CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- “God called me to help these poor students.”
These were the words of a retired Customs officer, Jaime “Jim” Capil, who is working closely with a foundation to provide scholarships to poor but deserving students.
Capil, who was recently elected top councilor in Barangay Calulut here, said the Wind Tunnel Foundation in cooperation with the Alpha Phi Omega Pampanga Alumni Association (APO PAA) had already helped hundreds of students since 2007.
Capil, who is also the president of the APO PAA, said they are now sending scores of college students in various schools in Metro Manila and Pampanga, which include Far Eastern University, Trinity University Asia, University of Santo Tomas, Mapua University, Angeles University Foundation, University of the Assumption, Republic Central Colleges, Philippine Christian University, Mabalacat City College, and University of the Philippines, among others.
Capil said the foundation spends millions of pesos every year.
Student-beneficiaries come from this city and other towns of Pampanga, including Mexico and Arayat, among others.
With the help of the teachers, Capil said he is searching for qualified students in his village and other parts of the province who cannot afford to go to school because of the costly matriculation.
Some of the scholars already completed their college degree, according to him.
“Some of them already finished engineering and various courses,” Capil said.
Hundreds of people, students and their parents visit Capil’s residence every week to seek educational assistance.
Capil has described this as a vocation and at the same time a blessing from God.