Philex employee tops board exams; 2 colleagues pass, too
High schools students at Padcal community, Nov. 2011 | DANNY PATA
Philex employee tops board exams; 2 colleagues pass, too
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Scholarship program ‘testament to unselfish contribution to nation-building’
Three former scholars and now employees of Philex Mining Corp. have passed this year•s Mining Engineer Licensure Examination, with one of them landing at the top 10 among the 117 new mining engineers.
Jason Ostrea, a graduate of Saint Louis University (SLU), in Baguio City, placed sixth in the exams given by the Board of Mining Engineering, in Manila on Aug. 13-15, the results of which were announced Aug. 16 by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
His two other colleagues•Eunice Cuntig and Vincent Ong•also SLU graduates who were among the 141 examinees, also emerged successful. The three of them work as grade-control engineers at Philex Mining•s Padcal mines at Camp 3, in Tuba, Benguet.
It•s another feather on the cap of Philex Mining, as this shining moment punctuates and brings to the fore the company•s educational scholarship program,• Libby Ricafort, vice president at Philex Mining and resident manager of Padcal, said. •This education program is part of our social agenda toward uplifting the quality of life of our stakeholders.•
Jason Ostrea
Philex Mining currently has 14 mining-engineering scholars enrolled at SLU while 100 other scholars are pursuing various degrees at the different colleges and universities in Baguio City and Benguet, and 94 high school students and 170 others are enjoying full scholarships and subsidized education respectively.
The company also has 27 scholars taking up technical and vocational courses, and 80 other scholars under the Alternative Learning System, which is a ladderized and modular non-formal secondary education program for dropouts, out-of-school youth, nonreaders, working Filipinos, and even senior citizens.
At Padcal mines, free elementary education is provided to employee-dependents as well as children from the host- and outlying communities through the company•s Philex Mines Elementary School. The company, meanwhile, subsidizes the education at Saint Louis High School-Philex, located at the Padcal community.
Describing Philex Mining•s educational assistance program as •unequaled •¦ within the country•s minerals industry,• Mr. Ricafort stressed the company•s commitment to developing and producing talents and professionals.
He said, •This is another testament to our unfailing adherence to responsible mining and unselfish contribution to nation-building•a true trademark of the intrepid Philex miner.•