Filipino whiz kids bagged 31 medals, including two team gold medals, in the International Math Competition (IMC) held in South Korea from July 25 to 29.

A total of 604 elementary and high school students competed in the contest in which 151 teams from 26 countries and territories, including China, Canada, Thailand, Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, Philippines, and host country South Korea competed.

“We are proud of our students’ performance in South Korea,” said Dr. Simon Chua, head of delegation and president of the

Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG), an organization of math experts that trained the students for the competition.

According to Chua and Rechilda Villame, MTG vice president, the entire Philippine team won two gold medals, one silver, 28 bronzes and 11 merit awards in the contest.

The two gold medals were garnered by Philippine Teams A and B in the team contest in the Korea Elementary Mathematics International Competition (KEMIC), the contest for elementary division. Teams A and B also won bronze in the group contest.

Team A is composed of Jason Joseph Fernandez of San Beda College-Alabang in Muntinlupa City, Kaye Janelle Yao of Grace Christian College, and Ma. Czarina Angela Lao and Vince Benedict Say, both students of Saint Jude Catholic School. On the other hand, Team B is composed of Raymond Joseph Fadri of San Beda College-Alabang, Andrew Brandon Ong of Chiang Kai Shek College, Austin Edrich Chua of Saint Jude Catholic School, and Nathaniel Joshua Balete of Philippine Institute of Quezon City.

The individual bronze medalists of the Philippine team in the elementary and high school divisions are: all the members of elementary Teams A and B – Miguel Lorenzo Ildesa of PAREF Westbridge School, Shawn Gabriele Cabanes of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Camille Tyrene Dee of Immaculate Conception Academy, Sarah Jane Cua of Pangasinan Universal Institute, Brendon Matthew Go of Xavier School, Audrey Celine Lao of Saint Jude Catholic School, Michael Brodeth of Philippine Science High School Main, Mikaela Angelina Uy of Saint Jude Catholic School, Justin Edric Yturzaeta of Jubilee Christian Academy, Kenneth Co of Philippine Science High School-Main, and Vance Eldric Go of Saint Jude Catholic School.

Elementary Team D won a bronze in the team and group contests while Team C bagged a bronze in the team contest. Teams C and D are composed of Magin Benedict Ferrer, Mark Davidson Cua, Miguel Lorenzo Ildesa, Sedrick Scott Keh, Gen Mark Tanno, Miguel Luis Rivera, Ramon Galvan III and Shawn Gabrielle Cabanes.

In the high school division or the Korea Invitational World Youth Mathematics Inter-City Competition (KIWYMIC), Team A composed of Janssen Lawrence Chan, Michelin Ang, Camille Tyrene Dee and Sarah Jane Cua bagged a silver medal in the team contest.

On the other hand, high school Teams B, C, and D composed of Aldrich Aldwin Mayoralgo, Brendon Matthew Go, Julius Vincent Sy, Audrey Celine Lao, Hubert Yao, Keefe Collin Tan, Michel Brodeth, Mikaela Angelina Uy, Justin Edric Yturzaeta, Kenneth Co, Neil Jordan Chua Goy, and Vance Eldric Go won a bronze each in the team contest. Team D also won a bronze in the group contest.

The team leaders and coaches of the RP team are Villame, Dr. Eduardo Dela Cruz, dean of the Arellano University School of Education; Robert Degolacion, Joseph Wee, Isidro Aguilar, Jonathan Glorial, Manuel Kotah, Rodello De Asis, and Eugenia Guerra.

China was declared overall champion in the contest. Other countries that competed in the IMC are Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cyprus, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and United Arab Emirates.

Report Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/269618/rp-whiz-kids-bag-31-medals-south-korea-math-tilt

Orphaned, abandoned, abused, neglected. These are the reasons the Rehoboth Baby Rescue Centre cares for infants and children. Not all babies and children are loved and secure.

In the Philippines, Rehoboth rescues those who are vulnerable. It also offers a safe haven with loving, supportive carers until they can be placed with adoptive families.

Even the youngest infants are looked after with individual attention. Also, an early childhood education programme offers children the stimulation and interaction they need to develop normally during their formative years.

Children are constantly referred to the home. That means that as soon as one child leaves, another is taken in to be nurtured. With a view to meeting needs of an ever increasing number of children, plans for expansion are underway. One innovative project is sustainable agriculture so that vegetables can be grown for consumption.

Since the home began in 2003, people in different parts of the world have been able to adopt these vulnerable children and welcome them into loving families. Each child represents a success story. One such child is John Ray Carlo, affectionately known as JC.

When admitted to Rehoboth in July 2005, JC was 10 months old. His tiny shrivelled body weighed just less than three kilograms. In his critical condition, staff members despaired for his life. Yet with nutritional and medical help, within months he was recovering to become a healthy baby.

Soon he was thriving under the loving care of dedicated staff members. During the years that he was in the home, a faithful sponsor also took great interest in his development and progress.

At Rehoboth, JC continued to grow and is now a happy, healthy five year old boy. Because his case was abandonment, it had to go through the court system which in the Philippines can take several years. When legally declared abandoned last year, he became eligible for adoption.

Soon after, he was matched with a family from California. His new family includes another adopted son from the Philippines as well as two biological daughters. One onlooker said, "JC took to his family right away. It was awesome to see him playing with his new older brother."

Rehoboth team and sponsor agree: "We wish JC a beautiful and happy life and thank God for the miracle that he is. God saved him by bringing him into Rehoboth and restored him to life and health. Now He has placed him into the arms of a loving family. JC’s story is complete with a happy ending.

Report Source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/towards.a.happy.ending.for.abandoned.children.in.the.philippines/25751.htm

Since its formation a couple of years back, the Henry V. Moran Foundation has been supporting less fortunate children and youth of the Philippines through football programs. The foundation, which is named after the late Henry Moran, was organized by his children who have once been great athletes themselves in their specialized field.

Through this pioneering project, the organization, together with the Urban Opportunities for Change was able to send homeless football teams to Melbourne, Australia in 2008 and to Milan, Italy in 2009 for the Homeless World Cup competition.

This year, the foundation sent a team of young men and women to the Deloitte Street Child World Cup in Dunbar, South Africa. The young participants, who left last month for the competition have been selected from different organizations such as the Nayon ng Kabataan, Tuloy sa Don Bosco, Tondo Futkaleros and the Munitinlupa United FC and have participated in a yearlong training. The competition was for players, both boys and girls from 14 to 16 years old, who have lived on the streets at one time in their lives.

“It is with the philosophy that through sports, one is prepared for real life learning discipline and hard work, that The Henry V. Moran Foundation has been active in supporting football teams for the poor and homeless. The foundation envisions football as a way of helping those who have less in life achieve more,” says Peter Moran, one of the founders of The Henry V. Moran Foundation.

At the press conference before they left, the players shared their experiences while living on the streets, thanking the foundation that gave them hope and helped them become better individuals.

For Erica Mae Inocencio, who once lived on the streets without anything to eat, joining the competition was a dream come true.

“I am very thankful to The Henry V. Moran Foundation, our primary sponsors and most especially to God for giving this opportunity to us. Like the other members of the team, I have also lived on the streets and I know how hard it was to be homeless. That’s why I never thought that playing football will give me more hope, uplift my spirit and inspire other children to dream big and achieve it. Thank you so much to our generous sponsors for without, this wouldn’t be possible,” says the 15-year-old Inocencio.

Just like Inoncencio, each player in the team will be going out of the country for the first time in their lives with the desire to improve their situation in life and also become an inspiration for others in the same plight.

“My family, through the foundation, would like to contribute to making the players’ desires become reality in our small way,” adds Moran.

For the team, it’s not only the chance to represent the country that makes them happy but it’s more of the chance for a better life ahead of them. Win or lose, they know that the once-in-a-lifetime chance may change their lives forever.

Report Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2010/april/20/lifestyle1.isx&d=2010/april/20

They only dreamed of getting in the Street Child World Cup, but they came home with more than what they had hoped for — a fulfillment for themselves.

For the team of 10 Filipino street children who battled against eight other football teams from eight different countries, finishing third place in the international football tournament held in South Africa can be considered a “miracle.”

The Philippine team competed against football superstars from Brazil, India, Nicaragua, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam during the First Deloitte Street Child World Cup held in Durban, South Africa last March 15 to 22.

“Una, pinangarap ko lang mag compete, ngayon, natupad na at sa ibang bansa pa ako lumaban. (At first, my only dream was to compete (in football). It was fulfilled and I even got the chance to go abroad to compete),” 16-year-old Mario Titoy said.

Fifteen-year-old Raymond Elona said he felt happy for the recognition, and upon returning home to the country, he considered himself and his teammates famous after joining the competition.

“Masaya ako sa nasalihang competition dahil marami akong naging fans. First time ko rin makasakay ng eroplano at lahat ng ito ay di ko makakalimutan. (I am very happy with the competition that I was able to join because I gained a lot of fans. It was also my first time to ride an airplane. I will never forget all of these),” Elona said.

Titoy and Elona are just two of the 10 street children who flew to South Africa last month to compete in the football tournament.

They said playing football has given them hope and self-fulfillment, and expected that other children will draw inspiration from their experience.

Titoy and Elona, who have been staying at the Nayon ng Kabataan in Pasay City for eight and seven years respectively, said joining the competition was a dream come true.

Nayon ng Kabataan, a residential facility of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), provides comprehensive program for the care, training and development of abandoned, neglected, abused, exploited and orphaned children seven to 17 years old.

Both teens were abandoned by their families and were turned over to DSWD for care and custody.

Training on various sports is just one of the activities provided to the children in Nayon ng Kabataan, where Titoy and Elona were found excellent in football.

They were later recommended to become part of the Philippine team to compete in the Deloitte Street Child World Cup.

Jess Landagan, a volunteer coach of Nayon ng Kabataan, at the same time the head coach of the team, said he is pleased with the outcome of the tournament.

Report Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/252571/filipino-street-children-compete-int-l-football

By Silje Vik Pedersen

LAGUNA PROVINCE, Philippines, 13 April 2010 – Loud music is playing in the covered basketball court at Aplaya Elementary School. About 200 children and their teachers have gathered around an improvised stage, where members of a mobile theatre troupe led by Perlyn ‘Lakan’ Bunyi are preparing for their performance.

“Good morning, Aplaya Elementary School,” Lakan says, greeting the children. “Good morning, sir!” they reply in unison.

“Before we start,” the actor adds, “you need to help me shout out the title of our performance. Then he calls out the Tagalog words for clean, healthy, strong and safe: “Linis, lusog, lakas, ligtas.”

The children join in. Soon, everyone in the village can hear them shout: ‘Linis! Lusog! Lakas! Ligtas!’

Songs, sketches and dances
The mobile theatre is part of a UNICEF and Save the Children collaboration to promote hygiene, sanitation and breastfeeding in communities affected by Tropical Storm Ondoy, which struck the Philippines in September 2009.

With its light format of songs, sketches and dances, the troupe has visited 75 communities in the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Metro Manila. UNICEF has funded the entire run of productions and has provided technical assistance to the artists.

“Getting the children and the community to participate is an important part of the performance,” Lakan says. “It makes them feel at ease. And when they participate, it is easier for them to remember the messages.”

Dramatizing the emergency
The performance starts with a dramatization of the Ondoy emergency. A large piece of cloth is made to resemble the storm’s churning water. Lakan encourages the children to make sound effects of howling wind and to signify the rising water with their arms.

“How many of you were evacuated?” Lakan asks. Half the group raise their hands. “So then you know how it is in the evacuation centre,” he says.

To represent the centre’s crowding, the actors cram together around a straw mat onstage. One of them is snoring and a few others are arguing over a blanket. The children laugh as relief goods are handed out, along with seven different recipes for cooking the same food – sardines.

© UNICEF Philippines/2010/Pirozzi

Actor Perlyn ‘Lakan’ Bunyi, who leads a UNICEF-supported mobile theatre troupe, teaches handwashing to children at Aplaya Elementary School in Laguna Province, the Philippines, one of the areas affected by Tropical Storm Ondoy.

A way to address the issues
“We made this performance light and enjoyable to make people laugh at their own mistakes,” says Lakan. “It is also a good way to talk about issues that are not normally talked about in public.”

The performance takes the audience through songs about topics such as personal hygiene, what to do when you have a cold or the flu, how exclusive breastfeeding protects babies from sickness, and even what to do if there is another typhoon coming.

Several children are then invited to come up to the stage, where bowls of water and soap have been prepared. They get a course in proper handwashing, enthusiastically scrubbing their hands and making sure they follow the seven steps that Lakan and the other actors show them.

Renzo, 12, is one of the children invited onstage. He knows well what life in cramped conditions can be like, since he and his family were evacuated to the same basketball court where the songs and sketches take place today.

“I liked the performance very much,” says Renzo. “It’s funny and I also learned a lot of new things.” 

‘It’s something I can do’
At the end of the show, Lakan asks the children questions about the issues it has presented. The responses demonstrate whether the audience has understood the key messages.

“So far, we have only had positive feedback from the audience, and this shows how powerful the mobile theatre can be in getting these messages through,” Lakan notes later.

For Analyn, 12, the messages have hit home. “I liked the part about cleaning the environment,” she says. “It was nice and it’s something I can do where I live.”

MANILA, Philippines – Chocolate drink and snacks company Milo kicked off its 28th nationwide summer sports program this year, with the aim of teaching children sporting basics as well as character-forming values.

The program offers courses in 13 sports: badminton, basketball, bowling, chess, football, gymnastics, ice skating, karatedo, lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming, taekwondo and volleyball.

Milo (www.milo.com.ph) noted that the Summer Sports Clinics, held from March up to May, impart various lessons that could form children’s character.

Firstly, children learn about proper nutrition such as eating well and following healthy habits so that they can perform at their peak.

They also learn about self-discipline, confidence and having a mature attitude on and off the sporting arena.

Children also learn about long-term planning when they sacrifice immediate gratification for long-term gain.

Team sports, meantime, give children the chance to hone their leadership skills.

The BEST Center offers basketball and volleyball courses while bowling will be taught at SM Megamall, SM City Fairview, SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA and SM City Cebu. Ice skating lessons will be held at Megamall, SM Southmall and SM Mall of Asia.

Other organizations involved in Milo’s Summers Sports Clinics are the Valencia Badminton Sports Center, Metropolitan Chess Club, First Touch Football, Xavier Football, Club Gymnastica, Association for the Advancement of Karatedo, Swimtech, Children’s Tennis Workshop, Ateneo Table Tennis Training Center and Philippine Taekwondo Association.

Report Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/03/31/10/milo-aims-develop-kids%E2%80%99-character-through-sports

Twenty kids from Luzon and Metro Manila completed the cast of the 2009-10 Jr. NBA Philippines Program which opens on April 16 at the Jose Rizal University Gym in Mandaluyong City.

The 20 kids will join the 10 each chosen from Cebu and Davao in the three-day training camp (April 16 to 18) where eight members of the Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars Team will be selected.

Most of the 20 kids came from Manila while there are also a number who are from the provinces of Isabela, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan and Cavite.

All 40 participants are between 12 to 14 years old. They will undergo intensive, NBA-style training from three-time NBA champion BJ Armstrong and US Jr. NBA coach Frank Lopez.

Jr. NBA appointed local coaches Ronnie Magsanoc, Elmer Cabahug and Cadel Mosqueda will assist Armstrong and Lopez with the clinic.

The NCR and Luzon participants are Javier Ricardo Consunji, Emilio Puno and Ferdinand Ravena III (Ateneo); Kyle Carlos, Mark Framil and Jeremiah Vizmonte (La Salle Green Hills); Alfred Sojulga and Henri Lorenzo Subido (Lourdes School Mandaluyong); Ranbill Angelo Tongco, Hans Sison and Cyle Jowee Lopez (San Beda College); Carl Bueno and Alvin Gerard Ungria (University of Santo Tomas); Hubert Cani (University of the East Grade School); Lorenzo Fernando Navarro (St. Francis School); Thristan Laman (Sta Clara School of Antipolo); Shawn Brian Sabordo (Pateros Catholic School); Noel Joseph Perez (Nineveh Academy of General Trias, Cavite); Arvin Angeles Jr. (Valenzuela) and Lance Villanueva (Marist School, Marikina).

Those coming from Cebu are Lorenzo Carampatana, Jarek Mercado, Jessineth Stephen Wahing and Patrick Nigel Go (Sacred Heart School of the Society of Jesus); John Agustin Pajantoy and Mitchel Vincent Antigua (University of San Carlos); Bryan Edward Villaruz and Jorine Cercado (Ateneo de Iloilo); Kirell Brahndon Montalbo (Taytung High School in Bacolod) and Noel Villaceran (San Roque Child Development School in Lapu Lapu City).

Representing Davao are Henry Asilum and Jefferson James Roxas (Holy Child School of Davao); Miguel Competente (St. Paul College); Earl Nicole Hiso, Israel Dave Remolar and Carlo Lino Araguez (Stella Maris Academy of Davao); Miguel Paolo Gancio and Sean Patigue (Ateneo de Davao); Al Rashid Indin (Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School) and Troy Senen Macariñas (EMAR Davao City).

All participants were chosen based on their total scores in layup, dribbling, shooting, passing and footwork.

Report Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/187500/40-kids-chosen-to-join-jr-nba-philippines-training-camp

MANILA, Philippines - Let your child reap the benefits of sports, art, food, and dancing in a fun and effective way this summer through these workshops.

Kids at Art

Kids at Art (KAA) offers lessons on basic drawing, painting, sculpture, and craft (for kids ages 5 to 12 years old) as well as ceramic workshops (for kids ages 7 to 12 years old).

To be held from April 12 to May 13, the workshops will be conducted in SM Storyland branches in Fairview, Southmall, San Lazaro, Marilao, Batangas and Cebu; University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts (UPCFA) in Diliman; Piagetian Guided Educational Center

For more details, contact the KAA central at 414-1954 or 391-0410, or visit the Kids at Art website.

Summer Workshop 2010

At KAA's Summer Workshop, kids ages 5 to 12 years old will undergo 10 sessions which include the following art projects:

• watercolor and glitter painting with gold leaf
• acrylic painting
• ballpoint pen and ink drawing
• oil pastel on felt paper drawing
• crayon rubbing and resist drawing
• oil pastel drawing on coffee-stained paper
• mixed media collage painting
• junk art
• paper maché figure sculpture
• shirt painting.

The 10 sessions cost P5,500 for those in Metro Manila and Luzon, which includes all art materials, T-shirt, framing (without glass) of best work, and a certificate.

In Cebu, kids will be charged P4,000 for the art materials and an exhibit fee of P500 (inclusive of framing of best work and certificate).

Early bird registrants get a 5% discount.

Ceramic workshop for kids

At KAA's ceramic workshop, kids ages 7 to 12 years old can learn the joys of working with clay and having their works fired to permanence.

The course offers an introduction to ceramic forming processes such as hand-building techniques and the use of the hand potter's wheel to make sculptural and functional art forms.

The workshop will be facilitated by Mia Kasal, founder of KAA and the initiator and faculty coordinator of the UPCFA ceramic studio.

Six sessions cost P4,500, inclusive of 12 kilos of clay and a certificate, exclusive of firing charges.

Report Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/03/04/10/fun-activities-kids-summer

A Philippine Team composed of street children brought glory to the country after representing the country in the first Street Child World Cup held in South Africa.


These kids underwent many challenges before achieving their goal. More than 200 street children tried out to make it to the team, but only 14 got through. Then, only 10 of them were able to join the games abroad due to financial constraints.


The team credits their success to their training which includes the folk dance, tinikling.


Join Kara David as she features these young Filipinos making our country proud on OFW Diaries, right after Saksi!

Christian Amiel Miranda, a scholar of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and the city government, will go to Davao on February 21 to 26 to contest for the best editorial cartoonist title.

Miranda won the first place in the Regional Schools Press Conference's "Kartung Pang Editorial" category at the tilt held in Gapan, Nueva Ecija last December 7 to 11.

Miranda’s mother Alice, a health worker at the Provincial Health Office, said his son has been inclined to editorial cartooning even in his grade school days.

"He loves doing it and many of the judges in the contest were actually impressed about his skills and interpretation. He has made some contributions to national dailies and tabloids too," mom Alice told Sun.Star Pampanga.

Miranda also designed the winning mascot of ICT in last year's "Piyestang Tugak" or Frog Festival. He will be feted with recognition Monday at the City Hall for his accomplishments during the traditional Monday morning flag raising rites.

SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/high-school-student-heads-davao-cartooning-tilt

According to Store Manager Lex Mariano, the event is part of the Christmas and Corporate Social Responsibility Program of Home Depot to its immediate community.

Home Depot, according to Mariano, is not only a business establishment concerned on home building essentials but also holds values for community involvement and development.

"We identified 45 kids that we would try to help in their studies. These kids belong to indigent families. We try to orient them to have dreams and Home Depot will assist them," Mariano said.

The children from Barangay Sta. Lucia here, were given school bags, notebooks, books and other school supplies.

Administrative Manager Sally Kho told Sun.Star Pampanga that the Children's Day Program involved orientation and seminars for the said children regarding their schooling and plans in pursuing their dreams.

She said they would monitor the progression of the studies of the said students and help in their other school requirements.

"We also plan to institutionalize this program with other Home Depot stores in the Philippines and probably cater to more children," Kho said.

SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/indigent-kids-get-gifts-home-depot

The group's president Vonnie Burton told Sun.Star Pampanga that the group has been conducting free surgery, such as lip revision and palate operation, since 1997, where medical volunteers from Australia have given their time and expertise for the yearly mission to the Philippines.

This year, in memory of the late Guagua councilor Jerome David-Tulio, the HCSI has tied up with the local government of Lubao and Sta. Rita to help some 60 children coming from indigent families to avail of this rare opportunity.

Burton said the memorial mission held at the Escolastica Romero District Hospital here was a success, adding that not only children from Pampanga towns received the free operation but also from the towns of Bataan and Zambales.

Dr. Frank Kimble, one of two surgeons who administered the operations, said patients ranging from five months old to 24 years old were treated from February 23 until March 3.

Kimble said the operations would last for almost two hours depending on the extent of work to be done.

"We love to help and we love the Filipino people. We do this every year and the greatest reward we could ever have is the feeling that we made a child smile, he or she will not only look better but will also feel better inside and out," Kimble said.

Sta. Rita Mayor Yolly Pineda thanked doctors and nurses who headed the medical mission, saying her municipality and other towns are truly blessed for the kind hearts and generosity of the medical volunteers.

She also thanked former Guagua councilor Devine David-Tulio, mother of Jerome, who co-sponsored the medical mission together with congressman Mikey Arroyo, local government in the second district and staff at the said hospital.

The HCSI also donated medicines to patients.

Others members of the medical team are organizer Lorie Rowe, Witin Sharma, Richard John Scolaro, Damian John Castonelli, nursing staff Lindy Patten, Glenn Cartwright, Erin Elizabeth Mc Intosh, Catherine May Rogers, Nichole Margaret, Johnson, Bernice Alwyn Mc Lennan, Craig Adrew Walsh, Aileen Veronica Burton, and Tracey Lee Madden.

SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/pampanga-kids-get-gift-smile

Citing that education is the key to a successful career and a means to eliminate poverty, Dalisay said that among the 700 students who have been enrolled in four-year, vocational, and Tesda special skills training courses, around 100 of them have already landed high paying jobs, working as call center agents, bartenders, hotel personnel, and machinists.

He said the scholarship grant was the brainchild of her mother, Baby Cortez Santos-Dalisay, who, with officials of Tesda, jointly promoted free scholarship grants to poor but deserving students of this town.

Mrs. Dalisay, for her part, said her family believes that in order to uplift the living conditions of an individual, he or she must possess the proper education and training to land a high paying job and in the long run venture into his or her own business.

"Nais po naming tumulong sa mga kabataan para makapag aral at makapag trabaho, para kapag kumikita na sila ay sila naman ang tutulong sa kanilang mga magulang. Naniniwala kami na kami ay instrumento lamang ng diyos para makatulong sa mga kababayan natin, dahil ang pagtulong ay walang pinipil na oras o panahon basta taos sa puso ang pagsisilbi sa mga tao," she said.

"Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay mag create ng mga job opportunities at trabaho, dahil kung ma trabaho ay may pera ang mga tao at kung may pera sila ay gumagalaw ang ekonomiya natin. We must not only give a man fish but we must teach him how to fish so he could live forever," Dalisay added.

Jennifer Medina, 20, of Barangay San Pablo, working at Norbell Philippines, said she and her family are very thankful for the assistance extended by the Dalisays.

Aron Sarmiento of Barangay Dela Paz, who works at UPS Clark, said he owes the Dalisay family a huge amount of gratitude, saying that because of the free scholarship and training, he was able to land a high paying job.

SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/700-youths-get-scholarship-grant

Citing that education is the key to a successful career and a means to eliminate poverty, Dalisay said that among the 700 students who have been enrolled in four-year, vocational, and Tesda special skills training courses, around 100 of them have already landed high paying jobs, working as call center agents, bartenders, hotel personnel, and machinists.

He said the scholarship grant was the brainchild of her mother, Baby Cortez Santos-Dalisay, who, with officials of Tesda, jointly promoted free scholarship grants to poor but deserving students of this town.

Mrs. Dalisay, for her part, said her family believes that in order to uplift the living conditions of an individual, he or she must possess the proper education and training to land a high paying job and in the long run venture into his or her own business.

"Nais po naming tumulong sa mga kabataan para makapag aral at makapag trabaho, para kapag kumikita na sila ay sila naman ang tutulong sa kanilang mga magulang. Naniniwala kami na kami ay instrumento lamang ng diyos para makatulong sa mga kababayan natin, dahil ang pagtulong ay walang pinipil na oras o panahon basta taos sa puso ang pagsisilbi sa mga tao," she said.

"Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay mag create ng mga job opportunities at trabaho, dahil kung ma trabaho ay may pera ang mga tao at kung may pera sila ay gumagalaw ang ekonomiya natin. We must not only give a man fish but we must teach him how to fish so he could live forever," Dalisay added.

Jennifer Medina, 20, of Barangay San Pablo, working at Norbell Philippines, said she and her family are very thankful for the assistance extended by the Dalisays.

Aron Sarmiento of Barangay Dela Paz, who works at UPS Clark, said he owes the Dalisay family a huge amount of gratitude, saying that because of the free scholarship and training, he was able to land a high paying job.

SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/700-youths-get-scholarship-grant