The Davao City Government will open applications for the Atong Taga-an og Oportunidad ang Nangandoy nga Atleta (ATO NA) Sports Scholarship Program in September 2026 to support local student-athletes who have represented the city in accredited competitions.
The Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) will administer the program, which Mayor Sebastian Duterte established through Executive Order No. 15, Series of 2026.
Initial proposals set a target of 150 scholarship slots — 50 full and more than 100 partial grants. However, Justine Marie Adovo, executive program director of the SDD-CMO, clarified during the iSpeak media forum at Davao City Hall that the program has no fixed limit on the number of beneficiaries.
Adovo said the office is in the second phase of its information campaign and expects between 200 and 800 applicants during the initial rollout, based on the volume of inquiries it has received.
All applications will undergo evaluation and interviews.
Under EO 15, applicants must be bona fide residents of Davao City for at least three years and enrolled in an institution under the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Alternative Learning System, or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority within the city.
Applicants also may not hold an existing scholarship from a private organization or another institution.
They must submit basic personal and academic records, medical clearance, an indigency certification, coach endorsement, and proof of sports achievements from the past two years.
Student-athletes must maintain a general average of at least 80 percent, with no grade below 80 percent in any subject.
“Para ma-balance nila ang ilahang pag-skuyla ug ilahang pagdula” (So they can balance their studies and sports), Adovo said.
College students who qualify for the full scholarship will receive ₱20,000 per semester for tuition and a ₱5,000 equipment subsidy per semester.
Partial college scholars will receive a ₱5,000 equipment allowance per semester, while qualified junior and senior high school athletes will receive ₱5,000 annually.
The program will consider all sports disciplines recognized by national governing bodies.
Alongside the scholarship rollout, the city continues to implement its Aktibo Dabawenyo sports initiative, which will run through October 2026.
The program has partnered with four public schools — Catalunan Grande Elementary School, Lapu-Lapu Elementary School, Tacunan Elementary School, and Marilog National High School — and distributed about 764 sports items.
The equipment covers various sports, including athletics, dancesport, table tennis, sepak takraw, chess, softball, shot put, and long jump.
Interested applicants should monitor the official City Sports Development Division Facebook page for downloadable application forms and submission guidelines.
