GERALYN C. Dela Cruz has been re-appointed by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres to the CNMI Scholarship Board, representing the third senatorial district.
Her nomination was confirmed unanimously by the Senate.
“I, along with many others, including current board members, have benefited from this program and are now a part of the CNMI/U.S. workforce,” said Dela Cruz, who has served on the board since 2015. “This is my story and the story of countless others who call our islands home.”
She returned to the CNMI 11 years ago and joined the local workforce, serving in various capacities, including as Department of Public Works highway administrator, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality director, Commonwealth Zoning Board administrator, and Lady Diann Torres Foundation vice president.
She holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Hawaii.
“As a young professional entering the CNMI workforce at that time, I was unsure whether moving home was the right idea. I entered the government at a time where we only worked 64 hours a pay period. At first, I thought it was pretty cool. I had three-day weekends every week. But then reality hit and the struggle started to surface. I could have easily packed up and left…but this is home, and if I wanted my home to be better, I needed to do my part to pitch in in any way that I could,” she said.
“I remain committed to continuing my work with the CNMI Scholarship Board and the program office in ensuring that we attain greater returns on our investment and build our local workforce,” she added.
The Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations recommended Dela Cruz’s re-appointment to the board, after conducting a public hearing last month.
The committee received five oral testimonies in support of the re-appointee, and no written or oral testimonies in opposition. Among those who provided testimony were CNMI Scholarship Office Administrator Mildred Sablan-Camacho, Rep. Angel A. Demapan, and Office of Planning and Development Deputy Director Christopher Concepcion.
“As our chairwoman, she has contributed to the continued growth and improvement of our office and our programs,” said Sablan-Camacho.
“We have several programs implemented during her tenure, and we are continuously working together with the board to find ways to help our students and former recipients. She has demonstrated true leadership and commitment during her time on the board, and I am confident that she will continue to do the same… Her leadership and commitment to higher education is a testimony of her desire to improve the quality of education and workforce for the CNMI,” Sablan-Camacho added as she pledged her and the board’s full support for Dela Cruz’s re-appointment to the board.
In the senators’ discussion of the committee report, Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero noted that effective fall of last year, Gov. Torres announced an increase in CNMI scholarship awards after a board vote.
The board also voted to reinstate suspended programs, which allowed a maximum award of $2,100 per semester for traditional students at Northern Marianas College, other colleges, and universities; and $1,350 per semester for the Northern Marianas Technical Institute students. Previously, the maximum award for students was $400 per semester.
During the public hearing on Dela Cruz’s re-nomination, the Senate panel asked for her stance on a number of issues, including application rates, eligibility, and public law.
Dela Cruz said the board saw an increase in enrollment following the lifting of previously suspended programs.
The board likewise saw an increase in applications during the economic downturn caused by recent declared disasters, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said CNMI scholarship eligibility is entirely dependent on local law, which requires that applicants be Commonwealth residents — U.S. citizens domiciled in the Northern Marianas who have also resided in the jurisdiction for at least three years.
Dela Cruz said she would personally support expanding eligibility requirements to non-U.S. citizens if the CNMI statute allowed for it, noting that it could prove to be beneficial for the local workforce.
The other scholarship board members are Charlene S. Masiwemai and Zerlyn A. Taimanao of Saipan, Tianna Hofschneider of Tinian, and Diane B. Hocog of Rota.
Geralyn C. Dela Cruz, right, is sworn in by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.
