SUBIC BAY FREEPORT -Five Ayta pupils who graduated with honors in the last school year are now seeking secondary education in Olongapo City, thanks to grants from a scholarship fund set up by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) last year.

SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga said the five students represented "a new hope" for the coming generations of Ayta tribesmen in this free port, who have yet to enjoy most of the opportunities available to the lowland population.

"We are now moving into the age of the global village, where everything is within reach through modern technology. As we go along, we need to help the members of our tribal villages to also benefit from the transfer of knowledge that is available to the society at large," Salonga said.

Salonga presented a total of P25,000 from the SBMA Scholarship Foundation to Elaine Patiluna, Mica Amado, Roxan Villela, Judy Ann Liwanag, and Babylyn Diago during the 110th Philippine Independence Day celebration here last week.

The P5,000 grant for each student already covered their school fees, books, school and PE uniforms, and basic school supplies that they would need at the Olongapo City National High School where they are enrolled in first year.

"The SBMA Scholarship Foundation is here to help you," Salonga told the Ayta students.

"And we only expect that the beneficiaries of the foundation will grow in number because the most important objective of SBMA is to provide help in spreading knowledge and opportunities to the community," he added.

According to Marvin Lindog, officer in charge of the Pastolan Elementary School, the students who received the grants were all in the top of the graduating class last school year.

Patiluna was the school valedictorian, Amado was the salutatorian, while Villela, Liwanag and Diago were in the third, fourth and fifth places, respectively.

The scholarship grants for the Ayta children were awarded after the Pastolan Ayta's tribal chieftain, Conrado Frenilla, requested for assistance from the SBMA, said Armie Llamas, manager of the SBMA Public Relations Department.

Last month, Chairman Salonga also presented P556,250 from the SBMA Scholarship Foundation to the local government of Castillejos, Zambales through Mayor Wilma Billman.

The donation, which was requested by the Castillejos town council, will be utilized to upgrade and expand the scholarship program initiated by the local government a couple of years back, Billman said.

Salonga said the SBMA Scholarship Foundation is funded by voluntary donations from business locators and private individuals in the Subic Bay Freeport, and was established last year to support communities adjoining the Subic Bay Freeport.

He said the foundation will be providing more assistance to communities in the coming years as Subic projects increasing economic growth.

"As investments and trade grow in Subic, there will be more resources that we could dedicate to education," Salonga said. (30)