SP not in favor of P2.5M scholarship offered by Ateneo
The Sangguniang Panlungsod is not inclined to give Mayor Jerry Treñas a go signal to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Ateneo de Manila University over the latter's P2.5 million scholarship proposal.
Majority Floor Leader Eduardo Peñaredondo said the plan to let the regular employees of the city government earn a degree on Master in Public Management (MPM) is very noble but it could cost the city a lot of money.
The City Council in last Wednesday's regular session agreed to defer the approval of a resolution granting the chief executive the authority to enter into a MOA with Ateneo.
Peñaredondo said they deferred the approval of the scholarship proposal since it is impractical.
He said there are also other schools in the city which offer the same degree.
He said they have to consider the budget of the city government and its capacity to pay for such project. The SP should be appraised first of the financial status of the city government before venturing in such expensive scholarship program offered by the Ateneo.
In the proposed draft of the MOA, the city government will select at least 25 to 35 scholars from among the city government officers and employees consistent with the rules and regulations of Ateneo.
It will be the Ateneo de Manila University that will assess the capabilities of the recommended and shortlisted applicant-scholars submitted by the city. The Ateneo will likewise conduct the acceptance of applicants and the admission test.
The 25 to 35 students will be enrolled in the Ateneo Master in Public Management (MPM) Degree program which specializes in Local Governance. In return, the city government will provide tuition of P100,000 per scholar or at least P2.5 million for 25 scholars. The offered masteral classes will last for 18 months.
The city government will also allow the Ateneo to use for free a suitable room in the city hall and the city government's audio-visual equipment for MPM classes.
The Ateneo de Manila University, is an academic institution located at Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights in Quezon City. They will send their professors in the city every week-end. Each class meeting lasts for eight hours.
It was also stated in the MOA that the Ateneo will also submit activity and financial reports to the city government on semestral basis.