More Filipinos make it as UK gov’t scholars

MANILA, Philippines—Pursuing higher learning across various disciplines, an increasing number of Filipinos is flying to the United Kingdom as scholars of top British schools.

The 12 Filipino students are entering various UK schools this year under the Chevening Scholarship, an annual program of the British Government that has been granting schooling subsidies to deserving scholars around the world since 1983.

The batch of 12 scholars this year is the biggest yet, said the British Embassy, four times the 2010 group of three students.

British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie recently held a reception for the scholars at his Makati City residence, citing the Philippines’ impressive record in the program.

“I’m always impressed by the high quality of scholars coming from the Philippines. I’m delighted that this year we’re able to offer a record number of Chevening Scholarships in this country. It’s a sign of the importance that we attach to our dynamic links with the Philippines,” Lillie said in remarks during the reception.

Every year, an average 500 scholars from around the world receive the Chevening grant to study in UK universities. Funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the program has supported higher education of some 32,000 alumni from across the globe.

In this year’s batch, five lawyers are pursuing masteral studies: Rommel Abitria will pursue a Master of Laws in Criminal Justice degree at the University of Kent while Sherielysse Bonifacio will pursue a Master of Laws in Development and Governance degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Janice Lee and Anna Lorem Ramos, former staffers of now Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, will go to Queen Mary University of London to take up Master’s in Public International Law studies.

Ana Rhia Muhi will enroll in the same school to specialize in Environmental Law.

Joyce Marison Camacho of the Department of Foreign Affairs will take up International Political Economy at King’s College London while journalist Jessica Hermosa will take up the same course at the University of Birmingham.

Two scholars will go to the University of Cambridge: Biotechnology consultant Stephen Michael Co will pursue a Master’s in Bioscience Enterprise while Melvin Noche, a corporate finance consultant, will take up his Master’s in Finance.

Nongovernment organization worker Abdul-Jalil Umngan will go for a  Master of Science in Sustainable Development with Management Studies at Kingston University—London.

Healthcare researcher Marian Theresia Valera will be taking a Master of Science Public Health (Health Economics) at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at the University of London, while Deniece Yusun, a designer in a local architectural firm, will take up Master’s in Environmental Design and Engineering at Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London.