A local government in the Philippine capital region is offering grants of up to PHP100,000 pesos (roughly EUR1,300) to students and academics for research aimed at solving civic problems.
Quezon City is opening the first round of its Betty Go-Belmonte Research Grants Programme, an initiative intended to fund studies that can directly inform local policy.
Applications close on 31 August 2026, with the evaluation of submitted proposals beginning on 1 September 2026, the city government said.
Who was Billie Mary “Betty” Go-Belmonte?
The programme takes its name from Billie Mary “Betty” Go-Belmonte, a journalist and publisher who co-founded The Philippine STAR alongside Max Soliven and Art Borjal during the final years of the Philippine martial law era.
She was also the mother of Quezon City’s current mayor, Joy Belmonte.
The grant’s launch coincides with the newspaper’s 40th anniversary.
Mayor Belmonte described her mother as someone who “dedicated her life to the pursuit of truth, integrity and fairness in journalism”, framing the fund as an extension of that legacy into civic and academic research rather than journalism itself.
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Significant grants on offer
The scheme was created by city ordinance in 2023, though this marks its first year accepting applicants.
The city has committed an initial PHP1 million (around EUR13,000) to the programme, which will be run by a secretariat drawing on representatives from city planning departments, a local university and area higher education institutions.
Grant recipients can receive up to PHP100,000 for their research, plus PHP20,000 in further support covering books, transport and printing.
Researchers will also be given formal access to interview city officials and consult with barangays – the smallest administrative units in Philippine local government, equivalent to a neighbourhood or ward.
Belmonte said the goal is to base city decisions on verified evidence rather than assumptions, arguing that research “helps us better understand the challenges confronting our communities and identify solutions that are grounded in evidence.”
Eligible applicants include Filipino undergraduate and postgraduate students living or studying in the city, as well as teaching staff at Quezon City institutions regardless of where they live.
Group applications are permitted, provided the team leader meets the eligibility criteria.
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Elan Castanares 
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Mary Mae Balasanos