New OWWA Region scholars to enter country’s top universities

 

The six Region I qualifiers (seated)  for the 2015  Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are all smiles as their parents stand behind them beaming with pride.  (OWWA)

By Justin Paul D. Marbella

OWWA RWO1

Incoming college freshmen from Region I who qualified for the scholarship programs of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are now gearing up as they step up on their educational ladder and enter some of the country’s top universities.

Out of the 4,737 applicants, six OFW children from Region I have qualified for the 2015 Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), forming part of the 200 exam passers nationwide.  The exams were administered by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) in different test centers nationwide and in the Middle East on September 21, 2014.

Four of the EDSP passers will enter the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, while the other two will study at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Saint Louis University (SLU). Each will receive P60,000 per academic year from OWWA RWOI as part of their scholarship grant, which also allowed them to take any 4-5 baccalaureate degree in any college or university nationwide.

Harvey Nicholai R. Boco of Bauang, La Union will take up BS Psychology at UP Diliman. His father, OFW Jose Rey C. Boco, has been working as a seafarer for six years now.  Also to enter UP Diliman is Carlos John Benedict C. Mendoza, of the City of San Fernando, La Union. The son of OFW Olivia B. Calub-Mendoza who is a Market Researcher for Forbes Research in Singapore, Carlos John will study BS Applied Physics.

Joseph S. Gavine Jr. of Bauang, La Union wants to follow the footsteps of his father, OFW Joseph S. Gavine, who works as a Civil Engineer in Saudi Arabia. The OFW son plans to pursue Engineering at UP Diliman. Another scholar, Ma. Armina R. Quilala of San Juan, Ilocos Sur, will take up BS Electronics and Communications Engineering at UP Diliman. Armina’s mother, Adelaida R. Quilala, is a Household Service Worker in Hong Kong.

Clyde Justin A. Nodora of Bauang, La Union will study BS Pharmacy at UST. He is the son of OFW Clemente E. Nodora III, who is an architect based in Qatar. King Cesar DC. Reclusado of Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur will take up BS Accountancy at SLU in Baguio City. His mother, OFW Rosana Rosemalyn Reclusado, has been working as a Household Service Worker for Cyprus for two years now.

Meanwhile, the lone passer for the 2015 Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP) in Region I is Ethel Faye D. Castillo of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte. She will take up Engineering at Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte. Her mother, Jocelyn D. Castillo, works as a cashier in UAE.

Ethel Faye took the examination last September 21, 2014, along with the other 43 CMWSP qualifiers out of 352 applicants. She will receive  P60,000 per academic year from OWWA, the funding of which comes from the Philippine Charities Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).