Through education assistance, skills development, and family support, the program helps young Cebuanos stay in school and dream bigger for their future.

For many young people, staying in school is more than simply completing another year of education. It can mean holding on to a dream, building confidence, and creating opportunities that can change not only their own lives but also those of their families.

In Cebu, Project SUNRISE continues to help make those opportunities possible.

The Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation) and Children of Asia have renewed their partnership to continue supporting young Cebuanos as they pursue their education, prepare for future careers, and work toward brighter possibilities.

Helping Students Stay in School

Through Project SUNRISE, 125 high school and college students from Cebu City and the municipalities of Alegria, Daanbantayan, Medellin, and Minglanilla receive financial assistance for school-related needs, including miscellaneous fees, uniforms, and school supplies.

The program is renewed annually and is designed to support scholars until they complete their college education.

Since its launch in 2020, Project SUNRISE has been guided by the belief that education can help young people overcome difficult circumstances and create a better path for themselves.

More Than Financial Assistance

What makes the program meaningful goes beyond providing financial support.

Project SUNRISE also focuses on the students’ personal and professional development through additional courses, career development orientations, and soft-skills training designed to help prepare them for employment after graduation.

Families are part of the journey, too.

Parents receive learning sessions focused on child development and quality family life, while families can also receive individualized assistance and post-disaster support when needed.

In this way, the program looks beyond the classroom and recognizes the important role that families and communities play in helping young people succeed.

Supporting Cebu’s Youth Through Challenging Times

The continuation of the partnership was marked by a memorandum of agreement signing ceremony in Cebu City.

The event was attended by Sun Life Philippines Country Head and CEO JJ Moreno, together with Sun Life Foundation President Joy Castillo, Vice President Aleister Cruz, and Executive Director Kristine Millete.

Representing Children of Asia were Country Director Barbie Romeo-Guardiario and Deputy Country Director Andre Frossard.

“We believe that education is one of the most powerful foundations for a brighter future,” said Castillo. “With Project SUNRISE, our aim is to empower Filipino youth and enable them to remain in school, feel supported, and build a future filled with possibilities not just for themselves, but also their families and communities.”

For Romeo-Guardiario, the support becomes even more meaningful when students and families face unexpected challenges.

“Project SUNRISE is about giving students from underprivileged backgrounds the support and confidence to keep moving forward, even when circumstances are difficult. This year, with the earthquake and typhoon affecting Cebu, that support has been especially meaningful,” she said.

“By helping our scholars stay in school and develop their potential, we hope they will build a better future for themselves and have the confidence and sense of responsibility to give back to their families and communities.”

Planting Seeds for Tomorrow

Every scholar supported by Project SUNRISE represents a future that is still being written — a future that may include a college degree, a first job, a career, and eventually the opportunity to help others.

For Sun Life Foundation and Children of Asia, investing in these young people means giving them more than assistance today. It means helping them develop the skills, confidence, and support system they can carry into tomorrow.

As the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines, the country’s first and longest-standing life insurance company, Sun Life Foundation continues to support programs focused on education, health and well-being, and environmental sustainability in communities across the Philippines.

Through Project SUNRISE, the simple act of helping a student stay in school becomes part of something bigger — a continuing effort to help young Filipinos see more possibilities for themselves, their families, and their communities.