OWWA scholar makes it to West Point

MANILA, Philippines - A scholar of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is this year's lone Filipino student to be accepted in the United States Military Academy at West Point, the state agency announced on Friday.

Don Stanley Dalisay, a student from the Philippine Military Academy and a recipient of OWWA's Education for Development Scholarship, will be flying to the US on June 26 to start his four-year military course scholarship grant on July 1, OWWA said.

Before entering PMA, Dalisay took up public health at the University of the Philippines Manila and eventually passed the 2011 licensure examination for medical technologists.

Before that, he graduated valedictorian in high school at the University of Batangas. His father works as a seafarer.

Dalisay is an accomplished debater in the Philippines and Asia, awarded as one of the top speakers in major tournaments here and abroad.

He was awarded as the second best debater in the Philippines at the National Debating Championship in Cagayan de Oro City in October 2011. He also made it as the eighth best debater in Asia at the United Asian Debating Championship in Macau held in May 2011.

He belonged in the fourth batch of OWWA scholars for the school year 2007 to 2011.

“OWWA is very happy to know that one of our scholars made it to the West Point Academy. He is not only OWWA’s pride but he is the pride of the entire country. This is indeed good news,” Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon said.