Tipid Tips for Aspiring Iskolar of PUP- Manila

Iskolar ng Bayan from Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) remains top choice of employers based on the recent Fresh Graduate Survey by online job portal JobStreet by SEEK because of their hardworking and eager to learn attitude.

Are you planning to enroll at PUP Manila? Let me share some of tipid tips I learned during my stay at Sintang Paaralan for incoming freshies and aspiring Iskolar ng Bayan.

Iskolar Tipid Tip 1: Packed food

Nothing beats having your baon or packed food and a tumbler for drinking water whenever you have face-to-face classes. If you can pack your own food, you can save a lot on your cash allowance. Aside from saving money, you can also save time by not going to stores and having to wait for your turn to buy. You can use that instead to mingle with your friends and classmates or finish your assignments or projects.

Iskolar Tipid Tip 2: Food stalls at lagoon, Teresa or Pureza

If you cannot have packed meals, various food stalls are everywhere at PUP Lagoon, Teresa Street, Pureza Street, and other areas near the university. For sure, many students in Manila rely on siomai since it is cheap and easy to prepare. During our batch (2019), it was only ₱25, but due to inflation, surely its price went up. You can also have an unlimited lugaw for ₱10 only (which is now ₱15). Yes, you’ve read it right, it is very cheap but will get you through the day.

Iskolar Tipid Tip3: Pre-loved books or supplies

One of the most useful tips I got from my senior in college was to join PUP Buy and Sell online groups to buy pre-owned books and school supplies from other students. It saved me a lot of money since the books and school equipment I bought were cheaper.

Iskolar Tipid Tip 4: PNR or Jeep as mode of transportation

Wherever you are from in Metro Manila or a nearby province, various options for transportation are available for you to arrive at PUP-Manila. The Philippine National Railways (PNR) have trains from Tutuban, Manila to Biñan, Laguna that have fares ranging from ₱12 to ₱60. For complete list of rates, you may visit their official website and also check the train schedules at their Facebook page. Aside from PNR trains, many jeepneys with different routes are also near the university, like Cubao, Divisoria, Boni Avenue at Mandaluyong City, and many more. If your budget permits, you may also ride an LRT-2 train at Pureza Station.

Iskolar Tipid Tip 5: Apply scholarship grants

The Republic Act 10931, or "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act," was passed in 2018 and allowed students from over 200 state universities and colleges (including PUP) to be exempt from paying tuition and other school fees. While this lessened the financial burden on students and parents, there are still other school expenses. Various available scholarship programs are available for every Isko, like the Department of Science and Technology scholarship, the CHED scholarship, and many more. Grab the chance and apply for opportunities, and for sure, it will be very helpful for your expenses for projects and other school requirements.

PUP is not for the faint-hearted because you will witness different people from all walks of life. While it is not a perfect institution, you will surely gain a lot of academic and non-academic knowledge. During my four years in Sintang Paaralan, I learned to be resourceful and creative to work around my situation. Most importantly, I learned to care for our fellow Filipinos in need and became involved for the betterment of the Philippines whenever possible.