October 15, 2026
Tzu Chi signs MOA with Lao Foundation for Tech-Voc Scholars
By Thania Florendo
Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines and the Lao Foundation reaffirmed their commitment to empowering Tzu Chi’s Technical-Vocational (Tech-Voc) Scholarship Program during a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing and scholars’ meet-and-greet on October 14, 2026, at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
A longtime partner of Tzu Chi, the Lao Foundation supports aspiring caregivers and other scholars in gaining practical skills through the foundation’s training programs. During the opening remarks, Tzu Chi Head Volunteer for the Educational and Medical Assistance Programs Rosa So shared a recent milestone.
“We’re proud to say that Tzu Chi’s Caregiving Elderly NC II is now accredited by TESDA,” she said. The accreditation strengthens Tzu Chi’s efforts to train caregivers equipped with the skills, compassion, and patience needed to care for others.
One of the gathering’s most moving moments came when Jusmine May Marimar Posadas, an alumna of Caregiving Batch 12, shared her testimony. With a grandmother living with dementia and an uncle battling cancer, she became someone her family depended on, often leaving little room for her own needs. Through Tzu Chi’s caregiving scholarship, she found an opportunity to invest in herself while continuing to care for her family.
“For a long time, I prioritized my family over myself but I don’t regret it. It was my own choice. Still, I’ve come to realize that it’s important to choose a path for myself, so I seized the opportunity with this scholarship,” Posadas shared.
Following the MOA signing and a sign language performance by the scholars, volunteers and Lao Foundation representatives joined a round-robin table discussion. Participants drew questions from a paper box and shared their experiences, aspirations, and personal circumstances, allowing volunteers to better understand their needs and explore support beyond financial assistance.
“This partnership is very valuable to us because, in terms of vision, we’re aligned on how we want not just to help, but to provide compassionate help,” said Maria Christina Viray, head of Operations from the Lao Foundation.
Viray also encouraged the scholars to recognize that their different backgrounds and experiences should not be grounds for comparison. What matters, she said, is their willingness to keep moving forward.
Eighteen-year-old Ashantte Daligdig, a scholar from Caregiving Batch 1 in 2026, can now continue pursuing a dream she had put on hold. Daligdig stopped enrolling for college not because she no longer wanted to study, but because her family needed her help. Her father, the main provider, was diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease.
Their family of five really struggled to make ends meet. They shared a single canned good and carefully measured their rice to ensure everyone had enough to eat for the day. As the eldest, Daligdig felt responsible for helping her family. She also hopes her younger siblings can pursue their dreams without choosing between education and family responsibilities.
“They are still young. I want them to enjoy their youth, to have the freedom and not be pressured into choosing between studying, their dreams, and responsibilities in the family,” Daligdig said.
Through the Lao Foundation’s continued generosity, scholars can pursue their education and aspirations without having to choose between their dreams and their family’s needs. This shared commitment was highlighted in the closing remarks of Tzu Chi volunteer Johnny Cheng, who expressed gratitude for the foundation’s longstanding trust and partnership.
“To our dear friends from Lao Foundation, thank you for walking alongside Tzu Chi all these years,” Cheng said. “Your continuous trust is truly one of the most precious things we could ever receive. May our partnership continue to transform lives.”
More young people deserve the chance to pursue their dreams without being held back by financial hardship. Your donation to Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines’ education programs can help provide that opportunity and open doors to a brighter future.
Tzu Chi Head Volunteer for the Educational and Medical Assistance Programs Rosa So opens the program with good news: Tzu Chi’s Caregiving Elderly NC II program received accreditation from TESDA.
(From left) Lao Foundation’s Program Coordinator Carlo Racela, Head of Operations Maria Christina Viray, Tzu Chi Head Volunteer for the Educational and Medical Assistance Programs Rosa So, and Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Wilson Hung sign the Memorandum of Agreement.
Tzu Chi and Lao Foundation representatives pose for a photo with the signed MOA.
Lao Foundation Head of Operations Maria Christina Viray hopes to see all members of Caregiving Elderly Batch 1 of 2026 graduate successfully.
Lao Foundation Program Coordinator Carlo Racela gets to know the scholars during a round-robin table discussion.
Caregiving scholars perform a sign-language tribute in appreciation of the two foundations’ generosity and support.
Tech-Voc Caregiving alumna Jusmine May Posadas embraces Tzu Chi’s teachings and the reminder that caring for family is an achievement.
Caregiving scholar Ashantte Daligdig realized her mother also had unfulfilled dreams after learning of her interest in taking caregiving classes.
Tzu Chi volunteers and Lao Foundation representatives listen attentively as scholars share their stories during a round-robin table discussion.
Some scholars shed tears as they shared their struggles, regrets, and aspirations.
Tzu Chi Head Volunteer for the Educational and Medical Assistance Programs Rosa So comforts scholar Ashantte Daligdig as the latter shares how she uses part of her caregiving scholarship allowance to support her father’s dialysis.
Tzu Chi volunteer Johnny Cheng expresses optimism about the partnership’s continued impact on the scholars’ lives.
A group photo celebrates the renewed partnership and its continued mission to empower youth through education.