The Philippine-Austrian Cultural and Educational Society (PACES) has awarded STEM scholarships beginning in the first semester of school year 2026-27 to a new batch of Filipino students who are currently in their 3rd and 4th years of university studies, in addition to the vocational students (TVET) in two Philippine provinces that were reported previously. The scholarships will support these students and trainees until the completion of their respective studies.
The new PACES STEM scholars listed below have met all the financial and academic requirements for PACES STEM scholarships, and passed interviews with the PACES Scholarship Committee.
--Mr. Jervin Marcaux De Gala, B.S. Nutrition at U.P. Los Baños, 4th year
--Ms. Fatimah Areej Espiritu, B.S. Electronics Engineering at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Sta. Mesa, 4th year
--Ms. Charlene Nepomuceno, B.S. Information Systems at One Cainta College, 4th year
--Ms. Just Mae Romero, B.S. Secondary Education Major in Science at Cavite State University, Naic Campus, 4th year
--Ms. Kaela Villalobos, B.S. Forestry at U.P. Los Baños, 3rd year
Meanwhile, PACES supported the final semester of three students who graduated at the end of schoolyear 2025-26, bringing the total number of PACES graduates to 17. These are:
--Ms. Jonamie Javier who finished B.S. Information Technology at the Laguna State Polytechnic University (Sta. Cruz Campus)
--Mr. Jerome Lentijas who finished B.S. Forestry at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB)
--Ms. Niña Clarisse Villodo who finished B.S. Information Technology at the Laguna State Polytechnic University (Sta. Cruz campus)
In addition, twelve (12) TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) scholarships for 15 months are supporting trainees in Don Bosco Training Institutes (DBTI) in Cebu and Nueva Ecija as reported here. In the previous year, seven young Filipinos completed their TVET training in Metro-Manila.
The PACES STEM scholarships promote the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as a vehicle for Philippine development and progress. These scholarships support students enrolled in the 3rd to 5th years in Philippine state universities and colleges in degree programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in selected science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. Scholarships are awarded for the duration of studies until the completion of a 4- or 5-year degree program, subject to satisfactory performance. A full scholarship provides the following benefits to qualified scholars:
--Actual cost of tuition and required school fees for regular and summer semesters or trimesters;
--An allowance for text books, school supplies and uniforms as an outright grant of PHP 10,000 per academic year; and
--A monthly living allowance of PHP 6,000 per month when enrolled.
Applicants for the PACES STEM scholarships must be Filipino citizens enrolled or incoming in the 3rd to 5th years of an eligible degree program in a Philippine state university, between 17 to 25 years old, coming from a family with total annual gross income not more than PHP 300,000, and with a weighted grade point average not lower than 2.0 or equivalent (on a scale with 1.0 as the highest grade).
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs under the Don Bosco One TVET Philippines is aimed at productivity enhancement and poverty reduction in the Philippines through tertiary education and training. Specifically, the Don Bosco TVET mission statement aims to develop and train students who are highly qualified and globally competitive, and to provide quality technical education to the poor and the underprivileged youth for gainful employment. Target trainees are out-of-school youth, high school/seniors, high school graduates, and underprivileged learners. The TVET training offers classes and hands-on skills training at Don Bosco Technical Institutes, culminating in 3 months of On-The-Job training (OJT). The 15-month long programs are accredited by TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), the Philippine government agency responsible for managing and supervising technical education and skills development in the Philippines.
PACES is a registered non-profit association of civic-minded members of the Philippine and Austrian communities in Austria. Founded in 2016, it has the twin goals of promoting the study of STEM as a vehicle for Philippine development and progress, and of nurturing and promoting the synergies that exist between these two nations. Learn more about what PACES does in the News and Events section of this website.
--By Dr. Efren Abaya
