Petron fuels hope through education for 20 years

Petron Foundation’s flagship CSR program Tulong Aral ng Petron (TAP) stays committed to fueling the hopes of young dreamers. Recently, around 3,100 TAP scholars received brand new notebooks, pads, pencils, shoes and socks, marking the start of another exciting school year.

TAP aims to give underprivileged children from Petron’s fenceline communities a better future by sending them to school and providing them with the necessary tools for learning. This year, the annual school supplies distribution was held at SM Megamall and other SM malls in Batangas, Rosario, San Fernando, Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, GenSan, and Lanang, as well as Petron facilities in Poro, Roxas, Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Nasipit, Iligan, Jimenez, Tagoloan, and Zamboanga.

TAP scholar and a cum laude graduate of the University of the East Beth Cruz shares her journey in being one of the beneficiaries of Petron’s scholarship program, “Iba ang alagang Petron—mula sa libreng school supplies at snacks sa canteen noon, hanggang sa libreng tuition fee, book allowance at daily allowance sa kolehiyo, nandiyan ang bukas-palad nilang suporta para sa’yo.”

It is also a priority to establish a suitable learning environment for the scholars. TAP’s regular feeding program enable them to actively participate in school activities by keeping them healthy and well-nourished.

Petron complements these interventions with a Teacher Training Program for educators and administrators of TAP-participating schools. Petron employees also take part in providing an environment conducive for learning by participating in classroom-refurbishing activities such as the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela.

Over the last two decades, TAP has expanded its presence and extended its impact to benefit even the parents of the scholars. Petron Foundation develops livelihood opportunities for the scholars’ parents in Rosario, Cavite who were given sewing machines as well as training on dressmaking. They started with making rags, and now they are able to create ecobags from repurposed tarpaulin streamers. They were able to develop new skills and have discovered a new opportunity for them to earn money.

With over 16,000 scholars to date, what began as a simple scholarship program for Petron has eventually turned into a lasting commitment. As TAP enters another decade, it will continue to go above and beyond what is expected. As long as there are opportunities to make a difference, TAP will remain as integral part of Petron’s fenceline communities. And as long as there are students who are willing to fight for a better future, Petron will stay firm in its commitment to fuel hope in the youth.