Tacloban City (October 24) -- The more than thirty Guinsaugon scholars of the Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation of Taiwan will receive their second semester funding on October 26, 2006 at San Juan, Southern Leyte.

This was learned from Engr. Ronnie Ponferrada, President of the Rotary Club of San Juanico which is the NGO partner of the Foundation and from Mr. Henry Yaokasin, the president of the Tacloban Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who is the official coordinator of the Foundation.

Mr. Yaokasin said that more than nine hundred thousand pesos (P900,000.00) will be distributed to the scholars who are all orphans of the mudslide tragedy in Barangay Guinsaugon, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte in late February of this year.

The amount which will be distributed will pay for the second semester tuition fees, book allowance, board and lodging, subsistence and clothing allowance of the scholars who are mostly in the high school and college level.

The 31 scholars have pledged to make use of the money being given them in order to be able to finish their studies. The Drama Drum Foundation will be assisting them for a period of seven years. By that time, the scholars will hopefully be through with their studies and are already able to stand on their own.

The Dharma Drum Foundation through Mr. Tseng Chao-Sung took notice of the situation of the tragedy stricken students and decided to take them under the Foundation’s care by giving them financial assistance in order to be able to finish their studies, become good citizens and be of help to their disadvantaged brethren.

The Dharma Drum Foundation, true to its pledge, has come up with the needed donation which will enable the scholars to enroll last June. For as long as the scholars will do their part by studying well, the Dharma Drum Foundation will always be there to fulfill its commitment.