Forty-two Southland College students were reportedly removed from the Kabankalan City Educational Assistance Program (KCEAP) after being identified as recipients of another government scholarship, prompting the school’s president to urge local officials to review the school’s policy prohibiting multiple educational assistance.
Southland College Kabankalan President Dr. Juan Antonio Z. Villaluz told Brigada News Philippines on Tuesday, August 4, that the school has not received any official notice regarding students’ removal.
Instead, he said the school’s scholarship coordinator was informed via a text message that the students had been delisted because they were also beneficiaries of the Negros Occidental provincial scholarship program.
The reported removal stems from the implementation of City Ordinance No. 2023-011, which governs the city’s educational assistance program.
In a Facebook advisory posted on July 20, the KCEAP reminded applicants and beneficiaries that, under Section 6(e) of City Ordinance No. 2023-011, recipients must not be enjoying “any other government-funded” scholarship grant.
The advisory said the KCEAP regularly conducts cross-matching and verification of scholarship records, and beneficiaries found to be receiving multiple government-funded scholarships may be disqualified or removed from the program in accordance with the ordinance.
It also stated that formal letters regarding the matter would be issued separately and advised affected beneficiaries to visit the KCEAP Office for clarification or assistance.
Despite the advisory, Villaluz said the college has yet to receive any official document regarding the reported removal of its students.
“Our biggest concern is that our main goal is to allow students to get a great education,” Villaluz said.
He appealed to the Kabankalan City Scholarship Board and the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Education to revisit the ordinance, arguing that it should reflect the current economic realities faced by students and their families.
Villaluz said students enrolled in private higher education institutions face expenses beyond tuition, including transportation, boarding, food, and other education-related costs. Unlike state universities, he said, private colleges shoulder the costs of faculty, staff, facilities, and equipment, making financial assistance crucial for many students.
He noted that many students rely on multiple sources of educational support—including scholarships, grants, and donations—to complete their studies.
“What we’re trying to do is allow our students to get a good education so they can give back through service to the city,” Villaluz said. “A well-educated workforce benefits not only the individual but the entire community.”
He said allowing qualified students to receive both provincial and city educational assistance would help more students finish college and eventually contribute to the city’s development.
“A well-educated workforce is an asset. That’s how successful countries have grown—by investing in education. The return on that investment comes in the form of a more productive workforce and stronger communities,” he added.
Villaluz also called for greater flexibility in implementing the ordinance, saying that the rising cost of education extends beyond tuition fees and includes daily living expenses such as transportation, lodging, and food.
Not just Southland?
“I did send a letter to the City of Kabankalan—the mayor, the vice mayor, the Committee on Education, and the Scholarship Office—asking for clarity about this, because I wanted to also bring this concern up formally. Not just, you know, hearsay or just talk, but really formally get the feedback, because I would welcome a dialogue,” he said.
“I’d welcome a dialogue with the schools because I’m sure it’s not just Southland that’s affected. It’s other schools who have this concern also because there might be duplicate scholarships that they’re also receiving, their students are also receiving, and we don’t want that to be lost as well,” Villaluz added.
He hopes to receive a formal response from the appropriate office that they’ve sent the letter to.
As of press time, the Kabankalan City Scholarship Board had yet to issue a separate official statement beyond its July 20 advisory.
“I’m doing this from not just a standpoint of Southland College, but for all the schools here in Kabankalan, the private schools who might have this concern as well,” Villaluz said.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.