The PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) recently provided education grants to over 200 dependents of PLDT and Smart employees through the Manuel V Pangilinan Academic Excellence Awards (MVPAEA).
Aligned with the PLDT Group’s core value of malasakit, the MVPAEA is now on its 17th year of recognizing academically gifted learners, the A-Listers, who receive a one-time grant of P50,000 for college students, P30,000 for high school, P20,000 for elementary, and P50,000 for special education.
PSF Chairman Manuel V Pangilinan said at the virtual awarding ceremonies, “I salute you, dear awardees for your diligence and determination to focus and excel amid the pandemic’s challenges… Your unwavering love for learning has paid off. You have survived and thrived–passing your subjects with flying colors! Here you are now, about to mark another milestone in your academic life.”
One of the MVPAEA grantees this year is Josh Edward Pagtalunan, an electrical engineering student at Bulacan State University, and son of Eduardo Pagtalunan, PLDT Revenue Protection Specialist. Thankful to MVP and PSF, Josh said he and his fellow awardees “are fortunate to be selected out of the many who applied for the MVPAEA.” He advised other students to “just strive hard and continue to exert effort to learn.”Congratulating the grantees, PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio said, “Despite the unprecedented shift to online learning, we are proud of our awardees who continue to soar high and embody excellence amid adversities… I encourage all of you to become leaders in digital education and ambassadors for PLDT and Smart’s superior connectivity all over the Philippines.”
A total of 3,462 MVPAEA grants have been awarded to employees’ dependents since the program started in 2004. According to PSF President Ma. Esther O. Santos, “This help from PLDT and Smart serves not just as a reward, but an incentive for our students to do even better. Let us be thankful to our company leaders, our colleagues – your parents or siblings – for sharing these blessings. And, of course to Our Lord God.”
Underscoring education, Smart Chief People Officer Gina Ordoñez said “it gives the youth a chance to be successful, not only to benefit families but more importantly, to help better the nation.”
Advocating #NoLearnerLeftBehind for its education pillar, PLDT is committed to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG#4: Inclusive Quality Education.