AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO OPEN PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIPS TO BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN MINDANAO
The Australian Embassy will hold an information session on Friday, 3 March, 10:00 AM at Cinematheque Davao, Palma Gil St., Davao City to open opportunities for fellow Dabawenos who are interested to apply in the Australia Awards scholarship program.
The Australia Awards is a prestigious international scholarships program aimed at equipping emerging leaders with skills and world-class Australian education to build a better future, not just for themselves, but also for their home countries.
Scholarships are aimed at the Philippines’ best and brightest - regardless of gender, ethnicity or disability - who wish to pursue postgraduate qualification (Master’s Degree) at Australian universities. Applications for the program’s 2018 intake is open until 30 April 2017.
Scholars based in Mindanao like Professor Roy Ponce of Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST) and Maximo Macalipes Jr. of Davao City Government, are making a difference in a wide range of areas including education, business, peace and security, and governance.
Prof. Ponce, who was awarded scholarships by the Australian Government to complete his post-graduate degrees at Melbourne University, established afterschool care centres for marginalised children in Davao Oriental.
“I was inspired when I witnessed the afterschool care centre system of the University of Melbourne which was just next to my college building. And I figured, if children in advanced countries like Australia can provide such service to school children, there must be a way to build centres that can benefit our own school children, especially those in poorer communities in the Philippines,” Professor Roy Ponce explained.
Maximo Macalipes Jr. of Swinburne University of Technology was awarded the same scholarship, resumed his post at Davao City Hall, and immediately set out to improve public financial management in the city. Under his guidance, the City Economic Enterprise Office turned around the performance of local government assets resulting to over 20% increase in revenues for the city in a year.
For more information on the Australia Awards program, visit www.australiaawardsphilippines.org for more details.