Outstanding public servants recognized under the Gawad Lingkod Bayani program will soon have greater opportunities for advanced education through a renewed partnership between the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the University of the Philippines (UP).
The initiative follows the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the CSC and UP, paving the way for scholarship grants that will be awarded to Gawad Lingkod Bayani recipients. The program is designed to honor exemplary government workers while helping them further develop their leadership and professional capabilities through higher education.
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Scholarship Opportunities for Award-Winning Civil Servants
CSC Chairman Marilyn Yap and UP System President Angelo Jimenez formalized the agreement, with CSC Commissioners Ryan Alvin Acosta and Luis Meinrado Pañgulayan, as well as UP Vice President for Administration Augustus Resurreccion, present during the signing ceremony.
Under the arrangement, scholarship grants will be available to Gawad Lingkod Bayani awardees from 2025 to 2030. Recipients may avail themselves of the scholarship within five years after receiving the award. Individual and group awardees, or one qualified beneficiary, may enroll in a degree program and complete their studies in accordance with university regulations and academic requirements.
The scholarship program covers graduate studies across UP’s constituent universities, including University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Manila, University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of the Philippines Visayas, University of the Philippines Mindanao, University of the Philippines Baguio, University of the Philippines Cebu, University of the Philippines Tacloban, and University of the Philippines Open University.
Strengthening Leadership Through Education
Highlighting the value of the partnership, Yap emphasized the alignment between the missions of the CSC and UP.
“As the national university, UP is widely recognized for its commitment to honor, excellence, and service to the people, values that strongly resonate with us at the CSC,” Yap said.
She further underscored the significance of collaboration between public institutions and the academe.
“At the heart of this collaboration is a shared belief that when government and academic institutions work together, we create stronger pathways for empowerment, leadership development, and meaningful public service,” Yap added.
For his part, Jimenez reaffirmed UP’s commitment to making quality education accessible to deserving Filipinos and highlighted the broader impact of learning on society.
“We believe deeply in the transformative power of education — not only as a means of personal advancement, but as a force that shapes institutions, communities, and nations,” Jimenez said.
Expressing hopes for future scholarship recipients, the UP president remarked:
“We hope that the future scholars and awardees of this program will continue to become leaders not only because of their expertise, but because of their character; not only because of what they achieve, but because of how they choose to serve,” he added.
The scholarship initiative is expected to encourage excellence in public service by providing outstanding civil servants with opportunities to further their education and leadership skills. For Filipinos, stronger professional development among government workers can help improve public service delivery, strengthen institutions, and contribute to more effective governance across communities nationwide.
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