DAR opens college scholarship

For next gen ‘farm managers’

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)— Helping spread the broad spectrum of the government’s flagship social justice program, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) now opens its support services to scholarship program for children and relatives of its Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

Seeing sustainability and continuity of the farming communities as well as helping the ARBS position themselves in a better perch to improve their lot, DAR will now provide free college education for deserving next generation children of ARBs who are taking up agriculture and its related courses, revealed Bohol DAR Agrarian Reform Program Officer Leah Kyra Cirunay.

Billed as DAR Scholarship Program for Dependents of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (DSP-DARBs), the free ride through college is open to legitimate dependents of ARBs who are senior high schools who have a standing general weighted average grade of 83, of good health and character, no criminal conviction and does not have any other scholarships, and finally, has to pass the college entrance examination for the school one would enrol, Cirunay said.

Set to be heirs of the lands that their parents worked on, offering free college education through scholarships help assure motivation to bring young blood to farming, a generation armed with the science and technology of farming and agricultural production against the present restricted harvests due to the vestiges of traditional farming.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa PIA, Cirunay said the scholarship, affords a student some P3,000 in monthly stipend, P10,000 school fees (to be paid directly to the school), P2,000 book allowance per semester, transportation and lodging allowances, P5,000 graduation fee allowance, P10,000 thesis allowance and some P5,000 in summer allowances.

But in the advent of government scholarships not really being treated seriously by beneficiaries, the (DSP-DARBs) makes sure that beneficiaries maintain a 2.5 GWA per semester or has to pass all subjects with satisfactory scholastic grades, completes the course within the given time and complies with the laws, otherwise he could be stripped of the scholarship.

Graduates who benefitted from the scholarship are mandated to a lock-in service policy for a year in the local DAR office.

For the documentary requirements, applicants must submit a completely filled scholarship application form with a certification for DAR that the candidate for scholarship is qualified.

Applicants also need to submit an authenticated birth certificate, a health certificate issued by a government physician, a barangay clearance from barangay of origin, Form 137-A or report card, certificate of good moral character from the high school principal, a copy of the certificate of income tax return showing family income or certificate of indigency issued by the appropriate government agency and a statement of commitment by the candidate, according to the DAR official.

Deadline for the filing of application for the 2026-2027 school year is March 18, 2026, Cirunay said. (PIABohol)

BRINGING EDUCATION, TECH TO FARMS. With farmers getting older and younger generations shying away from farming, DAR brings in a motivation for students intending to get a college free ride with DSP DARBS, ARPO Leah Kyra Cirunay said, at the Kapihan sa PIA.