Mandaue exec launches scholarship program

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Councilor Emmarie "Lolypop" Ouano-Dizon yesterday inked a memorandum of agreement with two schools in the city for her scholarship program for deserving but less fortunate students in the city.

The program is dubbed as "Edukasyon  Mo, Pangandoy Ko."

Ouano-Dizon poured P1.5 million  of her personal money so that 300 students coming from the 27 barangays in the city can avail of a four-year college education in the seven schools in Mandaue.

Yesterday, Ouano-Dizon accompanied by his father sixth district provincial board member Thadeo Ouano signed a deal with Ambassador Frank Benedicto, the founder and chairman of Benedicto College, Lilian Benedicto-Huan, vice president of Benedicto College and college director Ranulfo Visaya Jr. being one of the recipient schools of her program.

She also signed an agreement with Dr. Editha Flores, the dean of education of St. Louis College.

These two schools are just among the seven private schools in the city wherein Ouano-Dizon is set to pour her educational assistance .

Although the recipients do not necessarily belong to the top ten of the class, they should maintain at least 82 percent average in their grades while they are under the scholarship program.

Ouano-Dizon's office will also be coordinating with the 27 barangays in the city to help determine these less fortunate students .

Board member Thadeo Ouano for his part said he was glad that her daughter came up with her own scholarship program.

Ouano said her daughter's educational assitance was patterned after the scholarship program of his father former Mandaue City mayor Alfredo Ouano .

He said when his father was still city councilor, he also initiated his own Ouano-Mendoza Scholardhip program wherein just like  her daughter, his father also used his personal funds to come up with the program.

PB Ouano also said he was wondering that Mandaue City has been tagged as an industrial city and yet most Mandauehanons have not been given the opportunity to land a job in these companies.

For this reason, he is also endorsing to the council the drafting of  an ordinance allowing college students to avail for an educational loan from the city government for them to pursue their college education and land job in these industrial companies.

"Matingala ta,gitawag atong siyudad nga industrial city apan ang mga Mandauehanon kutob ra sa pagpanilhig sa dalan, that's why I also initiated an education program aron mahatagan sad ug kahigayonan nga maka-eskwela atong mga kabatan-onan," PB Ouano said.

He said that it has been their  family's belief that the only way to fight poverty is through education. — Flor Z. Perolina (FREEMAN)