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EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP We believe that a bright future lies in educating our youth. Sadly, many families cannot afford to send their children to school. This year, we made a big leap in providing access to education. We increased our number of scholars in college. We expanded our program to include elementary students. From 19 scholars last year, we now have 26. Sixteen are in seminary formation – 8 are enrolled at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, 5 at the Holy Rosary Major Seminary, 3 at University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary. Three scholars are at the Ateneo de Naga University, and three at the Aeronautical Academy of the Philippines at Canaman, Camarines Sur. In March 2005, four IBFI scholars, namely Abel Francis Olea, Norm Anthony Soriano, Mario Cedilla and Jason Ilano, graduated from the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary and earned a degree in Philosophy. Olea and Cedilla continued with their preparation for the priesthood. Olea is now at the UST Central Seminary while Cedilla is at the Holy Rosary Major Seminary. Both continue to receive scholarship grants from IBFI. Dubbed as Send-A-Child-To-School Project, we also provided financial assistance for the schooling of four elementary students, namely: King Cerdino, Erwin Eballa, and two others at Naga Parochial School. The Education and Scholarship Program is wholly supported by our benefactors here and abroad. They are – Elmer Aspe of Legazpi City, Linda Francisco of Makati City; Nenita Lee of Quezon City; Atty. Francis Papica, Arnel Renolyan and Family, both of Chino Hills, CA; Henry Reyes of Naga City; Ofelia Nuguid of New Jersey; Orlando Group care of Cecile Umali, of Orlando, Florida; Walter and Maria Mendez, Dr. Horacio Lopez, Tomas Fulgentes Jr, all of Simi Valley, CA and Emma Sabido of Los Angeles, CA. In support of the Education and Scholarship Program, the Filipino American Association of West Connecticut shipped more than two hundred volumes of book which we distributed in January 2005. The books, which included a set of Encyclopedia Britanica, were generally on Philosophy and Theology. Some volumes were on literature, inspirations and general interest. We gave the books to different institutions, namely, the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Holy Rosary Major Seminary, the Daughters of Mary, Caceres Catechetical Center and the Caceres Commission on Communications.
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