New AGBAS scholar named
On 14 August 2021, the Alan Gerard Bacani Abad Scholarship (AGBAS) was awarded to incoming Loyola Schools first year student, Julius Rafael "Rafa" C. Bautista, a Management Engineering major who graduated from the Ateneo de Manila Senior High School. The Abad Scholarship was awarded during a special online Zoom event that was organized by the Office of Admission and Aid (OAA) and Mr. Luis Enriquez, a former Abad Scholar himself and presently the Executive Director of the Alan Gerard Bacani Abad Scholarship Foundation.
The AGBAS was established in the University back in 1996 by Dr. Cery and Mrs. Cely Abad in honor of their late son, Alan Gerard. It is awarded to a deserving student from the Ateneo de Manila Senior High School who manifests Alan’s character and values – that of “being highly motivated and well-equipped to raise the bar of achievement not only in his own life – but in the lives of others as well”. Rafa is the 25th recipient of the AGBAS Scholarship.
During the Awarding, Rafa was able to meet Dr. Cery and Mrs. Cely Abad and other recipients of the Abad Scholarship over the years. The Abad alumni and enrolled scholars also took turns encouraging Rafa to be himself and to pursue his dreams despite the challenges of online learning and to seek help from this family of Abad Scholarship recipients. Dr. Cery, on the other hand, during the closing remarks reminded the Abad scholars about the heart behind the scholarship, that the scholars are to become officials of the Kingdom of God which Jesus compares to a mustard seed. They are to be stewards of what has been given to them so that they may bear fruit as they influence others. He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to all who took the time to organize and attend the Zoom event.
Also present in the virtual Scholarship Awarding through Zoom were Dr. Jo-Ed Tirol, the Director of the Office of Admission and Aid, Ms. Jolly Morata, the Assistant to the Director for Scholarships, former OAA Director Dr. Jumela F. Sarmiento and OAA Scholarship Officers Tin Magboo, Jochebed Burias, and Lidel Bajao.
The heartwarming occasion brought back wonderful memories of Alan and highlighted the continuing generosity of the Abad Family towards the Ateneo University and the AGBAS Scholars!
