THE state-run Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) recently renewed its partnerships with the DMMA College of Southern Philippines (DCSP) and 12 shipping companies with the signing of the memorandum of agreement for the fourth-year implementation of the DBP Endowment for Education Program (DEEP).

Introduced in 2008, DEEP has furnished vocational and college education to a total 1,320 impoverished high-school students from various parts of the country.

The DEEP is a corporate social responsibility project that provides assistance to the best and brightest high-school graduates from marginalized families.

As a partner school, DCSP will extend education and training to maritime scholars, while shipping companies will assure employment once the scholars finish their studies. Among DEEP partner schools, DCSP has the biggest number of DEEP scholars with 311, including those belonging to older batches.

For school year 2011-12, DEEP partner shipping companies that will tap DMMA scholars are Mideast Ship Management, Maine Marine Philippines Inc., KGJS Fleet Management Manila Inc., Veritas Maritime Corp., Associated Ship Management, Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group Inc., Klaveness Maritime Agency Inc., Wallem Maritime Services Inc., Phoenix Maritime Corp., Centennial Transmarine Inc., Marlow Navigation Training Center Inc. and Roymar Ship Management Inc. 

To qualify as an eligible DEEP partner, they must be:

• Scholars: From the top 20 percent of their high- school graduating class with annual family income of not more than P150,000;

• Schools: Commission on Higher Education/Technical Education and Skills Development Authority accredited public and private schools with good track records in licensure exams, strong tie-ups with reputable manning and job- placement agencies;

• Principals/employers/manning companies in search of a continuing supply of top-caliber and highly qualified manpower support for their business operations.

Expected benefits from the DEEP program are:

 • Continuing access to education as a mode to redeem families out of the vicious cycle of poverty;

• Sustained wealth creation from a highly motivated and productive citizenry;

• Values formation and moral regeneration;

• Capacity building and strengthening of educational institutions thru judicious use and application of the DEEP endowment fund;

• Continuing improvement in the education sector’s standards, processes, facilities, services;

• Adequate and continuing supply of qualified professionals and skilled manpower for domestic and global job market requirements;

• Enhancement of the country’s earning potential from remittances of overseas Filipinos; and

• Empowerment of program beneficiaries to become productive global citizens, poverty reduction, wealth creation, improvement of living conditions for the greater well-being of all Filipinos.