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GBF, the philanthropic arm of the Gokongwei Group, has long been committed to creating pathways out of possibilities through education. At its Technical Training Center (TTC) in Calamba, Laguna, GBF has been running the Iskolar ni Juan (INJ) program — a full scholarship on Mechatronics Servicing that links directly to an employment opportunity. For more than a decade, INJ has provided hundreds of graduates with stable jobs as production operators and machine technicians with partner Universal Robina Corporation – Branded Consumer and Food Group (URC-BCFG) plants nationwide.
Recognizing the need to extend this impact beyond the Gokongwei Group, GBF sought new partners who share the same belief in education as the greatest equalizer. This led to a partnership with Shang Properties and Kerry Group Philippines Foundation, who funded two batches of Mechatronics Servicing scholars. Over the course of seven months of in-house training and five months of on-the-job (OJT) experience, the scholars received free tuition, daily meals, dorm, transportation, uniform, school supplies, TESDA assessment fee and OJT allowance.
For their OJT, GBF partnered with Schneider Electric, where the scholars demonstrated not only technical competence but also leadership potential. Impressed by their performance, Schneider offered regular employment to the graduates which is a testament to the scholars’ grit and the program’s effectiveness.
Beyond Partnerships: How Dreams Are Woven Through Service
For Shang Properties and Kerry Group Philippines Foundation, supporting INJ is more than just a philanthropy but a commitment to serve.
During the graduation ceremony represented by Chief Operating Officer, Atty. Karlo Marco Estavillo, he expressed his faith in the scholars’ capacity to transform not just their own lives, but also those of their families and communities.
“We are asking you to live your life to a higher purpose, for a cause bigger than yourself,” Estavillo told the graduates.
For GBF General Manager Liza Gokongwei-Cheng, the Iskolar ni Juan program echoes her late father John Gokongwei Jr.’s commitment to supporting education.
“He felt that everyone deserves an education,” she recalled, noting how her father had to stop schooling at 13 to support his siblings after his father’s passing. “That’s why he donated half of his shares to GBF to create a foundation with his siblings that would provide educational opportunities like these to underserved youth in the Philippines”.
Employment partner Scheider Electric was also present to congratulate the graduates. “To the graduates, you’re not only running the workforce but shaping your future and your family,” said Vinodkumar Nair, Plant Director for Cavite Cluster, Schneider Electric.
Stories of Resilience
Behind every graduate is a journey of hope and perseverance. Among the scholars of Batch 24 and 25 is Angelica Rose Dacutan from Quezon province.
Raised by a single mother, Angelica admitted that “ang mangarap ay hindi madali” when one grows up in an incomplete family.
Through INJ, her hope was rekindled. Angelica is grateful to GBF and its partners for believing in them and walked with them in the ‘Bundok ng Pangarap’ (mountain of dreams).
Like Angelica, her batchmates passed the National Certification II on Mechatronics Servicing as a validation of their excellence in the field. This NCII certification is not simply a recognition of their resilience but a ticket to a bigger dream.
A Testament to Purpose
Iskolar ni Juan is more than just a technical-vocational scholarship, it has become a platform for institutions to come together to fulfill a higher purpose. It can create ripples of change not just for the youth, but also their families, and the generations to come.
Through the years, Iskolar ni Juan has opened doors for over 600 marginalized youth across the country.
Applications for Batch 31 is ongoing until October 10, click the link to apply: bit.ly/IskolarniJuan2025
