ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Youth devider Uplifting hopeful students on their journey to their dreams, one scholar at a time

Uplifting hopeful students on their journey to their dreams, one scholar at a time

For BS Electronics Engineering freshman Antoine "Ram" Tolentino, an SM College Scholarship marks the beginning of a journey shaped by hope, grit, and a future made possible

Published Jul 20, 2025 09:47 am
SM Foundation College Scholarship Program supports deserving students in their pursuit of higher education. One of its newest scholars is Antoine Ramesses Tolentino (in the middle), an incoming BS Electronics Engineering freshman at National University.
SM Foundation College Scholarship Program supports deserving students in their pursuit of higher education. One of its newest scholars is Antoine Ramesses Tolentino (in the middle), an incoming BS Electronics Engineering freshman at National University.
As graduation season comes to a close, families and students alike embark on the next great leap forward: college. It is a time of choices, pressure, and hope. For many, the question is how to make it happen. In this in-between of ambition and access, scholarships like those from SM Foundation do not guarantee success, but rather become the support system for those willing to work for it.
Antoine Ramesses Tolentino, or just Ram as he likes to be called, is one of 900 scholars under the SM College Scholarship program for the academic year 2025–2026. What made him deserving of a spot is an inspiring story, one that he hopes will reach incoming college students as well, he said in an interview with Manila Bulletin.
Ram initially wanted to pursue a program related to technology, circuits, and codes. Yet somehow, life had other plans. He embraced them all and now begins his college journey carrying the valuable lessons he gained in senior high school.
From shy and soft-spoken, he grew into a campus leader, a valedictorian, an awardee, and a volunteer. “Back then, I had trouble speaking up,” he shares. “Fortunately, I conquered that in senior high school.” His time there gave him a new voice, one he’s now using to shape his future.
And while he’s deeply drawn to tech, he learned from his years in LSAL as SHS student that soft skills, communication, discipline, self-awareness, are what make knowledge meaningful.
He carries that same fire into college, now pursuing BS Electronics Engineering at National University (NU). His choice was both practical and personal. “I was really curious about computers and I know that I’ll learn the fundamentals of any ICT-related career. I want to build websites, write programs, design systems. Plus, I’ve learned that this could open more job opportunities in the future. That’s why I chose this path,” he said, his passion shining through his words. More than that, he dreams of working on sustainable technology, using his knowledge to contribute to real-world solutions.
The SM College Scholarship became a turning point. “I applied for the scholarship to help my family with the expenses. Now that I’ve become one of the lucky recipients, I’m looking forward to focusing on my studies and giving my family the chance to spend more time together,” he shared. “This scholarship takes away a big weight, so now I can focus on my studies and grow into the person I want to be.”
“I want to honor the trust they’ve placed in me. I will make sure that my focus on education will eventually reflect in my academic results,” he added.
“It’s not just about me,” he says. “Lahat ng ito para kay Mama, at para sa pamilya namin. (All of this is for my mother and for our family.) And I want to inspire other students, too, that there are many ways to help our parents. I chose this path because I knew it would make a difference.”
What makes Ram’s story powerful isn’t just that he was chosen, but it’s how ready he is to rise to the challenge. He carries with him a mindset rooted in discipline, faith, and a sense of mission. “For me, it’s about believing I’m the world’s best student, not in pride, but in responsibility. If you have Jesus in your heart, you’ll find the strength to overcome anything.”
Since 1993, SM Foundation has supported over 4,000 graduates, each one a ripple in a much larger wave of change.
It begins with a dream. Then a chance. And with that chance, a student walks forward. Every parent hopes to see their child thrive, and every student with a dream carries the weight of that hope. But between ambition and achievement lies a bridge, and for countless Filipino families, that bridge is support which sometimes comes in the form of belief. Sometimes, in the form of help from those, like SM Foundation, who are willing to walk alongside them.

Related Tags

SM College Scholarship
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.