The Social Development Committee (SDC) XI of the Regional Development Council (RDC) XI approved the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office XI’s (CHED RO XI) proposal for the Davao Region’s Priority Courses for Academic Year 2022-2023 on February 21, 2022 during the First Quarter SDC XI Meeting via Zoom Video Conferencing.

The virtual meeting was attended by forty-seven (47) participants composed of Regional Directors/Heads of Offices of the social agencies/entities of the sector, Private Sector Representatives (PSR), Local Chief Executives (Provincial Governors and City Mayors), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and the President of the Association of Private Technical Institutions of Davao Region.

In line with the provisions of CMO no. 10, s. 2021, otherwise known as “Priority Programs for CHED Scholarship Programs Effective Academic Year 2021-2022”, the CHED Regional Office is tasked to determine the list of the Priority Programs based on the Philippine Development Plan, priority needs of the country during pandemic as pronounced by the National Government, in-demand and hard-to-fill occupations and jobs of the future and/or green jobs as identified by the DOLE, PCCI, POEA, TESDA, and PRC among others.  As stipulated under the above mentioned Memorandum Order, the identification of these priority programs is aimed to direct or steer higher education qualified applicants for financial assistance under the CHED Scholarship Programs (CSPs) to enroll in public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) offering recognized undergraduate Priority Programs.

During the virtual meeting, Dr. Christopher Pio O. Pulido, Supervising Education Program Specialist (SEPS), OIC – Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), presented the forty-five (45) Priority Courses in Davao Region which was based on the consultative meeting previously conducted by CHED RO XI with the key Officials and Staff of the Six (6) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Davao Region last February 15, 2022 at Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU), Mati City, Davao Oriental.

The SDC-endorsed priority courses will be included in the provisional agenda for the First Quarter Regional Development Council (RDC) XI Meeting scheduled on March 08, 2022, for the issuance of an RDC resolution.