LandBank, UP broaden support for students through digital finance, scholarships
MANILA – The Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and the University of the Philippines (UP) have expanded their partnership to provide financial assistance, digital banking services, transportation support, and career opportunities for students.
The two institutions formalized the expanded cooperation through a memorandum of agreement signed Sept. 14 at UP Diliman in Quezon City by LandBank President and Chief Executive Officer Lynette Ortiz and UP President Angelo Jimenez.
Under the agreement, LandBank’s Lingap Iskolar program will provide PHP160,000 in annual financial assistance starting Academic Year 2026-2027 to UP students from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
The scholarship will prioritize students taking agriculture-related, finance, and information technology programs across UP constituent universities nationwide.
Aside from financial assistance, scholars will receive support for their academic and professional development. Qualified graduates may also be considered for employment opportunities at LandBank, its subsidiaries, and the LandBank Countryside Development Foundation, Inc.
The partnership also includes job fairs and graduate referral initiatives designed to help scholars connect with potential employers and career opportunities.
For UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) applicants from GIDAs, LandBank will extend transportation assistance through its Libreng Sakay program.
The agreement also seeks to expand access to digital financial services within UP campuses through the LandBank Cash-Lite Campus program.
The initiative encourages students, faculty members, and other members of the university community to use digital payment and banking services, including the LandBank Mobile Banking App (MBA) and PISO Plus Account.
The PISO Plus Account may be opened through the mobile application without an initial deposit or maintaining balance.
UP campuses may likewise use LandBank’s Link.BizPortal to facilitate online payment of tuition and other school-related fees, providing students and their families with an additional digital payment option.
As part of the partnership, LandBank will also provide a grant for professional office chairs for members of the UP academic community.
“Education is a powerful means of breaking barriers and opening opportunities. Through this partnership, we aim to help talented young Filipinos, regardless of where they come from, pursue their aspirations and use their skills and ideas to contribute to national development,” Ortiz said.
Jimenez said the initiative could help students from geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities overcome financial and logistical barriers to completing their studies.
“The Lingap-Iskolar Program is the kind of support that can make a difference between a student simply being offered a place in UP and a student actually being able to accept that opportunity, pursue a degree, and complete it,” he said.
The expanded partnership reflects the institutions’ efforts to combine educational assistance, digital financial inclusion, and career support to widen opportunities for students across the country.
NPO NEWS TEAM | PNA-PR
