MISAMlS OCCIDENTAL (PIA)--At least 3,000 beneficiaries from various towns in Misamis Occidental can now avail themselves of the provincial government’s newly launched "Asenso Pamilya: One Family, One Professional" program. 

This came after Misamis Occidental Gov. Henry Oaminal graced the inauguration of the program as well as the signing of the memorandum of agreement by the provincial government with several local government units in the province. 

The program will likely benefit residents from the cities of Ozamiz, Tangub, and Oroquieta, as well as the towns of Bonifacio, Calamba, Clarin, Jimenez, Tudela, Panaon, Sinacaban, Aloran, Lopez Jaena, Plaridel, Baliangao, Sapang Dalaga and Conception, and Don Victoriano.  

Under the Asenso Pamilya program, grantees can avail themselves of vocational or tertiary education, where they are provided with a P5,000 monthly stipend throughout the semester of the school year. Beneficiaries can get a total of P25,000 per semester. 

The financial assistance shall cover essential expenses, including lodging, transportation, supplies, and other related costs associated with pursuing vocational or tertiary education. Oaminal vowed to sustain the program within his term so that by 2026, more Misamisnons could have at least one employed professional in their families.

"Ang atong programa karon nga para matabangan ang mga pamilya, ang mga katawhan nga ma professional, makahuman ang atong mga kabataan og eskwela mao na nga atong gimugna ang One Family, One Professional program [Our current program is to help families, people to become professionals, and our children to finish school; that's why we created the One Family, One Professional program]," he said. 

He added that the program played a huge part in the provincial government’s "5M (Misamisnon Magpuyong Malinawon, Malambuon ug Malipayon) Development Thrust" for the province. 
"For the first time, our provincial government created this initiative through the collaboration of various local governments," he further stated. 

Oaminal said the program is intended to improve the quality of education in the entire Misamis Occidental. 

It also aims to provide easy access for the Misamisnon, particularly for the members of indigent communities, to get the opportunity to have at least one professional in their family. 

The Misamis Occidental government targets alleviating poverty in the province and uplifting the lives of at least 90 percent of its constituents above the poverty line by 2026. 

"Our program's mission is to help every family by educating our youth so that they can become professionals in the future. We are positive that with that goal, we will achieve our vision of Asenso Misamis Occidental," Oaminal said.  

Meanwhile, the governor announced that the provincial government has allocated a P100 million budget to fund the schooling of every Misamisnon who wishes to pursue their undergraduate or vocational studies.
 
"We have allocated funds for this year worth 100 million pesos to help our youth go to school," said Gov. Oaminal. (PGMO/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)