๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ๐ด ๐๐ช๐ต๐บ โ Long before the United Nations introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ง๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ (๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐) had already been at the frontline of fighting poverty through its ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ-๐๐ฃ-๐ผ๐๐ (๐๐๐ผ) program. For decades, this initiativeโquietly yet powerfullyโhas opened doors for financially challenged students to earn their college degrees while gaining meaningful work experience on campus. Today, it stands as one of NDDUโs most concrete and long-standing contributions to ๐๐ฟ๐ 1: ๐๐ค ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ฎ.
The GIA program allows students to work part-time in various campus offices while pursuing their studies. This not only offsets the cost of education but also equips grantees with valuable workplace skills. โ๐๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ข ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ต๐ฉ๐ธ๐ข๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ค๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ค ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ,โ Business College dean shared in a recent post, emphasizing how the program shapes competent, compassionate, and committed professionals.
In a recent gathering of office heads, university administrators, and the GIA program coordinator, the university reaffirmed its commitment to the success and welfare of working students. According to ๐ฝ๐ง. ๐๐๐ฃ๐ช๐๐ก ๐. ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐๐, ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, the meeting provided space to listen to feedback, understand concerns, and celebrate the studentsโ resilience and determination. โ๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐บ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ด๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ค๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ,โ Br. Manny said. He also highlighted the inspiring โ๐๐๐๐ค๐ก๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐๐ค๐ก๐๐ง๐จโ programโan alumni-led initiative where former GIA scholars now give back by supporting current grantees.
The programโs ripple effect is undeniableโreaching far beyond the walls of the university. Countless alumni who were once GIA beneficiaries have since become business leaders, educators, and professionals not only in the Philippines but across the globe. Many are now employers themselves, empowering others through job creation and mentorship. This international presence of former GIA scholars demonstrates how a local initiative can spark global impactโbreaking intergenerational poverty and advancing inclusive development across borders.
As the world collectively strives to meet the 2030 targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, programs like GIA serve as powerful, scalable models. By democratizing access to higher education through work-study opportunities, GIA transforms lives and reinforces the role of universities in addressing global inequalities.
May this program continue to thrive as an exemplar of how localized action can contribute meaningfully to the international education and development agenda. Hereโs to the enduring success of the GIA programโand to every scholar who proves that hard work, when matched with opportunity, can change the world.
