Thai conglomerate extends scholarship programs in Tondo, other select areas
Thai conglomerate Siam Cement Group (SCG) has extended its scholarship program for high-school students in Tondo to mark its ninth anniversary in the Philippines.
From the targeted 200 students to more than 1,400 scholars assisted in the last eight years, SCG program dubbed “Sharing the Dream” supports 30 underprivileged but deserving high-school students from Tondo, where they recently expanded operations and services.
Janalynne Jarillas, chairman of the SCG project for 2016, said the company will be sponsoring 230 high-school students from the four areas of SCG operations in Bulacan, Batangas, Taguig and Manila.
“For the program itself, we have four areas we have located because [these areas] are where SCG operates,” Jarillas said.
Asked about the idea of the program, Phaskorn Buranawit, country director of SCG in the Philippines, said it is mainly about providing educational support to Filipino students who wants to better the lives of their families.
“The program is about providing the educational support to Filipino students who also have shown their gratefulness to their parents and also have a very high education record,” Buranawit said.
“Why the youth? We think that when they have grown up, they would be path to drive the society, the nation, especially in (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Asean countries. We need education for sustainable growth.”
The scholarship covers financial assistance for the tuition fee, miscellaneous fees, school uniforms, monthly and transportation allowance for each scholar SCG is supporting.
Kristine Rivadelo, Luzon Regional Center Manager of Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), partner organization of SCG, also mentioned they offer life skills workshops to promote the “holistic progress” for SCG scholars.
According to Rivadelo, the total fund of the educational program amounts to more or less P4 million, which allots P17,000 for every SCG scholar.
She also explained that SCG beneficiaries should come from families with income of P12,000 or below and would have to maintain a general weighted average (GWA) of 85 percent or higher and with no grades below 75 percent.
In the selection process of students, Jarillas explained the company encourage employees to participate in volunteering for the interview and home visitation of potential scholars.
From the four operational areas mentioned, SCG has tapped 15 partner schools to participate in the scholarship program.
Across the Asean region, Buranawit also shared that the SCG scholarship program assists 5,000 students every year in countries including Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
The Thai conglomerate has been operating in the Philippines since 1993.
Today SCG is operating with seven subsidiaries: United Pulp & Paper Co., Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc., SCG Roofing Philippines Inc., SCG Trading Philippines Inc., SCG Marketing Philippines, Inc., Green Siam Resources Inc., and Green Alternative Technology Specialist Inc. KC Tayam, Inquirer.net trainee
