are now
scholars of ex-ATO chief Al Cusi
By JUANCHO R. MAHUSAY
CALAPAN CITY – A total of 184
students enrolled in different colleges and educational institutions in
Oriental Mindoro are now the recipients of scholarship and educational
assistance of a private foundation headed by former Air Transportation Office
(ATO) chief Alfonso Cusi.
In fact over the weekend, the
said college students got their respective certificate of scholarship from
Dennis Reyes, Cusi representative and chairman of Gawin ang Tama Movement
Foundation, Inc. (GTMFI), as the latter underscored the foundation’s resolve to
help or support not only talented but poor and deserving students in the
province of Oriental Mindoro.
The college scholars came from
this city and from different municipalities of the province and most of them
are said to receive on July different cash or checks corresponding to whole
payment of their school tuition fees.
According to Reyes, the said
scholarship and educational assistance are part of GTMFI and Give More Action
for Charity (GMAC) welfare and outreach program initiated by Cusi “to give back
to the people of Mindoro part of what he received in the years of working as a
successful businessman.”
Cusi, both founder of GTMFI and
GMAC, is a native of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and a successful private
businessman and government official who figured prominently during the
administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
From his simple outreach
undertaking to help those people in Mindoro who were victims of typhoons and
calamities in 2010, Cusi was enticed by Sandugo, a local political party, to go
on a scholarship program to help the needy young Mindoreños.
Ruel Mason, GTMFI and GMAC
project officer, stated they have now a total of 184 scholars, 62 of them are
from the first district of Oriental Mindoro, covering Calapan City and the
towns of Puerto Galera, Baco, San Teodoro, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro and Pola,
while 84 are from the second district towns of Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud,
Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao.
Mrs. Belen Montemayor, GTMFI
scholarship coordinator, explained that from last year’s only 39
student-beneficiaries who are mostly from the second district, the number of
their scholars ballooned to 184 as Cusi decided to expand to the whole province
the said program. Each scholar will
either received P5000 as educational assistance or full payment of tuition fee
for the each semester.
During the awarding, GTMFI and
GMAC officials, led by GMAC president and chairman Manny T. Mas and trustee Fr.
Cris Raymundo; and parents of student-beneficiaries witnessed the awarding of
scholarship certificates as proof of the said groups’ commitment of support to
young Mindoreños.
25 November 2015
ReplyDeleteLetter to the Editor.
Advice to a lameduck president.
Pres. Aquino, as a lameduck president whose term of office ends soon, should avoid irresponsible statements that reveal his insensitivity to public opinion if he wants his bet, Mar Roxas, to win in the next election.
We refer to Aquino's baseless "conspiracy theory" in re: the mass media's vigilant coverage of the internationally scandalous and painfully never-ending laglag bala/tanim bala scam at the NAIA terminals.
Instead of issuing unfounded statements that insult the intelligence and self-dignity of the Filipino people (his Bosses, as he claims), he should immediately fire DOTC Sec. Abaya (president, Liberal Party), MIAA GM Honrado (his cousin [?]], and the top Avsecom generals for incompetence and for abetting the corrupt and abusive behavior of the OTS, Avsecom and NAIA security personnel.
He should apply the doctrine of command responsibility against these officials.
The aforecited laglag bala/tanim bala scam is aggravated by Aquino's refusal to listen to the widespread cries of the working masses for the immediate passage of life-saving income tax reforms and for his lack of interest, if not laziness, to give top priority to the speedy enactment of the much-delayed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill and the Freedom of Information Bill (which have been in limbo in the dusty congressional archives since the ratification of the 1987 Constitution).
If Aquino wants to save his neck from future non-bailable criminal cases by reason of his illegal actions in re the unconstitutional DAP/PDAF funds and the bloody Mamasapano Incident (and other potential irregularities that might soon be discovered by the civil society and the media once he leaves his comfortable office at the Malacanang Palace), he should insure that his presidential bet Roxas win the election next year.
Aquino can achieve that dream only if he disciplines his arrogant mind, controls his sharp tongue, observes genuine humility, and exercises wisdom and fairness in his actions, decisions and statements as a lameduck president.
Otherwise, he will suffer the same humiliating fate of the convicted plunderer Erap and the seriously ill GMA, the two most disdained presidents in recent Philippine history.
Aquino must remember that the first law of nature is IMPERMANENCE. Nothing lasts forever. And the second law of nature is KARMA. One reaps what he sows.
- Atty. Manuel J. Laserna Jr.
Prof. of Law, FEU (ret.).
Founder, Las Pinas City Bar Assn
Former VP, IBP PPLM Ch.
Partner, Laserna Cueva-Mercader LAW Offices
3rd Placer, 1984 Bar Exams
Blog – attylaserna.blogspot.com