SDG 2030 Initiatives
SDG 1: No Poverty
The goal to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 is a core aim of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 per day (adjusted to 2017 purchasing power), had been steadily decreasing for years.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic reversed these gains, pushing nearly 90 million people into extreme poverty and revealing the challenges still faced in poverty reduction. By 2022, it was estimated that 8.4% of the world’s population, or about 670 million people, remained in extreme poverty, effectively negating three years of progress.
Without significant intervention, projections suggest that roughly 7% of the global population, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, will still be in extreme poverty by 2030.
CBSUA Initiatives
SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AT CBSUA
To strengthen its commitment to admitting at least 20% of enrollees from low-income households, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) provides a wide range of scholarships and subsidies through its Scholarship and Financial Assistance Office. These programs ensure that financially disadvantaged students can pursue higher education without being hindered by economic barriers.
GOVERNMENT-FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS
– RA 10931 – Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Free Tuition and Miscellaneous Fees)
– CHED Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) – One-Time Financial Assistance
– CHED Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) Continuing
– CHED Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under UniFAST
– Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Grant-in-Aid in Higher Education Program (DA ACEF-GIAHEP)
– Expanded Students’ Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGPPA)
– EASY Agri (ATI)
– CHED Full and Partial PESFA
– DOST-SEI Scholarships (Science and Technology Education)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
– LGU Bula Scholarship Program
– LGU Bombon Scholarship Program
Sectoral and NGO-Funded Scholarships
– COSCHO (Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and Their Families)
– CPAP (Crop Protection Association of the Philippines)
– Bicol National Association of America
– Camalig Bank Foundation
– Consuelo Chito Madrigal Foundation
– Masbate Gold Project
– Gubat St. Anthony Cooperative
– Landbank Countryside Development Foundation (LCDFI)
– Indigenous People Youth – Pamulaan Center
CBSUA’s scholarship portfolio directly supports its admission target of at least 20% of enrollees from low-income households. By combining government, local, and private sector support, the university ensures that students from marginalized backgrounds have equitable access to higher education. This initiative supports SDG 1: No Poverty by ensuring equitable access to quality higher education for financially disadvantaged students.
SUPPORTING GRADUATION SUCCESS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) places strong emphasis not only on admitting students from low-income households but also on ensuring their successful graduation and program completion. The university adheres to the mandate and initiatives of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to provide equal access and opportunities to all learners, particularly those who suffer from poor economic backgrounds. In line with Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, all learners are eligible for free higher education, ensuring that financially disadvantaged students are not deprived of access to quality tertiary education. Recognizing, however, that free tuition alone may not be sufficient, CBSUA strengthens its support system through a wide range of scholarships and financial assistance programs to aid students who continue to struggle financially and belong to families with below-minimum income.
CBSUA actively tracks the academic progress and completion rates of students from the bottom financial quintile through tracer studies, retention reports, and quality assurance mechanisms. The university sets a measurable target of maintaining at least 20 percent of its graduates annually from low-income households, reflecting equitable success across socio-economic groups. Scholarship continuity is also ensured so that financial assistance is sustained throughout the student’s academic journey, preventing dropouts due to economic constraints. In addition, CBSUA promotes holistic student development by providing leadership training, research opportunities, and extension activities that empower low-income students to thrive academically and socially.
By ensuring that students from low-income households not only enroll but also graduate, CBSUA directly contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty. Graduates from low-income families gain access to better employment opportunities, uplift their communities, and strengthen rural development through agricultural innovation and leadership. This initiative contributes to SDG 1: No Poverty by ensuring that financially disadvantaged students not only access but successfully complete their education.
POLICY ADDRESSING POVERTY
As a proactive educational institution, the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) continues to strengthen its role in policy development and advocacy aimed at ending poverty in all its dimensions. In 2024, the University further expanded its participation in local, regional, and national policy-making platforms as part of its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty). Anchored on its newly formulated CBSUA Development Plan 2025–2050, the University advanced evidence-based recommendations and collaborative programs designed to uplift marginalized farming and fishing communities across Bicol. The 2025–2050 Plan places poverty reduction at the core of its long-term strategies, emphasizing inclusive rural development, livelihood enhancement, agri-innovation for smallholders, and resilience-building for vulnerable populations.
CBSUA actively collaborates with key government agencies—including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of the Interior and Local Government—as well as Local Government Units (LGUs) to co-develop and implement policies that directly address the socioeconomic challenges faced by rural households. Through technical consultations, multi-sector dialogues, and research-driven policy inputs, the University contributes to the formulation of local development plans, community-based poverty reduction frameworks, and livelihood support programs. In 2024, CBSUA also served as an academic partner in regional planning initiatives that integrate sustainable agriculture, enterprise development, and climate-resilient technologies into poverty alleviation efforts.
By actively engaging in policy-making and aligning its academic, research, and extension functions with national and global poverty reduction agendas, CBSUA reaffirms its commitment to inclusive development. The University’s forward-looking 2025–2050 Development Plan further ensures that its contributions remain strategic, participatory, and impactful, reinforcing CBSUA’s position as a key partner in shaping programs and policies that aim to eradicate poverty in the Bicol Region and beyond.
LOCAL START-UP ASSISTANCE
The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) remains steadfast in its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty) by empowering communities through local enterprise development and poverty-reducing livelihood initiatives. In 2024, the University strengthened its assistance to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by providing essential supplies, technical guidance, and specialized training programs designed to improve business processes, enhance product quality, and upgrade service delivery. These efforts form part of CBSUA’s broader commitment to building resilient and competitive local enterprises capable of sustaining livelihoods and contributing to long-term poverty reduction in the Bicol Region.
A key mechanism for advancing SDG 1 within the University is the Enterprise Development Unit under the Office of Student Affairs, which supports students who aspire to start small and socially responsible businesses. Through this unit, CBSUA provides mentorship, business planning assistance, financial literacy coaching, and product development guidance. Students also gain access to university laboratories, workspaces, and training facilities that help them refine and elevate their start-up concepts. These programs foster an entrepreneurial culture within the campus while equipping students with market-relevant skills that contribute to economic upliftment.
CBSUA’s commitment to SDG 1 is also reflected in its collaborative work with local institutions advancing social enterprise development. The University serves as a partner in the Social Enterprises Development (SED) Project of the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation in Canaman (MPCF), together with the Tabang Bikol Movement (TBM). The initiative, titled “Developing Social Enterprises for Economic Resilience of Disaster Survivors in Bicol,” is a two-year research and development project funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Central Office. This program strengthens the capacities of disaster-prone and economically vulnerable communities by helping them establish viable social enterprises focused on income generation, resilience-building, and sustainable community development—all aligned with the core objective of SDG 1 to end poverty in all its forms.
Beyond these partnerships, CBSUA continues to support MSMEs in the community through workshops and training sessions that address the challenges faced by small businesses during natural disasters, pandemics, and economic disruptions. In 2024, the University conducted risk management and business continuity workshops that enabled small business owners to learn from industry experts about proactive planning, crisis preparation, and strategies for maintaining operations during unforeseen events. These activities enhance the resilience of local enterprises and contribute to the stability of household incomes.
Through its comprehensive start-up assistance initiatives—spanning mentorship, workshops, facility access, and collaborative social enterprise projects—CBSUA demonstrates a strong and sustained commitment to SDG 1 (No Poverty). By nurturing student-led ventures and supporting community-based enterprises, the University helps generate income opportunities, promote innovation, and strengthen the local economic foundations necessary to reduce poverty across the Bicol Region.
