ORMOC CITY – On Tuesday, December 13, 2022 the City Government of Ormoc through its 6th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), led by Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo J. Locsin, Sr., passed on third and final reading a milestone ordinance establishing a scholarship grant for those pursuing the degree of law.
The said ordinance is also known as the “Law Scholarship Program” was co-authored and co-sponsored by SP Members Atty. Nolito Quilang and Atty. Jasper Lucero.
Accordingly, it is the policy of the city to promote justice and the rule of law in Ormoc, to develop its human resources to meet the needs of its constituents, and to ensure that the shortage of legal practitioners and highly skilled professionals is addressed.
As a result, it made certain to establish a post-baccalaureate scholarship and return service program that will help deserving students pursue legal education and training. The availees or scholars, accordingly, will eventually render service to Ormocanons, in the form of quality legal services.
The grant, accordingly, will be given to poor but deserving students to pursue law (Juris Doctor) by shouldering the expenses of tuition and other miscellaneous expenses as specified in the ordinance.
The applicant and his/her family must also be bona fide residents of Ormoc. Further, the applicant’s application must also be supported with a case assessment certification issued by the City Social Welfare Department (CSWD); has finished a baccalaureate course with at least 85% as general weighted average (GWA); has passed the admission requirements, standards, and policies of the chosen partner school where the student intends to enroll; and should not have accepted other scholarship grants.
On the other hand, if the applicant is currently enrolled in a partner school, the applicant should also meet such qualifications, as having good moral character and without any derogatory record evidenced by a certification from the dean of the college, and not presently enjoying any scholarship or study grant except the one given by the school for his or her outstanding academic performance, if any, as evidenced by a certification from the school authority. The ordinance also provides support to scholar-graduates when they take the bar examination. The requirement is that he/she shall take the examination within a maximum period of one (1) year after graduation from a law school. Said graduate shall receive, accordingly, the maximum amount of support, subject to further rules and guidelines of the City Scholarship Board, which include board and lodging expenses in the amount of PHP 25,000 per month for four (4) months, including the period of the bar examination; bar review tuition and other authorized expenses certified by the Bar Review Center in the amount of PHP 25,000; and bar materials and other reference books in the amount of PHP 10,000. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail December 12-18, 2022 issue)
