The HERO for the Nation’s Fallen Heroes

It is the ultimate form of personal sacrifice and nobility to offer one’s life for the country. While it was a choice for many of our heroes who took a stand and fought for the nation’s sovereignty, our soldiers are compelled by their sworn duty to put their lives in the line of fire even if it means dying and leaving their beloved families to fend for themselves.

The overwhelming grief suffered by families of soldiers who are incapacitated or killed in action (KIA) is made even more devastating by the glaring reality that they have lost their breadwinner. Life as they know it, their children’s education, and their dreams of a better future all plummet to nought with the permanent disability or death of their family’s sole provider.

This is where organizations such as HERO Foundation, Inc. come in as a shining beacon offering hope to our soldiers’ family. Founded in 1988 by the late President Corazon C. Aquino with then Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Renato de Villa, HERO Foundation fosters the advocacy to support the education of military orphans and help them become self-sustaining and productive members of society.

HERO aptly stands for Help, Educate, and Rear Orphans. The Foundation is presently headed by businessman-philanthropist Fernando Zobel de Ayala as the Chairman of its Board of Trustees.

To date, 28 years after it was first established, HERO Foundation has extended educational support to a total of 2,261 scholars nationwide. Eight hundred eighty eight of these scholars have graduated from college and are now successful in their chosen fields as engineers, nurses, doctors, flight attendants, police, soldiers, among others.

Currently, the Foundation supports 699 scholars, 176 of whom are in elementary school, 217 in high school, and 306 in college. These active scholars come from all across the country: 41% from Mindanao, 33% from Luzon, 18% from the Visayas, and 8% from NCR.

HERO Foundation has found a valuable partner in the AFP, through the Educational Benefits System Office (AFP-EBSO), which recommends scholars to the Foundation every year. After signing a Memorandum of Agreement in 2010, the AFP-EBSO has been giving free tuition fee while HERO Foundation helps shoulder the allowance of one child per family of soldiers who are fully incapacitated or killed in action.

Successful Scholars

2Lt Ian Gerru C. Pasinos, PAF

2LT Ian “Iyan” Gerru Pasinos is one of the scholars who benefitted from HERO Foundation’s educational program. Now a member and an officer of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), he entered the PMA in 2007 and became a cadet for 1 ½ years. Due to his excellent academic performance and physical training, Iyan was chosen by the Australian Defense Force Academy (ADFA) to be an exchange student for the rest of his cadet years. He graduated in 2011 with a degree in BS Business Management.

Iyan was only two years old when his father was ambushed during a raid operation in 1991. He became a HERO scholar for 13 years, starting in 1994 as a Grade 1 student up to 2007 when he reached his 3rd year in college, after which he entered the PMA.

Since his scholarship grant was set to support his full education up to his 4th year in college, Iyan’s remaining one-year stipend from HERO was transferred to his younger sister, Ira Gladys Pasinos, during her 4th year at the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan where she graduated with a degree in BS Psychology. Iyan now supports Ira’s Law schooling at the University of Santo Tomas.

Jeric Khalil Pediglorio

Jeric “Khalil” Pediglorio is also a scholar whose education was supported by the HERO program. The eldest child of a soldier killed in an ambush in Pampanga in 1988, Khalil attended college as a HERO scholar from 1994 to 1999. After he earned a degree in Education and became a licensed teacher, he taught at a public school in Pampanga for more than four years before he left for Saudi Arabia to work in a government hospital there. He returned to the country and worked in different call centers in Pampanga before leaving for Saudi Arabia again in 2010.

He has been working as a Human Resources assistant in one of the biggest companies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for two years now. Recently, his contract has been renewed for another two years.

“I am very grateful for the help HERO Foundation has given me and my family. As Gandhi once said ‘Be the change you want to see in the world,’ the Foundation is definitely doing that for the families and children of Filipino soldiers killed in action or totally incapacitated in the line of duty,” expressed Khalil.

James Pamittan

Another scholar whose education from Grade 1 to 4th Year College was supported by HERO Foundation is James Pamittan of Iguig, Cagayan. He graduated in 2009 from the Cagayan State University with a degree in BS Electrical Engineering, passed the board, and became a licensed electrical engineer in September of the same year.

James is presently working for Eljin Electric Philippines as an electrical engineer handling the Mindanao grid. Now that he is earning well, he is able to support the college education of his younger siblings.

He recently donated his three-semester worth of unclaimed stipend (totalling P24,000) to HERO, saying that he is proud to be able to give back to the Foundation and his fellow scholars. He also volunteered to support HERO in the best way that he can.

Helping heroes

Like James and the other scholars who expressed their desire to support HERO Foundation’s worthy cause to sustain the education of our country’s fallen soldiers, business communities and private individuals can also extend their support as HERO Donors.

The four elite HERO Donor categories are Platinum (for donations P5 Million and above), Gold (P1 Million to P4.9 Million), Silver (P500,000 to P999,000), and Bronze (P100,000 to P499,000). Anyone can also be a My Hero by donating any amount.

HERO also offers affordable donation packages for its Child Sponsorship Program: P250/month or P3,000/per year to support a child for one semester in grade school, P450/month or P5,400/per year to support a child for one year in grade school, and P650/month or P7,800/per year to support an orphan for one year in high school or one semester in college.

The Foundation accepts quarterly or semi-annual payments either through cash or post-dated checks for the Child Sponsorship Program. Sponsors of this program will be given a welcome kit or letter containing a picture and some information about their sponsored child. Sponsors will receive annual status reports with acknowledgement or thank you letters from the child and will also be included in the HERO website as Child Sponsors.

Schools are also encouraged to take part in helping military orphans by offering free tuition scholarship packages. This will further help HERO Foundation in providing better benefits to its scholars and inspiring the children of our fallen heroes to continue pursuing their dreams of a brighter future for themselves and their families.