Ben and the single light bulb
Ever wondered what happened to Ben Cantomayor whom we featured in Iloilo Updates (Hope Shines Brightly for SM Scholar) last year?
Ben came from a poor family who lives in a nipa hut in Oton, Iloilo. He walks several kilometers every day from home to his school with the aim of giving his family a better future when he graduates.
They did not have any extra budget for their home lighting needs as well. In fact, they only have one light bulb at home. The very one light bulb that Ben uses in order to study hard in order to make his parents proud.
Consistently on top of his class, the small nipa hut with soil as their floor is a witness to Ben’s achievement. On the walls hung several meals from his academic and extra-curricular feats.
This exceptional student is also a self-thought artist. His paintings hang in a small room where he rests after his daily grind with his books and school assignments.
Last 2018, qualified in the SM Foundation Inc.(SMFI) college scholarship program. He is now a Civil Engineering student at the Central Philippine University. His dreams for his family is now within reach.
All he needs to focus on is his studies because his tuition and miscellaneous fees are covered by SMFI. The foundation also provides his monthly allowance.
The late Henry Sy, Sr. founder of SM founder, believed that education is the best defense against poverty. With its CSR arm, SM Foundation they are able to provide college and technical-vocational scholarship grants as well as access to primary education through school buildings to help the youth achieve their dreams.
SM also helps provide underprivileged children with better quality public education by donating school buildings and classrooms in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd identifies areas in need to help address the backlog of classrooms in accordance with national requirements. With the new and conducive environment for learning, children perform better in school and are more inspired to learn, while teachers also become more effective.
Ben may be using the same light bulb now, but the future looks brighter now, thanks to SMFI./
Ben came from a poor family who lives in a nipa hut in Oton, Iloilo. He walks several kilometers every day from home to his school with the aim of giving his family a better future when he graduates.
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| Ben Cantomayor is now a Civil Engineering student at the Central Philippine University |
They did not have any extra budget for their home lighting needs as well. In fact, they only have one light bulb at home. The very one light bulb that Ben uses in order to study hard in order to make his parents proud.
Consistently on top of his class, the small nipa hut with soil as their floor is a witness to Ben’s achievement. On the walls hung several meals from his academic and extra-curricular feats.
This exceptional student is also a self-thought artist. His paintings hang in a small room where he rests after his daily grind with his books and school assignments.
 |
| Ben at home, with the single light bulb (upper right corner) |
Last 2018, qualified in the SM Foundation Inc.(SMFI) college scholarship program. He is now a Civil Engineering student at the Central Philippine University. His dreams for his family is now within reach.
All he needs to focus on is his studies because his tuition and miscellaneous fees are covered by SMFI. The foundation also provides his monthly allowance.
 |
| This exceptional student is also a self-thought artist |
The late Henry Sy, Sr. founder of SM founder, believed that education is the best defense against poverty. With its CSR arm, SM Foundation they are able to provide college and technical-vocational scholarship grants as well as access to primary education through school buildings to help the youth achieve their dreams.
SM also helps provide underprivileged children with better quality public education by donating school buildings and classrooms in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd identifies areas in need to help address the backlog of classrooms in accordance with national requirements. With the new and conducive environment for learning, children perform better in school and are more inspired to learn, while teachers also become more effective.
Ben may be using the same light bulb now, but the future looks brighter now, thanks to SMFI./
