Elmer Lorica, company president and chief operating officer, said starting May 2, planholders or students who have complied with the requirements may visit the nearest branch and claim their education plan benefit checks.

This is in keeping with the company practice of releasing the checks in time for enrolment. "This way, we are assured that the funds are used for the education of our scholars. If we release them way ahead of enrolment, the fund may be spent on something else," Lorica said.

Lack of funds is still the biggest problem that parents and students face every enrolment time. This is where an education plan can help, Lorica said. The plan provides the funds at the time they are needed.

The pre-need industry is yet to recover from the problems related with traditional education plans, or open-ended plans that promise payment of unspecified tuition rates when needed, as opposed to fixed value plans.

Data from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) show that in terms of the number of plans soled in 2007, sales of education plans declined by 25.71 percent compared to 2006.

Pre-need companies offering education plans have a lot to do addressing the loss of confidence. According to Lorica, the release of education plan benefits on time by Eternal Plans contributes to the stability of the industry and enhances trust and confidence.

Eternal Plans offers fixed value Dream Builder education plans that not only guarantee the availability of funds for tuition, but also transportation allowances and an optional Starter Fund to assist a plan holder until he finds a job after graduation.

It also provides comprehensive insurance benefits that protect the desire of planholders to secure the future education of their children, and cash allowances in case the planholder dies before the scholar avails of the plan.

Eternal Plans is a member of the Eternal Group of Companies founded by Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. It has been in operation for the past 27 years and is one of the few pre-need companies that offer all three pre-need products, namely, pension, education and life plans.