SM scholarship program welcomes new hopefuls on its 25th year
Once there was an SM scholar who was overjoyed at being accepted in his preferred college program and having a chance to study for free. However, the elation vanished as the student’s father, a pedicab driver and the sole breadwinner of the family, succumbed to death. With an older brother who was also studying at the time and an ailing mother who needed their support, the scholar almost gave up his schooling to take up the job their father left. In the end, the older brother took the job so his younger one could pursue his studies. The latter eventually finished college and sent his kuya, his hero, to a technical-vocational school.
“After the younger brother presented his story to new SM scholars, and called up his brother on stage, there was not a dry eye in the audience,” said SM Foundation SAVP and executive director for education Linda Atayde, as she shared the most vivid and memorable SM scholar story she has ever heard.
Recently, another set of successful SM college scholars – one of which was Katherine Velasquez, who ranked seventh in last year’s Electronics Engineering board exam – shared their testimonials in front of the new recipients, who also compose the first batch of K+12 graduates. The awarding of 500 scholars was conducted simultaneously in different provincial SM malls nationwide.
After 25 years, the SM Scholarship Program has provided 3,000 indigent but deserving high school graduates a chance to pursue a college degree in its 110 partner higher education institutions. The program now covers Butuan, Capiz, Ormoc, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga del Sur.
The scholarship started with Henry Sy Sr.’s vision of sending one child from a less fortunate family to college. After graduation, this child should send one sibling to school and should be able to provide a better future for the family.
Thus, most of the student recipients are honor graduates who are children of vendors, tricycle or jeepney drivers, farmers, fishermen, laborers, or unemployed parents.
“When we learned that he got accepted in the SM Scholarship, we were so happy. His father sells taho while I work as a househelp, and we can’t afford to send all four of them to school,” shares Marisa Diaz, mother of SM Scholar Gerson Diaz.
Due to high blood pressure, Gerson’s father, Rogelio, was not able to join their family at SM Scholarships’ awarding ceremony.
“Our family is not financially stable, so I need this scholarship to continue with higher education,” says Gerson, who plans to take up Accountancy at Asia Pacific College, where he also finished senior high school.
Almira Geromo, also the eldest among four siblings, stopped schooling for a year so she could help in her family’s finances.
“After senior high school, our goal was to get absorbed by the company that hired us during internship. Fortunately, the company liked our performance. So I chose to work there. I have been able to help my parents and I can say they are proud of me, but I want them to be prouder by having a college degree,” shares Geromo, who also finished senior high school through a scholarship.
Being the first students to undergo K+12, Geromo’s batch was offered an optional senior high school. She had tried enrolling in a university, through the help of his Uncle Alberto, but failed to continue after one year.
“I felt bad for my uncle. I didn’t want to burden him. So, I accepted the scholarship at Asia Pacific College’s senior high school. The professor there encouraged us to continue college and apply for SM Foundation Scholarship,” she adds.
Meanwhile, Rafael Vallejos Jr. may no longer have biological parents to bring to the scholarship’s awarding ceremony, but he has more than everything a son could ask and thank for – his aunt, Emelita Capunpon, who adopted him and his older brother when they were little.
Although he dreams of becoming a journalist someday, he has decided to take up Accountancy at the University of the East, motivated by the hope of landing a high-paying job in the future to secure his family’s needs.
His aunt recently started receiving pension, which they use for everyday expenses, besides their small peanut butter business.
“Tita, thank you for everything, for taking care of me and my older brother, for sacrificing everything for us. We love you so much. Promise, our life and situation will be better after I graduate,” a message he wants to send to his aunt.
According to Atayde, SM Foundation has expanded its scholarship program by adding tech-voc scholarships, which has now supported 2,000 students. Now on its 25th year, the foundation will start processing online applications and queries as “digitalization is the way to go.”
“We have proven Mr. Sy right in his vision of considering education as a key to poverty alleviation. Through our dealings with the scholars – from the time they start until they finish, until they tell us their success stories – I have bright hopes for the future of the youth and our country.”
“Education is technically an anti-poverty tool. That’s why it’s one of the main anchor programs of our foundation,” said SM Foundation trustee and SM Investments Corp. corporate affairs head Ramon “Chito” Macapagal, adding, “SM, in general, believes in sustainable development and SM Foundation’s role in SM is to be one of the main anchors to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the 17 SDGs, education plays a role in most of the targets. In essence, SM’s target is very basic – elimination or reduction of poverty, and controlling climate change. Put together, it’s aiming for sustainable life for all of us.”