PROJECT SIKLAB: Sinag ng Karunungan, Liwanag ng Bayan

In Mandaluyong City, many young people struggle to pursue higher education because of financial hardship. Some residents from the city's 2nd district sought assistance not as

charity, but as an opportunity to continue their studies.

In response, a partnership was formed between the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong East, Infotech College of Arts and Sciences (ICAS Philippines), and Saint John Bosco College of Arts and Sciences to launch PROJECT SIKLAB: Sinag ng Karunungan, Liwanag ng Bayan.

Through this initiative, ICAS Philippines provides college scholarship opportunities for students pursuing BS Information Technology and BS Hospitality Management, while

Saint John Bosco College of Arts and Sciences offers scholarships for technical-vocational education and skills training, ensuring that more young people can access pathways toward meaningful employment and self-sufficiency.

This commitment was further formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement signed on March 4, 2026, outlining the shared responsibilities of the partner institutions.

Through this collaboration, scholarship support is provided for deserving students, while the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong East helps facilitate mentorship, connecting scholars with mentors who guide them not only in their academic journey but also in their personal and professional growth.

Among the first recipients is “Ana” (not her real name), a solo parent studying alongside her teenage child while also caring for her ailing parents. Her story carries a deeper burden—she became a mother after surviving sexual assault in her youth, a painful experience that delayed her education.

Despite these hardships, Ana continues to persevere. She works tirelessly while pursuing her studies, driven by the dream of graduating and building a better future for her family. For Ana, this scholarship is more than financial assistance, it is a second chance, a spark that reminds her that her past does not define her future.

That is the true spirit of PROJECT SIKLAB: when one life is given the chance to rise, its light does not stop with one person—it spreads to families, communities, and generations yet to come.