SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) has partnered with the
University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) to further promote the country’s
pursuit of sustainable development.
Through a scholarship grant, SM Prime aims to assist select
students pursue undergraduate degrees in Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology (BSHE)
and Bachelor of Science in Forestry (BSF) – courses geared towards
sustainability.
The scholarship will be awarded to students from low-income
households in Pasay City intended to provide better employment prospects and
help reduce poverty and inequality, which are major obstacles to sustainable
development.
Members
of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) and SM Prime Holdings Inc
ink partnership to create scholarships geared towards sustainable development.
Present during the signing are (From left) UPLB College of Forestry and Natural
Resources Dean Marlo Mendoza, UPLB College of Human Ecology Dean Dr. Ricardo
Sandalo, SM Prime AVP and Head of Marketing, PR, and Communications Rida Reyes
Castillo, UPLB Chancellor Dr. Jose Camacho Jr., and Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs Dr. Janette Malata-Silva.
Collaboration
for innovation and sustainability
In an interview, UPLB Chancellor Dr. Jose Camacho, Jr. shared
his optimism about the partnership, citing the impact of education, especially
sustainability-related fields of studies, in social and economic mobility.
“The scholarship will enable more students to pursue their
studies in areas related to sustainability such as environmental science,
renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. By investing in education in
these areas, we are preparing a new generation of leaders who will have the
knowledge and skills to address the complex environmental and social challenges
facing our world today,” Dr. Camacho said.
“It will encourage research and development in areas related to
sustainability. By providing support for students to pursue advanced studies,
we are creating a pipeline of future researchers and innovators who can develop
solutions to pressing environmental and social problems,” he added.
Aside from enabling students to pursue their education without
financial burden, the UPLB chancellor believes that the scholarship can produce
competent leaders capable of solving complex environmental and social
challenges, and create a pipeline of innovative researchers.
He further stressed how fostering collaborations and innovation
in sustainability between the academic community and the private sector can
lead to new environmentally and socially responsible products, technologies,
and services that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
SM Prime AVP
and Head of Marketing, PR, and Communications Rida Reyes Castillo signed the
memorandum of agreement alongside UPLB Chancellor Dr. Jose Camacho Jr. The
scholarship formed under the partnership continues SM Prime’s pursuit of
sustainable development.
Ripples of
social good
SM Prime AVP and Head of Marketing, PR, and Communications Rida
Reyes Castillo shared that the partnership between SM Prime and UPLB is a
testament to the shared commitment of both institutions towards promoting
sustainability and creating a better future for the next generation.
By supporting the education of would-be scholars, SM Prime hopes
to create ripples of social good within families and communities, ultimately
contributing to the development of a more sustainable and equitable society.
“Improving the well-being of its partner communities and
investing in people’s growth have long been among SM Prime’s sustainability
pillars woven at the core of its business strategies and operations. As such,
SM Prime deems it important to create programs that would provide access to
quality education for all, and in the long term, create a pool of proactive
human resources who can responsibly carry out and balance the economic, social
and environmental aspects of a society’s sustainable development aspirations,”
Castillo said.
“SM Prime believes UPLB
would be the best partner to support its sustainability initiatives in
promoting a conducive learning environment while honing new Iskolars ng Bayan
leaders committed to knowledge creation and public service,” she also said.
The SM Prime Sustainability Scholarship is open to students from
Pasay City, under UPLB's BSHE and BSF programs with an annual gross family
income of not more than PhP150,000.00
For more information, interested applicants
may contact the UPLB OSG +63 49 536 3209 or email at osg.uplb@up.edu.ph
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