The Davao City government is preparing approximately 150 slots for the Atong Taga-an og Oportunidad ang Nangandoy nga Atleta (Ato Na) Athletes’ Scholarship Program, an official from the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) announced.
Scholarship Allocation Details
Justine Marie Adobo, Executive Program Director of the SDD-CMO, said that under their proposal, 50 slots are allocated for full scholarships, while more than 100 slots are designated for partial scholarships. Full scholarship recipients will receive a total of P25,000, comprising P20,000 for tuition assistance and P5,000 for sports equipment. Partial scholarship recipients in Junior High School and Senior High School will receive P5,000 annually, while tertiary students under the partial scholarship program will be granted P5,000 per semester.
Coordination and Implementation Timeline
Mikey Aportadera, head of the SDD-CMO, stated that they are refining the program and closely coordinating with the Educational Benefit System Unit (Ebsu) to align the athletes' scholarship with the city government's existing scholarship program. He clarified that no specific sports would be prioritized; eligibility requires that athletes have represented Davao City nationally or internationally. “We have ensured that everything is in order, and I think we'll be able to start by September,” Aportadera said during the ISpeak media forum on June 25, 2026, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Purpose and Eligibility
The scholarship provides financial assistance to athletes every semester, enabling them to continue their studies while training. Interested athletes must have been residents of Davao City for at least three years and be enrolled in schools recognized by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (Ched), Alternative Learning System (ALS), or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) in the city. Junior and senior high school applicants must be graduates of public or private primary schools in the city. For tertiary-level athletes, they must have a good athletic record from previous semesters or the previous academic year, or have achievements in sports competitions.
