the course within the prescribed period unless disqualified for cause. The scholar will not be allowed to shift courses or enroll in subjects not included in the core subjects of the course that the scholar has initially enrolled in;
• Must abide by the rules and regulations of the SUCs where he/she is enrolled;
•  Must submit a copy of all his/her grades to the DAR after each semester and Transcript of Records and Diploma after the completion of the course; and
• Must serve the Government for one (1) year. The assigned DAR employee in the said area shall certify the services of the scholar to be approved by the PARPO.

This Memorandum takes effect immediately upon approval of the Secretary.

     FEB 1 5 2019    , Diliman, Quezon City.