PHINMA Foundation celebrates 34 years with scholarship expansion, disaster response preps

PHINMA Foundation, Inc. (PFI) on Friday, June 23, celebrated 34 years of making lives better with the announcement of a new partner school in its scholarship program and the formal launch of the PHINMA Group’s disaster fund. 

PFI signed a memorandum of agreement with the Technological University of the Philippines - Manila, as represented by its president, Engr. Reynaldo P. Ramos, PhD., EnP, and Dr. Margaret S. Aquino, the dean of the Office of Student Affairs, to herald the new partnership between the two institutions. This year, PHINMA Foundation will welcome students of TUP-Manila as it reaffirms its commitment to provide better opportunities to more Filipinos. This will increase this year’s intake of students to 70.

“Through this assistance, our college students in need of regular allowances will be able to pursue their dreams of becoming engineers. I am sure that with the generosity of PHINMA will return to them a hundredfold as the beneficiaries become instruments of social transformation, progress, and development,” said TUP-Manila President Ramos.

The PHINMA National Scholarship Program has produced over 250 licensed teachers, engineers, and accountants together with the 4 schools it has partnered with since 2006: University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and PHINMA University of Pangasinan. The schools signed during the ceremony a memorandum of agreement to continue their partnership with PHINMA Foundation.

TUP-Manila will also benefit from the expansion of PHINMA Foundation’s Science and Engineering Education Fund (SEEF), along with Caloocan National Science and Technology High School. SEEF provides support to high school students from esteemed institutions and engineering students from universities recognized as Centers of Excellence. 

SEEF's reach extends to 9 universities, including Cebu Institute of Technology, Central Philippine University, Mapua Institute of Technology, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, St. Louis University, University of San Carlos, University of the Philippines-Los Banos, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, and PHINMA University of Pangasinan. The program also supports 11 high schools, including the Philippine Science High Schools (PSHS), GUSA Regional Science HS, Manila Science HS, Muntinlupa Science HS, Caloocan National Science High School, PSHS Cagayan Valley Campus, PSHS Central Mindanao Campus, PSHS Central Visayas Campus, PSHS Eastern Visayas Campus, PSHS Southern Mindanao Campus, PSHS Western Visayas Campus, and PSHS Ilocos Region Campus. 

Through strategic partnerships with these institutions, SEEF aims to enhance the learning experiences, provide financial assistance, and foster a culture of scientific inquiry and innovation among the students.

PHINMA Foundation also operationalized the newly instituted 1PHINMA Disaster Fund, starting with a signing of a memorandum of agreement with representatives of the PHINMA Construction Materials Group, PHINMA Education, PHINMA Properties, and PHINMA Hospitality for the prepositioning of relief goods, which will empower them to take the lead in calamity preparedness and response within their respective communities. Among those that will be prepositioned are food, hygiene items, medicine, modular tents, and blankets for over 240 families.

The 1PHINMA Disaster Fund was established earlier this year as the PHINMA Group responded to the need for a long-term disaster response by putting together the efforts of all the business units and mobilizing them to help when calamities occur.

“The presence of PHINMA in many communities across the country not only allows us to serve them with our products and services; we also get to know these communities thoroughly and we are able to identify their needs. With the 1PHINMA Disaster Fund, we can now be better equipped to help swiftly and adequately when calamities strike,” said PHINMA Foundation Vice President Peter V. Perfecto.