THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THE 333 SM FOUNDATION SCHOLAR-GRADUATES
Teresita Ignacio, mother of a beneficiary of SM Foundation College Scholarship Program, was moved to tears as she listened to the speech of one scholar who graduated with honors.
The young woman’s speech, about the hardship she and her parents went through and how the SM Foundation scholarship brought hope to their lives, reminded her of the same hardship and sacrifice she and her family went through sending her youngest daughter Ida, an SM Foundation Scholarship cum laude graduate, to school.
“It brought back memories, such as how hard it was just to look for fare to give to my children so they could go to school. It reminded me of the times we couldn’t even afford to buy a kilo of rice,” said this mother who receives below-minimum-wage salary working in a small printing company, while her husband, a former OFW, remains unemployed.
Still in tears, Teresita said “Thank you to God. Thank you to Mr. Henry Sy and the SM Foundation—because now all our hardships would be a thing of the past because of the help and hope given to us.”
Last June 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the SM Foundation formally presented the graduates of its scholarship program for school year 2017-2018 during a testimonial dinner tendered by the Sy family.
A total of 333 graduates nationwide (149 from the NCR, 115 from Luzon, 12 from Mindanao, and 57 from the Visayas region) from partner universities and colleges throughout the country together with their parents gathered to meet their benefactors Henry Sy, Sr. and his family.
Out of the 333 SM Foundation scholars, 105 graduated with Latin honors led by summa cum laude graduates Danielle Francis Olsen (who took up BS Accountancy degree from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos) and Jedda Pascual (BS Accountancy graduate from Ateneo de Davao).
“To finish your studies is the happiest feeling in the world,” said Danielle, a daughter of a tricycle driver father and breast cancer survivor mother who delivered a speech during the program.
“When my parents found out that I made it to the list of the SM Foundation Scholar, they were so happy, their joy reaching the sky. Because at the point and throughout my journey as an SM Foundation scholar, I was given an opportunity be able to achieve my dreams someday—and not just mydreams but the dreams of my younger siblings who look up to me.”
Addressing her speech toward Mr. Henry Sy, Danielle said, “Hundreds of thank yous won’t be enough to pay for the great help you’ve given us. Through your foundation, you provided the way for us to prove that someday through hard work and success we will be able to help our families get out of poverty.”
Currently Danielle is reviewing for her board exams. But in the coming months, she hopes to work with the SM Group.
As a scholar of the Foundation, Danielle describes her relationship with the organization as going beyond providing her with financial assistance.
“The Foundation takes care of our needs not just on the financial side. They hold summer jobs, Christmas parties and gatherings for the scholars to allow them to network with one another. It’s a community where everyone enjoys camaraderie.”
The early evening event also gave highlight to “Yolanda scholars” from Samar, Leyte and other provinces affected by the killer typhoon five years ago. There are 100 scholars from these areas and a number of them graduated with honors as well.
Rovil Mae Palarca, an BS Accountancy graduate from Saint Paul School of Professional Studies in Palo, Leyte, remembers the destruction wrought by the typhoon in her community. It was the most frightening moment in her life as the storm surge toppled their house and her father had to carry her on his back amid the rising waters.
She was thankful to the SM Foundation who provided the scholars affected by Yolanda some financial help immediately after the typhoon to help them tide over the hardship.
This is also the first time for the SM Foundation to include Cabanatuan in its scholarship map. Ric Jason Pangilinan, Joliza Camille Ortiz, and Dave Nicole Ughoc are among the successful scholar graduates from this province. The three took up Accountancy courses and all come from low-income families.
“Graduating from college is the best gift we could give to our parents,” said Ric Jason.
With four siblings all going to school and parents barely making ends meet, Joliza was advised by her parents to sacrifice and skip school. The SM Foundation scholarship was a welcome news to Joliza.
“I am very grateful to SM Foundation scholarship as it allowed me to get a college education. Now I have the opportunity to help my family, particularly help send my younger siblings to school. I’d like to be an inspiration to them.”
To inspire the scholars to visualize what they could achieve in the future, the program presented Loida Ongteco De Vera, an SM Scholar who graduated with a degree of BSE in Mathematics in 2000. She is currently working as regional operations manager at SM Hypermarket.
After graduating from college, she taught as a profession. Eventually, she landed a job at SM and rose from the ranks.
“Words aren’t enough to thank Tatang (Mr. Henry Sy) and the SM Foundation. The scholarship was life changing for me,” said Loida.
She said the speeches delivered by the scholars onstage reminded her of what it was like for her 22 years ago, when she too felt motivated to study harder to help her family.
“I am so happy for them. Their stories reminded me of my humble past. I have the realization that we all share the same stories. And I hope, as a role model to them, I inspire them to continue the good path and work for their future.”
The SM Foundation started its college scholarship program 25 years ago. The Foundation maintains 2,000 college scholars yearly and another 2,000 tech-doc scholars. More than 3,000 scholars have graduated under the SM Foundation Education Program.
“The college scholarship program started with the vision of Mr. Henry Sy. He has always been a believer in education as an equalizer, because when he arrived here from China, he had the typical profile of the scholars—he came from humble beginnings but very hardworking,” according to Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director-Education, SM Foundation.
“Mr. Sy’s policy is ‘if I can sell a pair of shoes to every person, then I consider myself successful’. So he applied the same approach to the scholarship: if he can send only one member of a marginalized family to school, once that person graduates and finds employment, he can support the other siblings. And there will always be a ripple effect,” said Linda.
Linda finds it very rewarding to witness the transformation of the scholars, from the time they entered the program to the the time they graduate.
“When they graduate, they exude self confidence and are confident enough to face the challenges of the world. Like what the scholar from Tacloban said, they SM Foundation awakened her hope--because practically her family lost everything. That is what we see in everyone. And we are as excited as they are when they graduate.”