Philex Mining grants 15 grad scholarships

Ed Aratas

TUBA, Benguet -- With a budget of P2.98 million, Philex Mining Corp. has granted 15 scholarships—or less than half its target of 34—for graduate studies, including law and medicine, to deserving beneficiaries at its host and neighboring communities in this province, where the company operates its Padcal mine.

Granted through Padcal’s educational program dubbed Pusong Philex Post-Graduate Scholars (PPPDS), the scholarship is funded through the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) and the Development of Mining Technology and Geosciences (DMTG), two of the gold-and-copper miner’s campaigns in line with its corporate social responsibility.

“We are committed to help in the further development of our host and neighboring communities, especially in the field of education,” Feliciano Diso, Jr., manager for Community Relations (ComRel) at Padcal mine, said on Aug. 21, when Philex Mining announced the names of the new scholars (see sidebar). “We believe that education is a very important tool to improving one’s quality of life, which will trickle down to his family and the community where they live.”

Fourteen of the 15 scholars—one each for law and medicine; four and three doctorate degrees for philosophy and education, respectively; and three master’s degrees for education, one for public administration, one for community development, and one for psychology—are expected to start their first year of graduate studies by the second semester.

Except for a scholar in the Doctor of Medicine who deferred her scholarship for the next academic year, the rest have been accepted in their chosen schools, including the Baguio City-based University of the Cordilleras and University of Baguio; the Benguet State University, in La Trinidad; the Ifugao State University, whose main campus is in Lamut; and the University of Pangasinan, in Dagupan City.

ComRel’s Christopher Cheno, a section head for community engagement, said that besides free full tuition, the scholars will receive a stipend of P15,000 each for doctoral and medical students, and P10,000 each for law and masteral students per semester; a book allowance of P7,500 for a medical student and P5,000 each for the rest during the academic year; a transportation allowance of P10,000 each at the duration of the scholarship; an internship allowance of P15,000 for a student of medical studies; a thesis fund worth P30,000 and a dissertation assistance of P60,000.

He added that the applicants must not be over 45 years old, and, upon acceptance as scholars, must be full-time grad students, with a grade-average of at least 85 percentile (or its equivalent) per semester, and should not flunk in any subjects, except for those taking up law and medicine. Upon graduation, the scholars are required to serve in their community, either as employees of other organizations or with Philex Mining as their employer, for one year for every year 

(or a fraction thereof) of being a Pusong Philex scholar.

“We also screened the applicants based on their choice of graduate courses to be pursued, you know, what’s needed in their respective communities,” Mr. Cheno stressed, saying there were 18 applicants who were given an IQ test and each made to write an essay and undergo a panel interview. He revealed also that the allotted budget is actually good for 34 graduate students, thus more slots are available for the next academic year.  

Besides its graduate scholars, Padcal mine has at least 143 college scholars pursuing different degrees in various schools in Baguio City and Benguet for the academic year 2014-15, with a budget of P7.8 million.

Philex Mining also has announced P5.5 million worth of scholarships for 300 elementary students and 300 high-school students; P1.5 million for 53 students taking up technical/vocational courses; and P1 million for 80 students of the Alternative Learning System, a ladderized, modular non-formal education program created by government to give out-of-school youth and other dropouts to finish their elementary and high-school studies.

The college scholarships were made possible through Padcal’s PPCSP, or Pusong Philex College Scholarship Program (formerly CEA, or College Education Assistance), and under Philex Mining’s SDMP and DMTG, a research-and-training campaign to develop the mining industry. The scholars who get a tuition assistance of 75 percent only fall under SDMP’s Pusong Philex College Financial Assistance (PPCFA).

Philex Mining’s Padcal mine has allotted a total of P23.9 million for its educational projects this year, which include scholarship grants and the building and repair of classrooms at its host barangays of Ampucao, in Itogon town, and Camp 3, Tuba, and the neighboring barangays of Camp 1 and Ansagan (Tuba) and Dalupirip (Itogon).

This year’s total SDMP budget is P76.1 million, which also covers social projects on health and livelihood, plus the related infrastructure requirements.

The Pusong Philex Post-Graduate Scholars, AY 2014-15:  Aritao, Kristine Joy, Doctor of Medicine, (deferred for the next academic year); Baliton, Roxanne, MA Education, Ifugao State University (IfSU); Cabuag, Florence, Doctor of Education, University of Pangasinan (UPang); Cas-ing, Oliver, PhD, IfSU; Dominguez, Carol, PhD, IfSU; Dum-ao, Remy, PhD, IfSU  and Gabol, Debraliz, Master in Community Development, Benguet State University (BSU).

Others are: Galutan, Analyn, MA Education, University of Baguio (UB); Gavino, Gina, MA Psychology, University of the Cordilleras (UC); Leo, Rejane, PhD, IfSUMamaril, Sonia, Doctor of Education, UPang; Montino, Elmer, Master in Public Administration, BSU; Palubos, Pistola, Bachelor of Laws, UC; Panisoc, Margie, MA Education, UB and Yangkin, Rosemarie, Doctor of Education, UB