A student from Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus has achieved the highest score in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) examinations of 2011.
Diness Pascua Cortez led the top ten passers of OWWA-EDSP exams held simultaneously nationwide and also in Riyadh and Jeddah of Saudi Arabia last November and December of 2011.
The top ten were among the 100 Overseas Filipino Workers dependents nationwide who passed the scholarship exams administered by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).
Joining Cortez in the top ten were Justine Wendell Sentillas Navarez of Cor Jesu College in Digos City, Davao del Sur province. Navarez landed at the 9th place.
More new EDSP scholars from Davao Region included John Carlo J. Penaso of Holy Child of Davao, Davao City; Arthur Conrad Lipat Diosana IV of Philippine Science High School-Southern Mindanao Campus, Tugbok, Davao City; and Henrik Renzo L. dela Cruz of Digos City National High School, Digos City.
The other two passers were Jessa Velle I. Ituriaga of the University of Immaculate Conception College of Davao City; and Edward Joseph M. Sartiga of University of Immaculate Conception of Davao City.
OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon announced that only the top 100 examinees out of the 4,384 OFW dependents who took the exams, will qualify for the OWWA scholarship program for 2012.
The scholars will be provided a maximum of P60,000 per school year for four-to-five year baccalaureate courses in any college or university.
The top ten EDSP for 2012 are: Diness Pascua Cortez (PhilSci-Southern Mindanao Campus, Davao City); Manuel Christian Eguna Parcon (PhilSci-Main Campus, Quezon City); Vic Nelson Batalla Lucero (Cavite State University Science High School); James Lester Casala Desipeda (Canossa Academy, Lipa City); Gloria May Cayagoy Sayson (University of the Philippines High School-Iloilo); Bea Camille Kalalo Patulot (De La Salle-Lipa); Joshua Miles Byncel Ilagan Felicida (De La Salle, Lipa); Alison Milo Estabaya (PhilSci-Main Campus, Quezon City); Justine Wendell Sentillas Navarez (Cor Jesu College, Digos City); and, Florette Hanh Parde Albis, Cavite State University Science High School.
Last year, 28 OWWA scholars graduated with magna cum laude and cum laude honors. Of the 28 scholars, 12 passed the nursing and accountancy board exams. A total of 469 scholars were listed as beneficiaries of the program last year.
