ILOILO City - Facing rising daily expenses and the challenges confronting students, PHINMA University of Iloilo (PHINMA UI) is reinforcing its mission of “making lives better through education” by expanding its Student Support Programs.
These enhanced initiatives form part of the Kaupod sa Pagpadayon campaign, a university-wide effort that empowers students to pursue and complete their college education despite economic and social hurdles.
As a key highlight, PHINMA UI recently formalized a partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region VI (DSWD-VI) through a Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen the Hawak Kamay Scholarship Program. Tailored for incoming first-year students from 4Ps beneficiary families, the program now offers up to 80% scholarship grants—providing crucial financial support and opening doors to higher education for those who need it most.
“The Hawak Kamay Scholarship is our way of ensuring that deserving students can continue their studies without being hindered by financial difficulties,” said Martin Benedict Perez, PHINMA UI Chief Operating Officer. “Through this initiative, we hope to empower students to focus on learning while we help address their challenges.”
Present during the event was DSWD-VI Asst. Regional Director for Operations Katherine Lamprea, who represented DSWD-VI Regional Director Joselito Estember during the Ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement Signing. She expressed strong support for the program, highlighting the tangible benefits it provides to 4Ps beneficiaries and their families.
 |
| PHINMA University of Iloilo Area Marketing Manager for Vismin Michael Tito Ubanan; PHINMA University of Iloilo Center for Student Development and Leadership Manager Sheryl Cordero; PHINMA University of Iloilo University Controller Ruth Job Salamanca; and PHINMA University of Iloilo College of Criminal Justice Education Asst. Dean Jecel Cabual discuss the different support programs of the university, recent achievements, and expansion plans. |
Providing the right support
For the upcoming Academic Year, PHINMA UI is intensifying efforts to support students’ daily needs through several key initiatives.
To address the students’ need for safe, accessible, and affordable spaces, especially those who originally came from outside Iloilo City, PHINMA UI has partnered with boarding houses near the university to provide discounted rates for PHINMA UI students.
With the rising prices of transportation, PHINMA UI is also piloting its Transportation Allowance Program, wherein 200 students will be initially selected to ease the burden of commuting.
Meanwhile, working students can now continue their education without sacrificing income, with evening programs available for Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, Education, and Business Administration students.
 |
| DSWD-VI Asst. Regional Director for Operations Katherine Lamprea expressed strong support to PHINMA UI, highlighting the tangible benefits it provides to 4Ps beneficiaries and their families. |
Quality education made affordable
Aside from the Hawak Kamay Scholarship, PHINMA UI provides flexible financial schemes, interest-free student loans, and flexible payment terms to make college more accessible. Additionally, the university has lowered its all-in fees for the incoming Academic Year, the lowest among private universities in Iloilo, to ensure that no student is left behind.
“Lowering our costs does not compromise the quality of our education. PHINMA UI continues to deliver excellent results, as seen in our recognition as the Top 1 Criminology School in the Philippines in the February 2026 Criminology Licensure Examination,” Perez added.
 |
| PHINMA UI Admin Council and representatives of DSWD-VI pose with the members of the local media and bloggers during the Kaupod sa Pagpadayon Press Conference. |
Other than Criminology, PHINMA UI also maintains high board passing rates across other programs, including Education, Nursing, Psychology, Pharmacy, Accountancy, and Engineering, producing hundreds of board passers since 2009.
With these initiatives, PHINMA UI remains steadfast in supporting its students not just academically, but financially, ensuring that education remains a pathway to opportunity even in uncertain times.
Comments
Post a Comment