More Poor Students to Attend Free College

AFTER GUICO COLLABORATES WITH SOKOR

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -  Through the initiative of the Pangasinan governor, more students from the marginalized sector will be attending free college education in the big province because of the scholarship given by the philanthropic South Korean organization.

“We believe in the power of education as a great equalizer. Once you are equipped with the knowledge, the attitude, and the understanding, we feel and know that our youth and all Pangasinenses and Filipinos could have the opportunity to alleviate themselves from poverty and the miseries of society,” declared by Governor Ramon V. Guico III during the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Lotte Shin Kyuk-ho Scholarship (Outstanding Talent Scholarship in Southeast Asia) of the South Korea based Lotte Group and the presidents of the four government owned colleges and university in Pangasinan.

MOA. Lotte Scholarship Foundation Chairwoman Chang Haesun (extreme left) and Pangasinan Polytechnic College President Raymundo Rovillos signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two institutions for the free college education of selected poor students in Pangasinan while Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III, Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino, Board Member Vici Ventanilla look. The forging of agreement among the presidents of  the four government colleges and university in the province ensued on March 8, 2024. (Photo: Pangasinan Police Provincial Official) 

The Korean project aimed to provide a scholarship fund of USD $450 per semester to each of the qualified recipients for this school year in these tertiary institutions.

The forging of agreement between the four college presidents and the Lotte Scholarship Foundation (LSF) Chair Haesun Chang have been witnessed also by Vice Governor Mark Lambino, Board Member Vici Ventanilla and other luminaries.

These presidents were Dr. Macrina V. Cajala of the Binalatongan Community College in San Carlos City; Dr. Elbert M. Galas of the Pangasinan State University; Dr. Evelyn Abalos-Tomboc (University of Eastern Pangasinan in Binalonan; and Dr. Raymundo D. Rovillos of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College in Lingayen. 

“Lotte Foundation was established 43 years ago and has been  providing 3.8 billion to foster global talents. Now we want to support the Filipino students,” Chang said in her speech at the PPC.

“We will be the lamp that lights the path to learning,” said by the motto inscribed on the LSF official website.

It elaborated that it “selects outstanding foreign students who strive diligently to learn amidst difficult circumstances, provides biannual scholarships, and also supports scholarships for elementary, middle, and high school students who show excellent talent and scholastic performance.”

Under the MOA, each of the 80 scholars in Pangasinan will receive US$450 (P24,975) per semester for their preferred courses until they graduate.

It will be the tertiary institution that will select the scholars based on their respective internal guidance. The college will then report to the LSF on the operations and expenses they incurred.

“Rest assured that we shall carefully select students who will dedicate themselves to their studies despite challenging circumstances,” PPC First President Rovillos told LSF Chairwoman Chang.

The people of Pangasinan saw the formal opening of the PPC’s Center for Lifelong Learning (CeLL) and the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) held on February 14 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center Complex here.

PPC, a landmark project under the administration of Gov. Guico, serves as his gift to the poor but deserving students in Pangasinan for a free education.

Expressing gratitude to the LSF, Guico sets his sights on soliciting more organizations and foundations to extend their altruism for the scholarships of the youth in Pangasinan notably those whose families hailed from lower income brackets of the society.