Aboitiz Foundation opens more opportunities for tech-voc education
True to its purpose of driving change for a better world, the Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group, recently turned over PhP 1 million to TESDA to enable eager learners to pursue technical-vocational education.
One of the chosen beneficiaries is 19-year old Monica Calaycay, a resident of Taguig who has recently taken up Food Processing. Belonging to a family of seven with only one of them earning, Monica has been trying her luck with various jobs. She has tried selling rice cakes and has also been a saleslady in a food cart. But Monica dreams to achieve more for herself and her family.
“Lagi kong tinatanong sa sarili ko: Sino kaya ang tutulong sa akin na maabot ang aking mga pangarap? Nagulat ako nang mapili bilang isang iskolar ng Aboitiz Foundation. May pagkakataon na akong makapagsimula ng negosyo. (I always ask myself: Who could help me achieve my dreams? I was surprised to be chosen as a scholar of Aboitiz Foundation. I now have a chance to start a business,” Monica, 19-year old resident of Taguig.
“These stories of lives changed for the better are the reasons why we in Aboitiz continue to do what we do—help drive change for a better world for communities, by communities,” said Maribeth Marasigan, First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Aboitiz Foundation during the scholarship awarding ceremony held on July 7, 2017 at the TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig.
As part of its Education for a #BetterWorld initiative, the Aboitiz Foundation continues to be a staunch supporter of Philippine education reform, believing education is where the Group can make the biggest impact. This, in turn, supports the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, specifically on Quality Education (ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all). In 2016, the Foundation spent Php217 million or 49% of its total Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) allocation to education-related initiatives.
“We in Aboitiz believe that better educated youth means a better Philippines. We decisively build more meaningful partnerships and scale up our efforts to help young Filipinos obtain their dream of a better future,” Marasigan added.
“In Taguig, our priority is to produce more competent individuals, but the road to success is difficult. With partners like the Aboitiz Group, that road becomes easier to take. The challenge for the scholars is to nurture the assistance and trust given to us our private partner,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said during the awarding ceremony.
The Aboitiz Foundation, through its Comprehensive Scholarship Program, will cover the scholars’ school fees, including the expenses for their medical exams, insurance, and training supplies, among others. This initiative adds 100 scholars to over 32,000 youth assisted by the Aboitiz Foundation nationwide since 1988.
