Award for helping kids of paperless Filipinos
Published on: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: A woman's deep concern about the welfare of children of undocumented Filipino parents unable to provide them proper education in Sabah made her among recipients of this year's Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organisations Overseas during a ceremony at Malacanang Palace on Monday.Marilou Salgatar Chin, who is married to Engineer Eddie Chin and has two children, received her award during the ceremony officially graced by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and other Cabinet Secretaries.Sixteen other Filipino personalities and organisations from various countries also received similar citations.ADVERTISEMENT Marilou, now a Malaysian citizen, was recognised by the Philippine Government for her sincere and continues efforts in setting up the first Filipino alternative learning centre called "Stairway To Hope" in the capital city four years ago.Stairway To Hope, located in Inanam, is presently providing basic kindergarten and primary education to more than 350 children of undocumented Filipino parents.The centre run by Filipino volunteer teachers and financially backed by benefactors, both locals and Filipinos coming from Sabah and Peninsula Malaysia and guided by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.The centre has six classrooms, a computer laboratory, a science laboratory and a canteen.ADVERTISEMENT Upon completion of their primary education, students will be at liberty to level up their learning desire in any of the educational institutions in the Philippines, instead of just growing up without proper education as the case prior to the setting up of the centre.Many believe that providing basic education to this particular group of young people has nothing to do with politics simply because the process is all about looking after the future of children and individuals.
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Marilou said children growing up in a society without proper basic education could bring harm to the community.She urged undocumented Filipino parents to grab the opportunity extended to them by Stairway To Hope and the five other alternative centres in Sabah.At the sometime, Marilou also called on the concerned parents to legalise their stay in the country to avoid problems and for the future of their respective siblings.The Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organisations Overseas is the highest honour conferred by the government of the Philippones to Filipinos and foreign friends based overseas.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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It was institutionalised in 1991 and held every year since. This year, some 103 aspirants were registered and only 17 individuals and 16 organisations overseas were chosen to be awardees after a stringent screening process conducted by the relevant committees and the office President of the Republic of the Philippines.Also In attendance at the ceremony were the Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and other officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and foreign ambassadors including other diplomatic personalities.