The Graduation Is Only One Part of the Story
OZAMIZ CITY - The 402-graduate milestone becomes more meaningful when viewed alongside the program's continuing cycle. In March 2026, the Department of Education–Ozamiz City Division published an official announcement concerning the entrance examination for the merit-based and expanded Asenso Pamilya: One Family, One Professional Program. A day later, the division issued another memorandum on the conduct of the entrance examinations. This means the program is not simply being remembered through a graduation ceremony; another group of prospective beneficiaries was already moving through the selection process. That creates a clear progression: previous beneficiaries are graduating while new applicants are being considered for educational assistance.
The Family Is the Unit Behind the Scholarship
The OFOP concept is different from a scholarship story that focuses exclusively on an individual student. Its stated purpose is built around helping a family have at least one professional. The provincial government previously described the program as providing financial assistance for vocational or tertiary education, including expenses such as transportation, lodging, supplies, and other education-related needs. The 2026 graduation announcement you supplied shows what that concept looks like at the completion stage: 402 students reached graduation, with their journeys representing both city- and province-supported beneficiaries. It is therefore reasonable to view the graduates not simply as scholarship recipients, but as people reaching the point where their education can be carried into employment and professional life.
A Graduation Number That Also Points Forward
The most useful way to look at the 402 graduates is not as an endpoint. The Department of Education's March 2026 documents show that the merit-based and expanded OFOP program was still accepting applicants through an entrance-examination process. That provides a useful second chapter to the graduation story: while one group is receiving diplomas, another is beginning the process of qualifying for assistance. The original announcement also credits both the Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental governments for supporting the graduates, while recognizing congressional support. Those details come from the supplied 2026 announcement; the broader explanation of OFOP's purpose is based on government program information. The result is a story about continuity rather than one ceremony.
