Press Release
June 8, 2010

ANGARA CALLS FOR MORE INT'L SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FILIPINOS

Concerned of the growing exodus of Filipino students gaining scholarships abroad and not returning to the country, Sen. Edgardo Angara urged foreign scholarship-holders to return to the country and share their expertise to the domestic academe and workforce.

He called on universities, the DepEd, CHED and DOST to increase partnerships for foreign exchange scholarship programs.

Angara related the issue to an earlier concern that the Philippines lacks capacities and facilities in research-development and some aspects in higher learning, but conceded that "these are issues that can be easily addressed over time." He referred to investment agreements he is negotiating with Taiwanese officials to include a provision increasing exchange scholarship between the two governments.

In a Memorandum of Agreement with the Taiwanese Minister for Science signed last year, Angara said the Philippines will soon be sending 75 Masters and 25 PhD IT and engineering students and professionals to various Taiwanese universities.

"They have extra capacities and high standard training, but they are short in manpower in IT. Whereas here in the Philippines, we have more aspiring experts than we can train," he said.

Angara also urged the DepEd, CHED and the DOST to augment efforts in initiating and maintaining educational exchange ties with Asian giants like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

"These are societies that Filipino students may not necessarily desire for permanent residency, and they are not very easy to give out citizenships; hence, our students will definitely return to the Philippines after completing their studies. On the other hand, they are also among the most advanced centers of education in the region and so our students can learn so much from their studies in their universities," stressed Angara, former President of the University of the Philippines.

Likewise, Angara called on the national government to extend as much assistance to the concerned education-related agencies. He admitted, "Let's make our students abroad feel they have the support and commitment of the government. We will have to compensate their educational success and international experience by providing them venues where they can properly harness their expertise and practice the well."

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