Living simply on what her bartender husband can provide for her and their two children, Purisima Villacarlos never imagined the great blessing that would come their way.
Her younger child Raymond has been named one of 50 scholars under the De La Salle University (DLSU) Vaugirard program, which will be given annually—starting this year—exclusively to graduates of public high schools.
Raymond and 39 other scholars from the National Capital Region (NCR), as well as 10 from the provinces, were feted recently at the Marilen Gaerlan Conservatory Hall by DLSU, headed by Br. Narciso Erguiza, university president and chancellor.
Education Secretary and former DLSU president Armin Luistro welcomed the new program. “I feel like I won the lotto jackpot. It was an answered prayer,” he enthused.
Luistro had earlier suggested to extend the scholarship program beyond the NCR. He said public schools in the provinces could raise the bar of competitiveness and be even better than their counterparts in the NCR.
Villacarlos, who augmented the family income by helping out at an eatery, said all she had asked of her son was to make sure his grades were good so he could remain in the Marikina Science High School.
The only basis
Raymond did not graduate with honors from the Marikina City school but he passed the qualifying test given by the university, the only basis for the selection of grantees.
Villacarlos said she had never helped her son with his studies. “We just let him be. It was his own idea to apply (for the scholarship through) the Internet.”
The new scholarship program, launched as the university winds down its celebration of its centennial, is named after Vaugirard, France, where the school’s founder, St. John Baptist de la Salle, established his first novitiate.
The house has become a place where the Christian Brothers deepen their spirituality, strengthen relationships and renew the zeal to continue their educational mission.
Raymond says, in addition to the full scholarship, “I will have a monthly stipend of P4,000 and an option to stay at De La Salle’s study center.” The 16-year-old lives in Antipolo City.
To remain in the program, a grantee has to have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher at the end of every trimester, with a full academic load of 18 units.
Irene Katrina Jayme of Tuguegarao City responded on behalf of the scholars.
The other scholars from the provinces are Gabrielle Formoso (Philippine Science High School Central Visayas), Lester Gallardo (Doña Francisca Lacsamana de Ortega Memorial School, La Union), Kathryne Anne Lasam (Bataan National High School), Monique Therese Mujer (University of the Philippines Rural High School, Laguna), Norben Sagun (Jose L. Liedo Jr. Memorial National High School, Oriental Mindoro), Seth Andrew Salih (Regional Science High School, Zamboanga del Sur), Le-Ji Tolimao (PSHS, Davao del Sur), Frances Louise Urbano (PSHS, Camarines Sur) and Eulene Albert Geronimo (Cavite National High School, Cavite).
Jayme, who was class valedictorian at the Tuguegarao City Science High School, said she was planning to take up Bachelor of Science in Human Biology for two years at the main DLSU campus on Taft Avenue in Manila then transfer to DLSU-Dasmariñas City to study medicine.
“I want to be a doctor for the poor,” said the daughter of a medical technologist. She said her choice of La Salle, a last-minute decision, was inspired by the Christian values the school exemplified.
“There’s a big difference when your school is committed and connected to God. In high school, I always prayed before I started reviewing my lessons,” she said.
Simon Stephen San Pedro, class salutatorian at the Manila Science High School (MSHS), does not plan to follow in the footsteps of his father, an anesthesiologist at Tondo General Hospital.
Instead, he will go into the study of statistics since he has always been good at mathematics.
San Pedro said he chose to apply for the La Salle scholarship “because I was inspired by a speaker during our orientation seminar. He impressed me with an activity called actuarial science (a statistical calculation, especially of life expectancy).”
Manila school is tops
MSHS has the most number of scholars with 10. Aside from San Pedro, the other scholars from the school are Thomas Guy Bienvenida, Jamie Cefre, Joshua Llewelyn Crescini, Jan Lothan Discher, Angela Grace Embuscado, Christian Kyle Fermin, Jason Jeremiah Garino, Justin Gabrielle Manay and Mark David Stehmeir.
Makati Science High School has five: Kyle Atienza, Louise Adrienne Blancaflor, Marc Joseph Capili, Jason Cydrick Gupo and Chinette Montenegro.
Three Metro Manila schools have three scholars each: V. Mapa High School, Santa Mesa, Manila—Danica Christine Corpuz, Analiah Gubat and Chris Robles; Ramon Magsaysay High School, Quezon City—Lea Payumo, Paul John Petil and Vladimir Eli Taopo; and PSHS, Quezon City—Chesedel Limlingan, Vio Jianu Mojica and Kean Adriel Peralta.
Also among the scholars are Carlo Adriano, San Bartolome High School, Quezon City; Mikel Jason Allas, Valenzuela City Science High School; Donna Angeles, Pasay City Science High School; Carlos John Barrera, Cayetano Arellano High School, Manila; Maria Eliza Cleofas, Quezon City Science High School; John Rene Dalida, Santa Elena High School, Marikina; and Alesis Jemuel Dongon, Marikina Science High School.
The rest of the scholars are James Renzo Fonacier, Quezon City High School; Jamie Luz Ganaden, San Francisco High School, Quezon City; Bryan Angelo Gonzales, Parañaque Science High School, Parañaque City; Rejeanne Ico, City of Mandaluyong Science High School; Rizza Louise Magana, Sen. Renato Cayetano Memorial Science High School, Taguig City; Jhanniz Pauline Paloma, Pasig City Science High School; and Kimberly Tumaliuan, Tala High School, Caloocan City.