For the third consecutive year, the Taiwan-Philippines Education Development Foundation (TPEDF) has sponsored airfare and baggage allowance for Filipino scholars traveling to Taiwan.
Led by CEO Lin Chai-Liang and Chairman Su Kuo Fang, the foundation aims to help Filipino students access academic and technical opportunities abroad.
TPEDF works with the Taiwan government’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines to support the Study in Taiwan Program.
This initiative provides scholarships for Filipino students to enroll in a three-year high school program, with the option to continue for a four-year bachelor’s degree. The program also includes hands-on training to prepare students for future employment.
Su, who has lived in the Philippines for nearly 30 years, established the foundation with Lin. They said that the foundation was formed to support Filipino youth with academic and technical potential.
“Many of them have the potential to lead better lives with the right education and skills,” they noted.
Among the scholars benefiting from the program is Jhev Aron Voluntate, a computer science student at Kao-Yuan Vocational High School of Technology and Commerce in Kaohsiung City.
Voluntate is the first Filipino to attend the school under the scholarship program and is on track to graduate in 2025.
Voluntate’s journey began in 2022 when he arrived in Taiwan during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite initial challenges, including testing positive for the virus, he adjusted and now balances his studies with part-time work as part of the program’s hands-on training component.
“I am able to pay for my meals, school fees, and dormitory expenses, and I can also help my family back home,” Voluntate said. He added that his experience in Taiwan has helped him grow more independent and open-minded.
TPEDF continues to raise funds to support new scholars each year, aiming to provide more Filipino students with access to education and cultural exchange opportunities in Taiwan.
