Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu and the University of San Carlos (USC) have officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to strengthen their partnership under the Embrace Programme, Shangri-La’s flagship corporate social responsibility initiative. This agreement marks a significant milestone in Shangri-La Mactan’s five-year commitment to the Adopt-A-School Programme, with a focus on education, health, and community empowerment.
This renewed partnership is a meaningful step forward in our journey of community engagement.
DAVE JUNKER
GENERAL MANAGER
SHANGRI-LA MACTAN, CEBU
The renewed partnership centres on the continued development of Punta Engaño Elementary School, Shangri-La Mactan’s current Embrace-adopted school, through targeted initiatives in infrastructure enhancement, literacy, skills training, and holistic wellness.
Building on a history of meaningful collaboration—from earlier efforts at Tingo Elementary School to Gilutongan Integrated School—this formalised alliance continues to uphold a shared mission to uplift communities through sustainable and inclusive development.
Under the MOA, both parties committed to:
- Deepening stakeholder engagement through unified sustainability efforts
- Merging Shangri-La Mactan’s community development platforms with USC’s academic and technical expertise
- Driving measurable, lasting progress across Shangri-La Mactan’s adopted communities
(From left to right) Fr. Francisco Antonio Estepa, SVD, PhD – President, University of San Carlos; Fr. Jesuraj Antoniappen, SVD, PhD – Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of San Carlos; Bonifacio N. Mercado Jr., PhD – Director, Community Extension Service, University of San Carlos; Dave Junker – General Manager, Shangri-La Mactan; Lotlot Dagat – Financial Controller, Shangri-La Mactan; Lloyd Malinao – Marine Biologist, Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu
As part of the agreement, Shangri-La Mactan will provide logistical support, venues, and resources for training, volunteer activities, and project implementation. USC, in turn, will offer technical guidance, conduct community assessments, and mobilise faculty and students to support educational outreach and capacity-building initiatives.
“This renewed partnership is a meaningful step forward in our journey of community engagement,” said Dave Junker, General Manager of Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu. “Our hope is to build on the strong foundation already in place—carrying the momentum forward and eventually handing over a legacy of sustained impact and shared responsibility. It’s about creating something that endures far beyond us.”
Shangri-La Mactan General Manager Dave Junker and USC President Fr. Francisco Antonio Estepa, SVD, PhD seal the partnership during the MOA signing ceremony
This collaboration reinforces Shangri-La Mactan’s broader five-year Adopt-A-School commitment, aimed at creating access to quality education and health services through infrastructure improvements, enhanced learning programmes, and wellness interventions designed for children and young people.
Together, Shangri-La Mactan and the University of San Carlos are paving the way for long-term, impact-driven change—one school, one family, one future at a time.
