SM recruits 100 new college scholars in Leyte

MANILA, Philippines - SM Foundation education team headed by Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director for education arrived in Tacloban last Feb. 24 to recruit its second batch of scholars from the province.

After examinations and interviews, 100 scholars from Tacloban City and interior towns of the province qualified and will now comprise the second batch of SM scholars. SM will support their college education that will include a monthly allowance plus allowance for miscellaneous expenses in the course of their enrollment.

Unlike the first batch which came mostly from Tacloban City, this second batch come not only from Tacloban City but from municipalities in the entire province distributed as follows: Alangalang (12), Babatngon (2), Burauen (6), Barugo (5), Carigara (6), Dulag (5), Jaro (1), Julita (5), La Paz (4), Mayorga (3), Pastrana (3), Palo (4), Tanauan (4), Tolosa (5), Tunga (5) Tabon-Tabon (2). One successful candidate hails from Basey, Samar while the rest of the scholars are from Tacloban City proper and from Sagkahan, Calanipawan, Marasbaras and San Jose.

The scholars will enroll in SM’s partner universities /schools (LNU, UP, St. Paul’s, EVSU), in courses of their choice (BS Computer Science, IT, Information Management, Electronics & Communications Eng’g, Computer Eng’g, Civil , Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, BS Elem. Education, BS Secondary Education, and BS Accountancy/BSBA Maj in Accounting). The scholars, who are all victims of typhoon Yolanda and who are indigent come from public high schools with a weighted average of at least 88% during their 2nd or 3rd grading period and whose family income should at most be P150,000 per annum.

Upon graduation, scholars are offered jobs with the SM Group although they may opt to work elsewhere if they so desire. The scholars are given value formation seminars and other social activities during their entire schoolyears. SM Foundation administrative staff regularly monitors their school performance. Maintaining average of the scholars is 2.5.

The scholars together with their parent signed a MOA with SM and the school of their choice on Saturday, March 1 at the LNU Student Center.

SM Foundation Scholarship Program is on its 21st Year. The Foundation maintains 1, 300 scholars nationwide yearly, although the number will now increase with the 100 recently accepted scholars from Leyte.

The Education team also went to other places in the Visayas to recruit scholars in Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu.

In Luzon, scholars come from Naga, Quezon, Cavite, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Baguio and Cauayan while the bulk of the scholars are enrolled in Metro Manila.