ATTY PEDRO D RICAFRANCA MEMORIAL SC

THE FOUNDATION DID NOT RENEW MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENTS (MOA) BETWEEN THE FOUNDATION AND EULOGIO AMANG RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EARIST)AND INDIVIDUAL GRANTEES. ONE INSTITUTION TRYING TO APPLY FOR A MOA IS THE COLLEGIO DE MANILA. GRANTS FOR POLITECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (PUP) AND RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (RTU)WERE DIRECTLY DIVERTED TO STUDENTS AS THE INSTITUTIONS WANT TO BE PAID FOR ANY SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO THEIR STUDENTS.A TOTAL OF 69 SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS PER SEMESTER (THERE ARE TWO SEMESTERS PER SCHOOL YEAR) WERE AWARDED OR A TOTAL OF 138 FOR THE YEAR 2018.IN ADDITIONAL THESIS AND ON-THE-JOB EXPENSES WERE AWARDED TO GRADUATING SCHOLARS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE. UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENTS WITH HOST STATE UNIVERSITIES, IT IS CLEARLY STATED THAT THE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS ARE FOR POOR BUT DESERVING STUDENTS WHO COULD HARDLY AFFORD TO PAY TUITION AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES.MOREOVER, GRADUATING STUDENTS WHO COULD NOT AFFORD TUITION FOR REVIEW CLASSES WERE GIVEN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEM TO PASS GOVERNMENT LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS. SO FAR SOME STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO BECOME BOARD TOPNOCHERS.POOR STUDENTS DESIRING TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS MUST PRESENT LOCAL CLEARANCES FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL UNITS CALLED BARANGAYS STATING THAT THEY BELONG TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE POVERTY LEVEL SET BY THE GOVERNMENT. NORMALLY THE UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDS NAMES OF STUDENTS TO BE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS BASED ON THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENTS. NOW THE FOUNDATION CHECKS THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE STUDENTS BY VISITING THEIR STATED HOMES. TO COUNTER CHECK THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS, THE FOUNDATION INTERVIEWS THE PARENTS OF THE APPLICANTS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR SOURCES OF INCOME AND HOW THEY COULD AFFORD TO SURVIVE THE POVERTY LEVEL OF LIVELIHOOD.A FINAL LIST IS DONE BY THE FOUNDATION FOR FUNDINGS. IF THERE IS A DELAY IN SUPPLYING THE FOUNDATION OF THE NAMES OF STUDENT APPLICANTS APPROVED BY THEM, THE FOUNDATION REQUESTS THE STUDENT APPLICANTS TO PAY FIRST THEIR TUITIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES BY BORROWING FROM RELATIVES. THE FOUNDATION THEN REIMBURSES THE STUDENTS EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTING OFFICES IN CHARGE OF SCHOLARSHIPS.THE OPERATION OF THE FOUNDATION IS HAMPERED BY LACK OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT SO MUCH GRANTS FROM INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS. THEREFORE THE OFFICERS OF THE FOUNDATION WHO ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE NAME OF THE FOUNDATION ITSELF DECIDED TO CHIP IN THE DIFFERENCE TO MAKE ALL THE PROJECTS PUSH THROUGH. THE FOUNDATION INTENDS TO AWARD MORE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO OTHER DESERVING STATE UNIVERSITIES WHERE THE ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN GOING DOWN BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING OF THE SOCIETY HAS BEEN GOING UP, AND STUDENTS COULD NOT AFFORD TO BE EDUCATED ANYMORE.THE FOUNDATION STRATEGY IN ASSISTING POOR STUDENTS TO FINISH COLLEGIATE LEVEL IS BASED ON THE LOGIC THAT THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY AT PRESENT IS HEAVILY ANCHORED ON REMITTANCES FROM THEIR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS. FOR A FILIPINO TO BE ABLE TO WORK OVERSEAS, THE PHILIPPINES REQUIRE THAT THE WORKERS BE EDUCATED EITHER THROUGH COLLEGIATE DEGREES OR THROUGH TRADE SKILLS. WITH NO EDUCATION, A POOR STUDENT HAS NO HOPE TO HAVE HIS LIFE CHANGED.THE DOLLAR REMITTANCES OF THESE WORKERS SENT FROM ABROAD STABILIZE THE ECONOMY OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE COUNTRY NOW IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FEW FAR EASTERN COUNTRIES WITH A VERY STABLE ECONOMY WITH HUGE DOLLAR RESERVES FROM REMITTANCES. WHILE AT PRESENT THERE ARE FEWER NEW APPLICANTS, THE FOUNDATION INTENDS TO EXPAND TO THE POOR PROVINCES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE FOUNDATION ALSO NOTED THAT SOME STATE UNIVERSITIES HAVE VERY HIGH TUITION AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES FOR SOME COURSES WHICH ARE IN DEMAND ABROAD MOST SPECIFICALLY THE UNITED STATES SUCH AS NURSING AND MEDICAL RELATED FIELDS, AND ENGINEERING. ON CASE TO CASE BASIS THE FOUNDATION ASSIST STUDENTS OBTAIN HIGH GRANT OF FEES TO ASSIST THEM ON THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS.THE FOUNDATION HOPES THAT WITH PROJECTS THAT DIG DEEP INTO THE ECONOMY OF THE HOST PHILIPPINES, THE MEMORY OF ATTY PEDRO D RICAFRANCA SR, WHO SERVED VALIANTLY AS ARTILERY COMMANDER UNDER THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN THE FAR EAST DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND WHO WAS ONE OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE PHILIPPINE INFAMOUS DEATH MARCH WHERE THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS DIED OF EXTREME EXHAUSTION AND HUNGER, SHALL BE PROPAGATED IN THE COUNTRY WHERE HE WAS BORN AND RAISED AND NURTURED HIM TO BE A VALIANT SERVANT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.IT IS NOTED THAT WHEN HE DIED LAST JULY 31, 2004, HE WAS GIVEN A FULL MILITARY HONORS BY THE UNITED STATES ARMY.THE FOUNDATION, SUBSISTING ON DONATIONS FROM ITS FRIENDS, HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE TREMENDOUS 2008 MELT DOWN OF THE ECONOMY OF THE HOST COUNTRY, USA. FOR THIS REASON, AND WITH DWINDLING DONATIONS COMING IN, THE FOUNDATIONS SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN TO ACCOMMODATE ONLY FEW SCHOLARS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2015. DISMAL DONATIONS IN 2011 HAS FORCED THE FOUNDATION TO CUT SERVICES TOO, EXCEPT FOR GRADUATING SCHOLARS. MOST FUNDS NEEDED HAVE BEEN CHIPPED IN BY THE DESCENDANTS WHO MANAGE THE FOUNDATION.SO FAR ONLY $13,928 IN 2015 TAX YEAR POURED IN. SUCH AMOUNT WAS BARELY SUFFICIENT TO CONTINUE THE SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH 2016. THE FOUNDATION RECEIVES CASH DONATIONS IN $5, $10 AND RARELY $20. BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUING ECONOMIC MELTDOWN IN 2011, ONLY 134 DONORS WERE RECORDED. FOR THE YEAR 2016 THE FOUNDATION EXPECTS MORE THAN 300 DONORS ASSUMING THAT THE ECONOMY WILL BECOME VERY ROBUST COME MIDYEAR 2016.WHILE THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY, IT IS NOTED THAT A LOT OF GRANTEES OF THE FOUNDATION WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE UNITED STATES WITH WORKERS VISA. FOR THIS REASON, THE FOUNDATION WILL RESEARCH WHICH COURSES IT WILL SUPPORT AND WHICH WOULD GIVE THE STUDENT GRANTEES THE CHANCE TO OBTAIN WORKERS VISAS TOWARDS WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES.SO FAR, THE FOUNDATION IS OPEN TO ALL COURSES BELIEVING THAT ALL COURSES OFFERED IN THE PHILIPPINES COULD BE THE STUDENT PASSPORTS TOWARDS WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES. WITH THE EXPERTISE OBTAINED BY THE STUDENT GRANTEES IN THE PHILIPPINES, THEIR WORK IN THE UNITED STATES WILL DEFINITELY ADD TO THE US ECONOMY. SHOULD THERE BE MORE DONORS, THE FOUNDATION EXPECTS TO AWARD PROFESSORIAL CHAIRS TO THE STATE UNIVERSITIES IT MAY SUPPORT. THESE CHAIRS WILL ASSIST THE FOUNDATION SCHOLARS TO EXCEL IN THEIR LINES OF CHOSEN PROFESSION.