MANILA — Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and local government units (LGUs) to extend assistance to senior high school (SHS) graduates who are unable to enroll in college due to financial difficulties.

Bernos, a member of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, said government agencies and LGUs should help guide students toward available scholarship programs and ensure that those in need are able to access higher education support.

“I hope that the CHED and our LGUs will help our SHS graduates who wish to enroll for this year but are unable to do so due to poverty. Even simply guiding them towards available scholarship programs that they could access would already be a huge boost,” Bernos said in a statement.

She also urged CHED and LGUs to take a more proactive role in identifying students who may qualify for government scholarships and financial aid programs.

CHED is expecting at least 394,000 SHS graduates to enroll in colleges and universities for Academic Year 2026–2027.

Government programs such as the Tertiary Education Subsidy, Tulong Dunong Program, Student Loan Program, and Presidential Merit Scholarship Program continue to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.

For this year, at least 20,000 scholarship slots are available for the first semester of AY 2026–2027 under the ₱600-million Presidential Merit Scholarship Program.

Bernos also appealed for alternative support for students who may need to delay college enrollment due to financial constraints, including potential employment opportunities.

“Kung hindi talaga kayang mag-enroll ngayong semestre, baka maaaring i-ugnay natin sila sa mga trabaho para mapag-ipunan muna nila pansamantala ang mga gastusin para sa pag-aaral sa kolehiyo (If they could not really enroll this semester, maybe we could link them to jobs so that they can save for the meantime money for their college education),” she said.