After losing her mother—the sole supporter of her education—second-year architecture student Ninia Yvonne Airies Lat found herself caught between grief and financial uncertainty. But just when things seemed bleak, a timely scholarship changed the course of her journey.
Ninia, a student at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), is one of the eight recipients of the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and Boysen scholarship. The program offers a four-year grant to financially struggling but high-performing students from UST and National University.
“Noong time na na-receive ko na scholar pala ako, parang plan ni Lord na huwag ko muna i-fully pay ‘yung tuition fee ko, kasi mayroon po pala akong magagamit o makukuhang pera para mapunan po siya,” Ninia shared, recalling how her faith gave her clarity in a difficult time.
The scholarship arrived just weeks after her mother passed away—an event that left both an emotional and financial void.
“Yong scholarship po na ‘to ay bagong blessing po sa akin ni Lord kasi lalo na ngayon na kamamatay lang po ng mother ko… so parang sobrang laking blessing na nabigyan ako ng opportunity ni Lord,” she added.
MBFI President Aniceto M. Sobrepeña emphasized that their mission goes beyond financial support. “At MBFI, we are committed to producing industry-ready graduates through our strong partnerships with academic institutions, and instilling in them values that can help them move forward towards the right direction.”
UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang echoed this, saying the partnership “will somehow bridge the gap between theory and practice.”
Since 1995, MBFI has been helping Filipino students reach their dreams. With Boysen joining the initiative in 2005, the program has already supported over a hundred Architecture students—many of whom have graduated with honors or passed licensure exams.
For Ninia, the scholarship has done more than ease financial stress—it gave her the strength to keep going.
“Gusto ko po magpasalamat sa Metrobank and Boysen sa paniniwala na may potential po ako… Makakaasa po sila sa akin na hindi ko po sasayangin ‘yung opportunity na binigay nila sa akin.”
