Alcover hits delayed release of allowance for Cebu City scholars

Local

By MyTVCebu Desk

DELAYS in the release of allowances to Cebu City scholars have drawn concern from a city councilor.

Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. is now pushing for an inquiry into what he described as lapses in budgeting and coordination that left students struggling throughout an entire semester.

In a privilege speech delivered on Tuesday, March 23, Alcover flagged the failure of the Cebu City College Scholarship Program (CCCSP) to release first-semester allowances for School Year 2025–2026, affecting thousands of beneficiaries enrolled in private colleges and universities.

Under the program, qualified scholars are entitled to P10,000 for tuition and P1,000 for school supplies per semester—assistance that, Alcover stressed, many students rely on to cover daily expenses such as transportation and meals.

Citing earlier disclosures from the CCCSP office, Alcover said the delays were attributed to the absence of allocated funds in the city’s 2025 budget and the late submission of billing documents by partner schools, which were completed only in early January 2026.

“This situation is deeply alarming,” Alcover said. He emphasized that the allowances serve as “lifelines” for students from low-income families.

He added that complaints from both parents and scholars indicate the problem is widespread, with some students reportedly forced to borrow money, skip meals, or consider dropping out due to financial strain.

The councilor also linked the hardship to broader economic pressures, including the impact of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have contributed to rising costs of living.

While the CCCSP office has since announced that it has secured authority to use its 2026 budget and has begun processing the delayed allowances, Alcover said this does not excuse what he called a “serious lapse” in planning.

“The questions that demand answers are clear,” he said.

He raised concerns over why funds were not allocated in the 2025 budget, what caused the delays in billing submissions, and what safeguards are in place to prevent a repeat of the issue.

Alcover also called for transparency on how previous scholarship funds were utilized.

To address the matter, the councilor moved for an executive session on April 7, 2026, involving representatives from the Office of the City Administrator, the CCCSP, the City Budget Office, and partner institutions such as the University of Cebu and the University of the Visayas.

The executive session aims to identify corrective measures and craft policies to ensure timely release of benefits moving forward.

Earlier, the CCCSP office said in a March 17 statement that it is working to release the allowances “as soon as possible,” assuring scholars that processing is already underway using the 2026 budget.(TGP)