They used to tutor children just a few years younger than they from the same impoverished background in Baseco, Tondo. Displaying leadership skills early on, they have also represented the community in various student initiatives in Manila.

Now their diligence and dedication at an early age are being rewarded. ING Bank, N.V. (Manila), the local branch of the Dutch financial giant, is sending them off to a private high school on a full scholarship, which covers tuition/school fees, textbooks, school uniforms, travel and project allowances.

Initially, the Bank has identified five exceptional students who graduated from the ING Learning Center, a community learning center in Baseco where 150 children receive supplementary lessons from ING employee volunteers in coordination with non-profit organization World Vision. The scholars were former students of the community learning center who have served as “Active Child Leaders” for the past year.

“These child leaders serve as inspiration to other students. When you listen to their hopes and dreams, you feel that you want to be a part of making their dreams come true,” said ING Bank country manager Consuelo Garcia.

Petite and vivacious Casandra Gamlanga dreams of becoming a stewardess and traveling the world to learn different languages. Evelyn Barquin has been inspired by her ING mentors to also be a banker someday. Catherine Ricarro, cheerful and pretty, plans to emulate her mentors and become a teacher. Quietly determined Adeelyn Salapar aspires to be a nurse, while Marfie Cinco, the lively and gregarious male in the group, wants to become a scientist.

The scholars live in the ING Village in Baseco, which ING Bank built in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity Philippines. The project began in 2005 when the ING network pooled both corporate and personal resources to build and complete what is now a community of 170 houses for the poor families of the locality. The contribution has made ING the single largest builder-sponsor in the community.  

“This marks the level-up stage of what started out as the ING Learning Center, a cooperative effort between ING Bank and World Vision. In fact, World Vision was inspired to replicate the ING Learning Center project by putting up a Children’s Resource Center in BASECO,” said Jun Godornes, manager for Direct Marketing-Publics in Ministry at World Vision Philippines.

To ensure the success of the scholarship program, ING Manila’s roster of employee volunteers – who also hold weekend tutorial classes at the ING Learning Center – will be assigned to every scholar to act as a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” and serve as mentors and motivators. The ING employee volunteers will also monitor the scholar’s performance and report their progress to the ING Manila CSR Committee headed by ING Bank Chief Financial Officer Dom Gavino.

Apart from a strong spirit of employee volunteerism, what will make the scholarship program a resounding success are the students and their supportive parents.

“As they say, since poverty is the absence of opportunity, ING simply gave them the opportunity; and with the young scholars full of dreams, we believe they will excel,” said Mr. Gavino.