MANILA, Sept. 15 -- Over 20,000 Senior High School (SHS) graduates are set to benefit from the Bagong Pilipinas Scholarship Program, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced Monday.

The program, formally launched as the Presidential Merit Scholarship, is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s push to widen access to higher education.

It will complement existing initiatives such as free tuition in state universities and colleges, the Tulong Dunong program, and the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).

In a speech, CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said the Bagong Pilipinas scholarship will allow eligible SHS graduates to pursue their chosen programs while opening opportunities to serve the country afterward.

"Bagong Pilipina...