To this day, his words still echo the sentiments of our very own children: equality of opportunity in a country dominated by poverty. Because our children have dreams, too, not just of becoming pilots or teachers someday, but of leading good lives.

"Gusto ko pong mapagtapos ng pag-aaral ang mga kapatid ko," says Ana, a grade five student who is the eldest in a brood of four. Her parents earn very little: her mother does laundry for other people, while her father is the modern-day sorbetero, selling ice cream while riding a bicycle. She dreams of becoming a teacher someday, "para po makatulong sa mga hindi marunong magbasa."

Robert, a grade six student, has an equally simple dream: "Gusto ko pong magkaroon ng magandang buhay." When asked how he would characterize having a good life, he says "yung makakapagbigay din po ako sa mga nangangailangan tulad ko ngayon." He does not list having a big house, several cars and plenty of money as evidences of a good life. Rather, his simple, but selfless wish is to be able to share what he has with the less fortunate. Yet how could he, when his parents are both jobless?

These children’s dreams will never be a reality if they are not given the chance to fulfill them. A chance is what they need, and this is what Insular Life’s Adopt-A-Scholar program has been giving for the past five years.

Started in 2003, the Program is the Insular Life employees' parallel effort to the Insular Life Foundation’s educational programs particularly for the Muntinlupa Itaas Elementary School (MIES). MIES is the Company's adopted school under the Adopt-a-School Program in partnership with the Department of Education.

Insular Life employees – from the rank and file up to the CEO, voluntarily adopted 100 MIES scholars and pledged to support them until they graduate from grade school by providing for their school supplies and bags. My Tan-Karo, head of the Actuarial Services Department, feels that by "adopting" a child, she is able to give back to the society what was generously given her when she was still studying. "Being a scholar myself since I was sent to school by my titas, I was, and still am very grateful for the opportunity to have been provided good education. Somehow, joining the program was my way to 'pay it forward'."

Asst. Vice President Dammy Careng sees pride in the Company’s efforts to be socially responsible. "I'm glad Insular Life is not just (concerned with growing its) business, so I make it a point to support company projects that I feel are socially relevant. My father did this sort of thing way back so it’s nice that my wife and I are also able to extend this kind of assistance."

In 2005, in support of the League of Corporate Foundation’s "Sa Pagbasa may Pag-Asa Program," reading books were added to the yearly supply of school materials and bags. To this day, scholars still receive reading books not just to practice their reading skills, but to instill moral lessons in their young hearts. Robert says his favorite is a story titled "Ang Barumbadong Bus." He says he likes this particular story because "nakakatawa po siya tsaka tinuturuan po tayong huwag maging siga sa kalye."

Milky, another grade six student says her favorite is the book "Ngiii! Ang Kati-Kati ng Ulo Ko!," a story about practicing personal hygiene. "Dapat po maging malinis sa katawan, at gamitin ang sariling suklay at unan." The books greatly influence the children’s thinking and help shape their character.

To date, funds from the program have also contributed to several more books for the school. Complementing the Insular Life Foundation’s own book donation, excess funds from employee contribution for the children's school materials were used to purchase additional books for the library. While not every student may be adopted by Insular Life’s employees, all of them stand to benefit from these different reading books stationed at the school’s second floor library.

Five years since Adopt-A-Scholar started, 53 students have already graduated. While three were disqualified from continuing, 44 scholars are still being supported by the program. One of these scholars is Violeta Tabayag’s daughter, Jonnalyn, who is in grade six. Manang Violy, as she is called at MIES, is the school janitress. She has 8 children, and while she earns little from cleaning the school’s premises, she says her husband does not have a regular job. "Tuwang tuwa po ako nung malaman kong kasali sa scholarship ang anak ko. Nung una parehong anak ko na si Jason at Jonnalyn ang kasama. Nakagraduate na po si Jason kaya si Jonnalyn na lang. Mula po nong makasali sila hindi na po ako bumibili ng mga gamit nila kaya nakatulong po talaga. Maingat naman po sila sa gamit kaya pagkatapos ng eskwela, yung bag maganda pa. Nagagamit pa ng bunso kong anak na si Joanna. Ako po’y nagpapasalamat sa inyo."

Robert echoes Manang Violy’s sentiments "Yun pong natatanggap namin nakakatulong po para makapag-aral kaming mabuti at mas magsikap sa aming pag-aaral. Maraming salamat po sa mga nagbibigay ng gamit namin at tumutulong sa amin."

Insular Life’s Adopt-A-Scholar’s culmination will happen a year from now. The grade one students five years ago would have started the last year of their elementary schooling. It will also be the last time the employee-sponsors of Insular Life will provide funds for their school materials and reading books. Just like the ones before them, these children’s willingness to achieve their dreams, however difficult they may be, will be seen in the next years after graduation when they move on to high school and hopefully take college or vocational/technical courses. But for a few years before that happens, they know that what they needed was a chance to equal opportunity in order to fulfill these dreams. And through the Insular Life Adopt-a-Scholar Program, that was what they were given.