Stories of inspiration

Investing in Healthcare Providers, Strengthening the Nation: 513 Scholars Moving Forward Through MSP

March 26, 2026

In many parts of the Philippines, access to quality healthcare is still shaped by geography and income. For thousands of families, becoming a doctor, nurse, or caregiver is not just difficult. It is often out of reach.

The Medical Scholarship Program (MSP) of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., in partnership with Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc., is changing that reality. By investing in future healthcare professionals, MSP is not only opening doors for scholars. It is helping build a stronger, more inclusive health system for the country.

Today, 513 scholars across the Philippines are pursuing careers in medicine, nursing, allied health, and caregiving. Each one carries both a personal dream and a shared responsibility to serve.

From Opportunity to Outcomes

Now on its third year, MSP has moved beyond providing access. It is delivering results.

In 2025 alone, the program supported 513 active scholars across 16 sites nationwide, translating investment into real, measurable impact:

99 scholars from the Technical-Vocational Caregiving (TVC) track successfully graduated
99% of caregiving scholars passed the TESDA certification assessment
20 out of 20 nursing graduates achieved a 100% passing rate in the November 2025 Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE)
One scholar from West Visayas State University placed 5th in the 2025 PNLE

These milestones reflect more than academic success. They signal readiness. MSP scholars are entering the workforce equipped with the competence, discipline, and confidence needed in real-world healthcare settings.

Building a Strong Healthcare Pipeline

MSP strengthens the country’s healthcare workforce through two strategic tracks:

STEM and Health Courses (SHC)
Supporting future doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals across leading institutions such as the University of the Philippines Manila, Saint Louis University, Batangas State University, West Visayas State University, and Davao Medical School Foundation, among others.

Technical-Vocational Caregiving (TVC)
Equipping scholars with TESDA-accredited caregiving skills to meet both local and global demand for healthcare workers.

Beyond financial support, MSP invests in the whole person. Through mentoring, board review assistance, and the LEAD workshops, scholars develop not only technical expertise but also empathy, resilience, and leadership.

They graduate not just as professionals, but as individuals ready to serve communities with purpose.

From Foundation to Momentum

If 2024 focused on building the foundation of the program, 2025 marked a clear transition to impact. Graduates, board passers, and topnotchers now stand as proof that the model works.

Building on these results, MSP continues to grow. In 2026, the program is set to expand its reach by supporting more scholars in private Higher Education Institutions while strengthening partnerships with State Universities and Colleges.

This signals a shift from implementation to long-term sustainability.

Education That Multiplies Impact

At its core, MSP is about more than scholarships. It is about expanding opportunity and strengthening systems.

Each scholar supported represents a family uplifted.
Each graduate represents a community better served.
Each healthcare professional added to the workforce brings the country one step closer to accessible, quality healthcare for all.

Because when education is made accessible, it does not only change individual lives. It builds the foundation for a healthier, more resilient nation.

Families in Bamban, Tarlac and Mabalacat, Pampanga are embracing new opportunities through the Roots to Shoots (RTS) initiative, where 100 caregivers and farmers received starter goats as part of a sustainable livelihood program. Supported by Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. and Thaison Builder & Developer Inc., the initiative aims to strengthen food security, improve household income, and help communities build a more hopeful and stable future.

Shell LiveWIRE Strengthens Fisherfolk Safety and Coastal Resilience in Cagayan de Oro

Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), together with Shell Pilipinas Corporation, strengthened fisherfolk safety and coastal resilience in Cagayan de Oro through the turnover of protective and rescue equipment under the Shell LiveWIRE Philippines program. The initiative supports local fisherfolk organizations by enhancing emergency preparedness, improving safety during fishing operations, and helping sustain coastal livelihoods through community-centered development.

A Mother’s Determination: Building Hope Through Roots to Shoots

hrough the Roots to Shoots Program in Sacobia, Editha Salazar transformed a small livelihood assistance package into a growing sari-sari store that now helps support her family, her children’s education, and her child’s ongoing therapy, proving how opportunity and determination can create lasting change.

Shell LiveWIRE Empowers Cagayan de Oro Fisherfolk Through Sustainable Payao Deployment in Macajalar Bay

Shell LiveWIRE, through Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) and Shell Pilipinas Corporation
, strengthens sustainable livelihoods in Cagayan de Oro City through the successful deployment of three payaos in Macajalar Bay, empowering local fisherfolk with safer and more sustainable fishing opportunities through community collaboration, capacity building, and responsible fisheries management.

Roots to Shoots: Pasacao 2.0 Helps Mothers Build Sustainable Livelihoods

Through the Roots to Shoots (RTS) Pasacao 2.0 Program and with the support of Metrobank Foundation, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) officially opened the SONATA stitching and sewing production facility in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. The initiative aims to empower mothers and families by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities, technical skills training, and long-term enterprise development support for the community.

Roots to Shoots Empowers 37 Mothers and Caregivers Through Home Gardening Training in Sacobia

The Roots to Shoots (RTS) program trained 37 mothers, caregivers, and pregnant women in Sacobia in practical home gardening to support nutrition and food security. Through hands-on sessions and starter kits, participants learned how to grow their own vegetables using organic and climate-responsive techniques. The initiative empowers families to improve their diets while building resilience at the household level.