ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez stresses the company’s commitment to support and invest in the education of young FilipinosThe Eugenio Lopez Jr. Center for Media Arts Senior High School (ELJ CMA SHS) formally opened its doors as a fullfledged public senior high school recently, giving opportunities to Filipino students who aspire to be journalists, filmmakers and media practitioners.

“We are grateful and honored to be able to work hand in hand with the public to serve the Filipino youth by working together to provide them with accessible, quality education,” said ABSCBN chairman Mark Lopez. “This serves as the beginning of a long-term and concrete commitment to fruitful privatepublic sector partnerships in education.”

The school, a partnership among ABS-CBN, the Quezon City government, Department of Education (DepEd) and Magna Anima Teachers College, is now housed in its own building and grounds on Sct. Torillo, Kamuning, Quezon City.

It was recently inaugurated by Lopez, ABS-CBN University president Charo Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN chief operating officer for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, representatives of DepEd and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Donated by ABS-CBN and built by First Balfour Inc. on land from the Quezon City government, ELJ CMA can house more than 400 students in its 20 classrooms, with facilities for a library, computer and speech laboratories and an audiovisual room.

The curriculum was developed by DepEd and enhanced by ABS-CBN University and Magna Anima with input from media industry practitioners. Magna Anima focuses on the enhancement of public school education in the Philippines and trains instructors to teach in public senior high schools.

Santos-Concio said: “This campus was built as a home of dreams and opportunities for many young Filipinos who are the hope of our country. On behalf of ABS-CBN, and out of gratitude for being part of this partnership, we commit to continuously invest in and support our young men and women, who are the future of the media arts industry.”

“Because students have a school like this, they can take charge of their future and actually have a way to pursue their interests and make it into a career. It serves as a stepping stone to further their education and work towards a better life,” noted Janet Dionio, principal of ELJ CMA.

Since the school began admitting students in 2016, students from its first batch of graduates in April have been accepted to some of the country’s best universities offering film- and media-related studies, including University of the Philippines, the University of Sto. Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, according to Dionio.

Those interested to apply next school year must have a minimum average of 85%, successfully pass an entrance exam and interview, and submit a portfolio. The school accepts applicants from Quezon City and surrounding municipalities and provinces.(Story/Photos by: Kane Choa)

Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN University president Charo Santos-Concio, Mayor Herbert Bautista, ABS-CBN COO for broadcast Cory Vidanes and DepEd division superintendent Elizabeth Quesada, flanked by PNP QC superintendent Gen. Joselito Esquivel and ELJ CMA principal Janet Dionio, cut the ribbon on the new school
ELJ CMA is the product of ABS-CBN’s partnership with the QC government, DepEd and Magna Anima