Award of the Singapore Scholarship

The Singapore Government awarded the Singapore Scholarship for the 2004 academic year to 13 Filipino students. Singapore's Ambassador to the Philippines, Ms Lim Kheng Hua, presented the awards to eight of the scholars in a ceremony witnessed by First Daughter Luli M. Arroyo in Makati City. Five other scholars from Mindanao received their awards from Ambassador Lim in a separate ceremony held in Davao City. 

In her address to the scholars, Ms Luli Arroyo reminded the scholars that they were representing not just themselves, but also their families and the country. While encouraging the scholars "not to forget to have fun", she also urged them to "remember that you are Filipinos and be proud of who you are and where you come from."

On her part, Ambassador Lim reminded the scholars that they were selected "because we believe you will make a difference, not just for yourselves, but for your country, the Philippines."

This is the sixth year running that the Singapore Scholarship is being offered by the Singapore Government. The initiative was launched at the 6th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in December 1998, where Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced that Singapore would offer undergraduate scholarships to ASEAN students. The objective of the Singapore Scholarship is to help alleviate the problem of educating children in the ASEAN countries due to economic difficulties.

The 13 scholarships this year, amounting to 50 million pesos, are tenable at the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University. Each award is valid for up to four years of tertiary study, and covers tuition fees, airfares, annual living allowances, and other expenditures.

Scholars are selected on the basis of academic merit, leadership, qualities and their potential to contribute to community development. Singapore does not impose a bond, and all the scholars are expected to return and serve their home countries upon graduation.