SM Foundation (SMFI) invites incoming college freshmen to apply for the SM College Scholarship program for School Year 2022-2023 via its online application portal from January 15 to March 15, 2022.

The SM Scholarship Program started from the vision of the late SM patriarch, Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr. He believed that if you send one child from an economically challenged family to college, that child would have more opportunities to have gainful employment and later on uplift the economic status of his/her family.

The SM scholarship program is open to the following:
• Grade 12 graduates from public and private schools in the areas covered. Applicants from private schools must have a DepEd voucher and must be Grade 10 finishers from public high schools;
• General Weighted Average grade of at least 92% or its equivalent for Grade 12 – 1st semester; and
• Total household income of at most P150,000 per year.

The program covers the following field of studies: Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, and Electronics), Education (Elementary and Secondary); Accountancy, and Financial Management, among others.

For more information and to apply, visit www.sm-foundation.org and follow SMFI on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube: @SMFoundationInc.

SMFI, through its Scholarship program, provides deserving and qualified students with access to college education and technical-vocational studies since 1993. To date, SM has produced more than 8,000 college and tech-voc scholar-graduates.

USAID Philippines Acting Deputy Mission Director Jeff Goebel joined Acting Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic and representatives from the private sector and civil society to discuss ways to make the internet more accessible for all Filipinos.

“USAID is working toward a future where digital technology promotes inclusive growth, fosters resilient and democratic societies, and empowers all, including the most vulnerable,” said Acting Deputy Mission Director Goebel. “Closing the digital divide requires global cooperation, leadership, and innovation in finance and technology. This is a need that is even more crucial today as we continue to face the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

While the cost of one gigabyte (1GB) of mobile data in the Philippines has become more affordable over the past five years, 1GB mobile broadband remains unaffordable for about 40 percent of the population. Only about half of the country’s population use the internet due to high prices of data services and devices, and limited network coverage in the countryside.

“Our main challenge is the coverage of quality and affordable internet services, especially in remote locations. With wider coverage, Filipinos will be able to access information and participate in rebuilding the Philippine economy,” said DICT Acting Secretary Caintic in his keynote message.

Participants noted that promoting infrastructure sharing, improving national data collection efforts, and encouraging interconnection and peering, among others, could help address these challenges.

Technologies and strategies to maximize bandwidth and optimize energy consumption are key to keeping costs low. Strategic partnerships with government agencies such as the Department of Education and civil society organizations to bring education programs to remote areas can also help bridge the digital divide.

Through its Better Connectivity and Access (BEACON) project, USAID helps improve the Philippines’ ICT and logistics infrastructure; strengthen the regulatory, business, and innovation environment; and bolster cybersecurity. To help bridge the digital divide, USAID also assists the government in automation and digitization efforts, and supports community networks to expand low-cost internet access for underserved communities.

Two-time Fulbright alumnus and CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera and U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Cultural Affairs Officer Matthew Keener kicked off the session by welcoming participants to the webinar, “Evolving Dynamics on Internationalization during and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic.”  

“Today’s webinar is part of the CHED-U.S. Embassy agreement signed at the Diamond Hotel in Makati almost a year ago,” said De Vera.  “Through this agreement, the Commission and the U.S. Embassy confirmed their shared interest in promoting increased higher education cooperation and educational exchange between the Philippines and the United States by facilitating several areas of cooperation.”  

During the virtual program, experts from Texas International Education Consortium and SUNY-COIL (State University of New York-Collaborative Online Learning Center) discussed how Philippine universities can respond to challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to effectively sustain and pursue partnerships and continue their internationalization efforts.  They also shared best practices about how continuity of education and flexible learning can be facilitated remotely through a pandemic-proof approach to higher education.  

This program is one of the primary outputs of the U.S.-Philippine Joint Statement on Higher Education, signed by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and CHED Chairman De Vera at the 2019 Bilateral Strategic Dialogue held in Manila.  

“We are dedicated to continuing our partnership with CHED and with the Philippines as we deepen our international linkages between our higher education institutions,” said Keener.  

In addition to assisting and advising Filipinos interested in studying in the United States, EducationUSA Philippines works closely with Philippine higher education institutions interested in collaborating with accredited U.S. higher education institutions.  You can find more information about EducationUSA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/educationusa.philippines and on Twitter at @EducationUSA_PH.  (USEmbassy)

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