It is specifically designed to ease the financial burden on students who are completing their mandatory clinical and field-based training.
Last May 25, the Commission on Higher Education launched the Allied Health Experiential Assistance for Deserving Students (AHEAD) Grant, which is aimed at strengthening the healthcare system.
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis and Senator Bam Aquino led the official launch of the landmark initiative that issues a one-time grant to qualified students enrolled in allied health programs across CHED-recognized higher education institutions.
In her speech, Agrupis said, “Pinaglaban po natin ito kasama si Senator Bam Aquino during the budget deliberations because we recognized that many of our students—especially in nursing and other allied health programs—ang napipilitang huminto o nahihirapang makapagpatuloy dahil sa mahal na gastusin para sa clinical training at internships.”
In the system, students enrolled in medical and allied health couses are required to complete Related Learning Experience (RLE) components to graduate and earn their professional licenses.
These include clinical rotations, hospital internships, practicums, and community-based health placements.
These essential hands-on training periods, however, require significant out-of-pocket expenses, which the AHEAD Grant looks to shoulder.
Under the grant, it will cover the clinical duties, internships, practicums, and community-based training, transportation, accommodation, uniforms, medical requirements, insurance, and other training-related costs.
Senator Aquino noted, “Kapag nag-RLE ang mga estudyante natin sa mga ospital, sila pa ang nagbabayad. RLE is anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 pesos per year—mas malaki pa sa tuition fee nila.”
He then added that the AHEAD Grant has a budget of PHP 500 million, which can support 19,000 nursing and allied health students nationwide — an estimated 10% of nursing students in the Philippines, as per the senator.
The priority programs covered under the AHEAD Grant the following 14 priority healthcare and medical disciplines.
These are: BS Nursing; BS Medical Laboratory Science / Medical Technology; BS Midwifery; BS Physical Therapy; BS Occupational Therapy; BS Public Health; BS Pharmacy; BS Radiologic Technology; BS Respiratory Therapy; BS Nutrition and Dietetics; BS Speech Language Pathology; Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD); Doctor of Optometry (DO); and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
These programs, as per CHED, are strategically tied to the Human Resources for Health Philippine Masterplan 2020-2040 (HRHMP) under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
Higher education institutions and interested students are encouraged to coordinate with their respective CHED Regional Offices for detailed guidelines on eligibility, application timelines, and documentary requirements for the financial assistance.
Meanwhile, launch also featured the ceremonial enrollment of students from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina, led by its vice president Jacqueline Calaycay and former president Joselito Rivera.