Pinoy students receive scholarships in Taiwan

BUSTOS, Bulacan, Philippines — Up to 1,000 Filipino students will study for free in Taiwan through the scholarship program of the Taiwan-Philippines Educational Development Foundation.

The TPEDF is supported by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).

The TPEDF will shoulder the plane tickets of the beneficiaries of the three-year scholarship in Taiwan’s technological universities.

The foundation is headed by Chai-Liang Lin as chief executive officer and Kuo-Fang as chairman as well as Ya-Hui Huang, Chia-Hsing Lu, Kuo-Chen Wu and I-Ho Hsieh.

TECO deputy representative Dustin Yang urged the students to study hard and help strengthen the ties between the Philippines and Taiwan.

Yang joined the launch of Taiwan’s first “Project Ligaya” for this year in this town to promote friendship with the Philippines.

Project organizer Shirleen Hsieh led the event at the Bahay at Yaman ni San Martin de Porres in Barangay Bonga Menor.

Hsieh is Taiwan’s international youth goodwill ambassador to the OCAC in the Philippines.

She is a Taiwanese-Filipino born and raised in Bocaue.

After college, Hsieh said she went to Taiwan and returned to the Philippines, bringing with her the pilot project that allows children to experience the Taiwanese culture.

The project resulted in a good relationship between the Phlippines and Taiwan.

The project teaches Filipino children to make Taiwanese lantern and learn its night market games. It also introduces Taiwanese cultural toys and snacks to the children.

Up to 200 children in five orphanages in Bulacan beneffitted from the project.

These are the Hearts Orphanage Inc. in Santa Maria, Bethany House Sto. Niño Orphanage and Philippine Children’s Mission in Balagtas, and Bahay at Yaman ni San Martin de Porres Inc. and Nazareth Home for Children in Bustos.