When typhoon Yolanda devastated the Philippines in 2013, thousands of people were forced to flee their homes—among them were young Abegail and her siblings. But thanks to their relatives, they were able to survive the heartbreaking aftermath, and were given another chance at life. This experience has led Abegail to develop the values of resilience, responsibility, and determination at such a young age. Motivated to give back to those who helped her family, she is steadfast in pursuing her education and fulfilling her goals in life.
Abegail, one of the scholars of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Bantay Edukasyon, recently graduated from grade school. With the theme “Global competitiveness towards a better future,” the closing assembly recognized graduating scholars from Manila and Laguna, and awarded outstanding students from each region.
With SIA’s long-standing partnership with Bantay Edukasyon for 14 years now, SIA has supported a total of 1,536 students to date. Recognizing that the future belongs to the next generation, SIA understands the value of nurturing the youth, and thus the company has always been committed to education as its advocacy.
“It’s really humbling for us to be given the opportunity to touch the lives of these scholars in such an impactful way. These kids have so much potential and so much to contribute to society, and it is just proper to give them the assistance they need to start their journey,” said Aiza Soller-Garcia, SIA’s head of Marketing and PR.
To help these kids take flight and realize their full potential, SIA extends them educational scholarships through school supplies, food and transport allowance, uniforms, and other forms of assistance. In addition to this, the company partners with Bantay Edukasyon’s campaigns, and regularly holds programs and activities in order to foster camaraderie and well-rounded development among the students.
As a message to the kids during the gathering, Soller-Garcia said: “I would like to congratulate this latest batch of Bantay Bata scholars for successfully embarking on and completed this journey. There is no greater reward than seeing all of you graduate, and we are very proud of your achievements. May you continue to inspire people of all ages and walks of life wherever you may go. We are looking forward to seeing you take flight in the pursuit of your dreams.”