2008 Chairman’s Address

FOFI Thesis & Research Grant with UP Los Banos, 2008

On 20 May 2008, FOFI signed a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) with UP Los Banos, called The FOFI Thesis and Research Grant. In their monthly community newsletter UPLB Link, Issue of May 2008, is a picture of the signing of the grant with Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco, with the following report:

“A new thesis grant is now available for deserving junior BSBiology students who will do research on the environment and on plant biology. Given by the Friends of Overseas Filipinos, Inc.(FOFI), the grant is good for two slots every semester starting AY2008-2009. Each grantee will receive P5,000 upon approval of thesis outline, P15,000 upon start of thesis research, P10,000 for succeeding two semesters, P4,000 upon submission of approved thesis manuscript to the director of the Institute of Biological Sciences , and P6,000 for administrative cost.

To qualify for the scholarship, an applicant must have a grade point average of 2.0, not be more than 20 years old, a Filipino citizen, physically fit as certified by the UPLB Health Service, and must practice his/her profession in the Philippines for at least two years after graduation. Application forms may be obtained and filed with the Office of Student Affairs. Interviews will be conducted by the IBS Scholarship Committee and UPLB will recommend the successful candidates to the FOFI Thesis Grant. (EBV Bernardo) “

Meanwhile, we are pleased to report that the Dentistry student, Katrina Anne Austria, whose last year of dentistry studies in 2006 we supported and paid for her review, which board exams she passed, is now a practicing dentist in Calamba, Laguna. In early 2007, we financed the last year nursing studies of Katrina’s sister, Karla, and we also paid for her review, which board exams she also passed. Karla works as a special nurse in Calamba. Both sisters were orphaned of their mother who died of cancer and a father who was a former OFW from Kuala Lumpur who also had a heart attack rendering him unable to help his daughters finish their studies. Now both girls work and able to help their father.

BOARD MEETING (23 JUNE 2008, San Juan)

At its last board meeting on 23 June 2007, FOFI Board decided to make some changes in its structure . Two incorporators of FOFI were taken in as new board members to increase the board membership to 7 instead of 5. Miss Anne-Marie F. M. Bakker who is coming home soon to share her European and Middle East experience, and Mrs. Teresita M. Lazatin, will fill in to make the Board Membership to 7. We also appointed Atty. Bill Santillan as our new Corporate Secretary. Board Director and VP, Winston Uy also suggested that we redefine our objectives because of changes in the running of FOFI, to which we all agreed. Such changes will be featured at a later date as soon as finalized. Hereunder are our 7 members of the Board.

FUND RAISING

FOFI is at the moment busy preparing “From Russia With Love “ concert featuring world-renowned Russian Steinway Artiste and Star of Carnegie Hall, Miss Katya Grineva, November 129, 2008 at the Cultural Ccenter of the Philippines in order to raise funds to build a Technical Vocational Training and Livelihood Center in the Philippines, dedicated to the Philippine soldier, his dependents and enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

With the kind endorsement, help and support of former PCSO Chairman & General Manager, Manoling Morato and of former First Lady, Mrs. Ming Ramos to help our soldiers by teaching them practical skills, the first phase of this undertaking is to initiate a livelihood program to address their immediate need which is to augment their meagre incomes.

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