Scholarships for the creative industries. (L-R) Aboitiz Foundation Impact Lead for Education Jowelle Ann Cruz; UP Baguio Chancellor Dr. Joel M. Addawe; Aboitiz Renewables First VP and General Manager for Hydro Operations Noreen Vicencio; and UP Baguio Guidance Services Specialist and Office of Counseling and Guidance OIC Julie E. Tuguinay ink a Memorandum of Agreement which provides for a scholarship package to 12 deserving students taking the Computer Science and Communication programs in UP Baguio.
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — To help meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the country’s digital and creative industries, Aboitiz Renewables Inc. and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. partnered with the University of the Philippines Baguio to award scholarships to 12 students pursuing degrees in Computer Science and Communication.
“With this scholarship grant, we aim to boost enrollment in our Communication and Computer Science programs,” said UP Baguio Chancellor Dr. Joel M. Addawe. “It opens doors for bright and deserving students from the Cordillera and fuels our vision of shaping a new generation of creative professionals who will drive progress and national development.”
Baguio City, a UNESCO-recognized Creative City since 2017, is an emerging regional hub for creative and tech-based industries. In 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority-Cordillera said that its economy grew by 9%, driven by a strong services sector.
As demand grows for talent in tech-enabled creative industries, this initiative helps ensure that access to quality education and opportunities to contribute to the nation’s digital future is extended to students residing outside of metropolitan areas.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must pass the University of the Philippines College Admission Test, be endorsed by the Aboitiz Foundation through UP Baguio’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Assistance, and maintain a general weighted average of at least 2.0 with no failing or incomplete grades.
Each scholar receives a monthly stipend, a gadget allowance, and an academic excellence incentive, including an additional cash bonus for students who graduate with Latin honors. Support also includes board exam subsidies and access to mentoring and internship opportunities, ensuring not only financial aid but holistic development.
“For over two decades, Aboitiz Foundation’s scholarship program has become more than just a financial grant but also a platform for transformation,” said Aboitiz Foundation Impact Lead for Education Jowell Ann Cruz. “We invest in potential. We invest in who these scholars can become.”
“At Aboitiz Renewables, we believe true progress isn’t just measured in megawatts or infrastructure—it’s also measured in people. It’s measured in lives transformed and dreams realized. Education is one of the most powerful investments we can make,” added Aboitiz Renewables’ First Vice President and General Manager for Hydro Operations Noreen Vicencio.
In Benguet, Aboitiz Renewables, the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), currently operates nine run-of-river hydropower plants. Support for education and livelihood programs continues to drive its CSR efforts, empowering shared growth within its host communities and magnifying AboitizPower’s purpose of Transforming Energy for a Better World.
