Two scholars overcame their personal struggles through their supportive families, friends, educational sponsors and teachers to fulfill their dreams of finishing their studies, getting employed and becoming breadwinners.

Joseph Cebedo and James Manunday are friends and former schoolmates at the Jose Lim Ho National High School in Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental. They shared a common desire to uplift the economic status of their respective families and sought the same scholarship from the Lao Foundation and Dualtech Training Center Foundation to attain their goals.

When their father passed away, life became hard for the Cebedo family so Joseph applied for a scholarship from the Lao Foundation and took up a technical course at Dualtech in Calamba, Laguna upon the encouragement of Manunday.

James himself sought the same scholarship with the aim of gaining employment and help his brother support the education of their other siblings.

With money given by their mayor for their fare, they flew to Manila and began training at Dualtech.

While there seemed to be nothing to worry about money as their expenses were shouldered by the foundation, Cebedo and Manunday experienced depression when the former’s brother was robbed and killed in 2023 and the latter’s mother passed away before his graduation.

Fortunately, their school mentor and chaplain comforted and counseled them during their moments of grief and sadness. Fr. Jong Sabandal and Winefredo Tac-an were able to ease their pain and motivated them to continue their training until they graduated.

Cebedo and Manunday are now working as technicians of Weld Powertools and Construction Corp. and Cummins Sales and Services Philippines, respectively.

Thankful for the support of Lao Foundation and Dualtech, Cebedo and Manunday paid it forward by serving as inspirational speakers during the training center’s recruitment sorties in the provinces.

The life and success stories of Cebedo and Manunday were featured in a documentary of Lao Foundation that was filmed as part of the celebration of its 15th anniversary on 25 June.

The Quezon City-based foundation is a part of the D&L Group of Companies. Founded in 2010, its slogan of “Building Minds, Forming Hearts, And Transforming Lives” refects its focus on promoting education, values formation and livelihood.

Lao Foundation also partners with other organizations like Dualtech in fulfilling its missions. The two foundations work together in providing free technical skills education to students of poor families in the country.

Lao Foundation is also a partner of the humanitarian group Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Philippines, helping shoulder the treatment people with cataracts at the latter’s volunteers-run Tzu Chi Eye Center in Sta. Mesa, Manila.