Cojuangco Foundation awards scholarships to 85 new less fortunate students

TARLAC CITY, Philippines — Eighty-five students were recently awarded Certificates of Scholarships by the Eduardo Cojuangco Foundation (ECF).

This scholarship program is a continuing commitment of Ambassador Danding Cojuangco and family in supporting the less fortunate but deserving students of the province. The awarded students have passed the qualifying examinations for technical -vocational courses.

Noel Alconcel, foundation administrator, said that the students will enjoy free tuition fee, monthly stipends, book allowance, and job placement assistance after graduation.

The foundation has been offering automotive technology and industrial electronic technology aside from five-month courses such as dressmaking, tailoring, hair dressing and beauty care.

He said that recently five new courses were added in their technical-vocational scholarship program. These are automotive servicing, building wiring installation, consumer electronic servicing, electronic and telecommunications technician, and shielded arc welding.

Late last year, ECF celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching the P42 Million Project FREE (Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence) to provide masteral and doctorate scholarships to over 2,000 Tarlac public school teachers in partnership with the host Tarlac State University, the supervising University of St. La Salle and the Department of Education.

Project FREE has 2,250 public school teachers enrolled in the program who are enjoying full scholarship including free board and lodging, books and tuition fees.

Newly installed TESDA Provincial Director Belinda Labutong thanked Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco and his wife Gretchen for sponsoring the scholarship project, saying that said project is one of a kind among the provinces where she was previously assigned.

Labutong attended the recent program awarding the certificates of scholarship at the PIT campus and in her remarks, cited the critical role of Filipino skilled workers in global employment. She disclosed initiatives to lay down a grid with Tarlac business leaders pinpointing employment gaps which could be addressed by the scholarship program.

Rep. Henry Cojuangco (1st district, Tarlac) said the ECF partnership with PIT and TESDA is a clear example of how the public and private sectors can work together to make a difference in the lives of people. He said the education initiative is crucial in preparing the new generation for the challenge to build a strong nation in the future. Cojuangco noted that the ECF started its scholarship program in Tarlac in 1988 and thousands of graduates are now gainfully employed to contribute in the nation-building effort.

For his part, Governor Victor Yap has expressed his gratitude to the Cojuangco couple for their unwavering efforts and continuous support to the people of Tarlac, especially to the less fortunate youths who are now benefiting from the educational programs implemented by ECF.

Parents of the technical-vocational scholars who attended the awarding program said if not for ECF, their children would not have had the opportunity to pursue higher learning.

PIT president Eden Jimenez said the partnership with ECF has strengthened the school’s resolve to turn out graduates ready to make an impact as skilled workers in industry.