A scholarship program that produced future environmental stewards from the ranks of Human Ecology and Forestry students was started in 2023 through a partnership of SM Group and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The brainchild of SM Investments senior assistant vice president Persius Chan was just one of the many corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of the SM Group that promoted education, health, farming and disaster response to uplift lives and initiate meaningful change.

SM’s CSR impact to underserved communities received recognition from various awards, the latest of which was from UPLB.

Chan, a graduate of UPLB’s College of Human Ecology, was honored together with other alumni during the 107th UPLB Loyalty Day for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields.

He received the College of Human Ecology Distinguished Alumni Awards together with Loida A. Geronimo-Panopio, Julius B. Lunar and Marc Dexter M. Macalintal.

The university cited Chan’s contributions that turned SM’s corporate initiatives into lasting instruments of social progress.

“Through his work in strategic and sustainable social responsibility programs, he has helped bridge sectors and build trust among communities, partners, and institutions. These efforts show how the private sector, when guided by empathy and shared purpose, can become a strong ally in advancing resilience, sustainability, and inclusive development,” said UPLB.