By Karren Jay G. Asgar

Irene Panesa Olipendo has been selected as one of only two Filipino scholars by the Hyundai Motors Chung Mong Koo Foundation for this year’s program. 

Centralian Irene Panesa Olipendo, a Cum Laude graduate with an AB in Mass Communication, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to pursue her Master’s Degree in Development Policy at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Sejong City, South Korea, through the Hyundai Motors Chung Mong-Koo Foundation Scholarship. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, there are 14 scholars, which 6 came from Vietnam, 3 from Indonesia, 2 from the Philippines, one each from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.

During her time at Central Philippine University (CPU), Olipendo was an active and dedicated student. In the 2016-2017 school year, she was elected Vice Governor and later Governor of the CPU College of Arts and Sciences. By 2022, she had become the Editor-in-Chief of Centralite. Through her involvement in various organizations at CPU, she developed the skills necessary to empower young people in her community and promote lifelong learning, particularly through the educational programs she implemented as SK Chairperson in 2018.

Reflecting on her journey, Olipendo stated, “It was challenging but I believe in the power of hard-work and perseverance. I chose to study at Central Philippine University, because I knew that CPU would give me the training I need to become a passionate and thriving transformational leader.”

Together with Secretary General John Choi, who is currently serving as the Secretary General at the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation.

Upon applying to KDI School for her Master of Development Policy, Olipendo was selected as one of the potential Hyundai Motors Chung Mong-Koo Foundation Fellows. According to its website, the Hyundai Motor CMK Graduate Scholarship Program is intended for graduate students preparing for master’s or doctoral degree programs and public officials. It was first launched in 2020 to foster future talent who will contribute to exchange, cooperation, and common development between Korea and eight ASEAN countries. A month later after her rigorous application process that included essay submissions and interviews, she was thrilled to learn of her selection and promptly received the details necessary for her upcoming move to South Korea.

Olipendo expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Centralian community, which she credits with playing a significant role in her development. “My teachers at Central Philippine University specifically from the Department of Languages, Mass Communication and Humanities (DLMCH) played an integral role why I decided to pursue my education abroad. When I was a student, my teachers would always inculcate to us the value of education and how it can transform our life and the life of others. I realized that pursuing further studies would help me to attain my vision and goal to empower my community. In the near future, I hope that the legacy I started will spread from one generation to the other, in order to make a positive impact to a wide range of people.”

She felt grateful but deeply humbled when she was selected as a scholar of the Hyundai Motors Chung Mong Koo Foundation. While she was excited about the opportunity to study abroad as a scholar, she also felt a strong sense of accountability and responsibility for herself. Living in a different country would undoubtedly be a challenge, but Central Philippine University had instilled in her the core values of faith, character, justice, stewardship, and excellence, which she held dearly.

“My parents are my biggest influences,” she reflected. “They emphasized the value of education and were supportive of our dreams and aspirations despite the fact that neither of them finished school. I was raised in a far-flung community, surrounded by a vast sugarcane plantation which serves as a primary source of income of almost 90 percent of the population. Life was difficult because of the lack of opportunity and little support from the government. People struggled to provide the basic necessities for their families. Advanced education was also inaccessible in the recent past, which made it hard for many young individuals to uplift their lives. In the end, many young people my age would end up in sugarcane plantations and eventually, get married at a young age. And so, it would go from generation to generation. Through their guidance, I was able to finish my college education.”

Like many, Olipendo has faced challenges but remains committed to her aspirations. She emphasizes the ability to rise after setbacks. “Exhibit the core value of resiliency- the ability to stand up after experiencing a downfall. Continue dreaming and strive until you reach your next goal. Have faith and pray to God that everything will fall on its proper places,” she advised.

Irene Olipendo’s inspiring journey stands as a powerful testament to the potential within every Centralian to create meaningful change. With each challenge she encounters, she exemplifies resilience, demonstrating that determination and faith can illuminate the path to success—an embodiment of the true Central Spirit.