Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
The first recorded English version of this proverb can be found in a novel called “Mrs. Dymond” published in 1885 by Victorian writer Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie.
The proverb is at least 135 years old, but many of us would still agree that educating a person is more beneficial in the long run than temporarily satisfying a need. Opportunites, however, are not served in a silver platter.
Thankfully, the private sector has been initiating efforts to fill this gap. After all, corporate social responsibility empowers employees to leverage resources at their disposal to do good.
In the Philippines, some companies have made their mark in championing education through their CSRs.
1. SM Scholarships
Scholarships from companies as a form of a CSR project allow many poor but deserving students to finish their studies—just like how the SM Foundation does it.
SM Scholarships began in 1993 as the late business tycoon Henry Sy, Sr. with his spouse Felicidad T. Sy accepted scholars. The Sy patriarch believed that if somebody who can graduate from college, would soon, lift his family from poverty.
SM now offers scholarships dubbed as the SM College Scholarship and the SM Technical-Vocational Scholarship.
College scholars should take any of these programs: computer science, information technology, electronics and communications engineering or electronics engineering, computer engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, elementary education or secondary education major in biology, chemistry, general sciences, physics, mathematics, and English.
They could also take a degree in accountancy, accounting technology, accounting information systems, internal auditing, financial management, or management accounting.
College scholars benefit from full tuition, a monthly allowance, the choice of specialization, part-time jobs during semestral or holiday breaks and exclusive job offers when they graduate.
Senior high school applicants should have a general weighted average of 88 percent and an annual household income amounting to or less than P150,000.
2. PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gabay Guro
Believing that behind every great Filipino is a great teacher, PLDT-Smart Foundation established Gabay Guro in 2007 to recognize and honor the country’s educators for their role in nation-building.
PLDT Gabay Guro supports and honors teachers through its seven pillars of learning; namely, scholarship grants, teachers’ training, livelihood projects, teachers’ tribute, housing, and of course, broadbanding and computerization, and the newly launched innovations pillar where the goal is to equip teachers, school leaders, school staff, and other stakeholders with an empowering innovation mindset.
Over the years, more than 50,000 educators have benefited from PLDT Gabay Guro’s regular training programs, which include personality development, emotional intelligence, English proficiency, information technology, leadership, creativity in teaching, environment and climate change awareness among others.
To promote an innovative mindset for teachers, school leaders, and staff, PLDT Gabay Guro also links partner schools to communities and industries through a culture of innovation. This is to have an endless possibility in learning, teaching, community building, and education stakeholder development opportunities like workshops, interactive seminars, senseshops, and talkshops.
PLDT Gabay Guro has also teamed up with various organizations, including companies within the PLDT Group, to improve the quality of life of teachers and their families by launching livelihood programs for them.
To aid deserving but financially challenged students, PLDT Gabay Guro has thousands of scholars from various state colleges and universities nationwide, many of whom graduated with honors.
It has also donated numerous computers and broadband internet connections to partner schools as part of its seven pillars.
PLDT Gabay Guro has also built and donated classrooms nationwide, particularly in typhoon-hit areas.
3. Metrobank‘s Scholarship Program
Among the frontrunners in the CSR world is Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group. Established in 1979 by Dr. George S.K. Ty, MBFI runs flagship projects which include the Metrobank Scholarship Program (MSP) which began in 1995, aimed at providing educational opportunities to academically gifted but financially challenged students.
MBFI provides a four-year scholarship to students enrolled in accountancy, business management, and education courses; two-year scholarship grants to 141 students majoring in English, Science or Math; a special education assistance package to qualified graduating students in selected Level II or III accredited schools all over the country.
The Foundation also established the Share-A-Gift-Education (SAGE) Program, which supported elementary and high school Filipino-Chinese students enrolled in 95 schools accredited by the Association of Filipino-Chinese Schools.
Metrobank has also granted scholarships to deserving students from Adamson University, Don Bosco Technical College-Mandaluyong, Technological University of the Philippines-Manila, University of the East-Manila, University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines-Diliman, and Central Philippine University in Iloilo. This was made possible in partnership with other companies and organizations.
Furthermore, MBFI has teamed up with Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to conduct the prestigious Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC).
MMC provides a venue for Filipino students to hone their mathematical skills in an atmosphere of friendly competition. For several years, it has produced national winners who get to compete in international tilts. As of writing, MMC is the longest running math competition in the country with more than half a million students participating in the nationwide elimination rounds yearly, attracting students from both private and public schools.
Because of their efforts in supporting education, these companies have successfully branded itself as giants in corporate philanthropy. They have also set a good example for other companies to emulate, by taking part in nation-building.
“He certainly doesn’t practise his precepts, but I supposed the Patron meant that if you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn.”
