Families of registered coconut farmers across the Negros Island Region now have until August 31, 2026, to apply for college scholarships under a national government program administered by the Commission on Higher Education. The CHED Negros Island Region announced that the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families — known as CoScho — is currently accepting applications for Academic Year 2026–2027, covering students from Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
According to CHED, the application period began on July 8, 2026, leaving prospective grantees approximately one month to gather and submit their documents. The scholarship call was formally issued through Memorandum No. 1191, Series of 2026, from the Office of the Executive Director.
All Applications Must Be Filed Online
CHED emphasized that there is no option for walk-in or physical submission — every application must be completed through the agency’s official online portal, with all supporting documents converted and uploaded in PDF format. The agency made clear that submissions found to contain falsified, incomplete, or erroneous information will be automatically disqualified, with no opportunity for correction after the deadline.
Eligibility: Who Can Apply
The program is open to coconut farmers who are enrolled in the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS), as well as their qualified dependents. CHED noted that only one family member per household may hold the scholarship at any one time.
To qualify, an applicant must be a Filipino citizen and fall under one of four recognized categories: a graduating senior high school student; a graduate of senior high school; an Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduate with a general weighted average (GWA) of at least 80 percent; or a college student currently enrolled in a Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)-identified priority degree program, also with a minimum GWA of 80 percent from the preceding semester.
A household income cap is likewise in place. According to CHED, the combined annual gross income of the applicant’s parents must not exceed ₱300,000. In addition, applicants must either reside in or be enrolled at an institution within Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, or Siquijor, and their chosen degree must be recognized by CHED as an undergraduate program.
Documentary Requirements
Regardless of category, all applicants are required to submit a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) birth certificate, relevant academic records, a certification from the PCA, and valid proof of household income. CHED listed acceptable income documents as a latest income tax return, a BIR certificate of tax exemption, a BIR certificate of no income or low income reflecting actual earnings, or a certificate or case study from the local city or municipal social welfare and development office.
Students entering college for the first time and those transferring from another institution must additionally provide a certificate of good moral character and an official notice of admission from their chosen higher education institution. The specific academic records required vary by category: senior high school students must present their Grade 11 and first-semester Grade 12 grades; SHS graduates must submit Form 138 or SF9; ALS graduates must produce their Grade 12 ALS records; and college applicants must present certified grades for their most recently completed semester.
For students already in their second, third, or fourth year of college, an additional institutional certification is required to confirm both enrollment in a CoScho priority program and that the student is not currently receiving any other scholarship funded by the national government.
Priority Degree Programs Under CoScho
CoScho covers a broad range of agriculture, environment, and technical disciplines. The priority list includes BS Agriculture, Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Extension Education, Agricultural Technology, Agribusiness Management, Agroforestry, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Agri Eco-Tourism Management, Agri-Fisheries Arts, Agri-Tourism Management, Biology, Biochemistry, Dairy Technology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Fisheries, Food Engineering, Forestry, Geology, Marine Biology, and Microbiology.
Additional eligible programs include BS Development Communication, Development Management, Economics, Information Technology, Manufacturing Engineering or Manufacturing Technology Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Rural Development, Social Work, and Tourism.
Legal Basis and Implementing Framework
CHED implements CoScho in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority under Republic Act No. 11524, formally known as the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act. The program’s implementing rules are spelled out in CHED-PCA Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2023. CHED stated that program funding flows from the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, with the dual goal of broadening higher education access for coconut-farming households and cultivating a trained workforce for the coconut industry’s long-term growth.
Warning Against Fraudulent Scholarship Offers
CHED also issued a public advisory urging applicants to remain vigilant against fraudulent scholarship offers and fake application links being circulated online. The agency advised that only information posted on official CHED websites and verified social media accounts should be considered authoritative, and cautioned the public not to transact with unofficial parties claiming to facilitate CoScho applications.
How to Reach CHED Negros Island Region
Applicants seeking guidance may contact the CHED Dumaguete office by email at stufap.nir@ched.gov.ph or by telephone at (035) 523-5561. Those in the Negros Occidental area may reach the CHED Talisay sub-regional office at (034) 475-4624. Program announcements and updates are also published on the CHED Regional Office XVIII – Negros Island Region Facebook page and on the official CHED website.
By the Numbers
- August 31, 2026 — final deadline for CoScho applications
- July 8, 2026 — date the application window officially opened
- ₱300,000 — maximum allowable combined annual gross household income for applicants
- 80% — minimum GWA required for ALS graduates and currently enrolled college applicants
- 3 provinces — Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor covered under the Negros Island Region scholarship allocation
Why This Matters
CoScho addresses the higher education gap among one of the Philippines’ most economically vulnerable agricultural communities — families whose livelihoods depend on coconut farming. With the August 31 deadline approaching and the submission process limited exclusively to online channels, eligible students across Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor have a narrow window to compile and submit complete documentary requirements. The program’s curated list of priority degrees is deliberately aligned with workforce demands in the coconut and allied agricultural sectors, making it a direct investment in the industry’s long-term human resource pipeline.
Source: Breaking News Negros Oriental (breakingnewsnegrosoriental.com)
