NEC reconfirms support through ICT education More than P17 million worth of scholarships granted over the past 20 years

November 27, 2006, Manila - Leading global information and communications technology company, NEC, today reconfirmed its commitment to provide strategic support to the Filipinos’ future and wellbeing.

Marking 20 years since it launched its scholarship program for ICT courses for poor but deserving students, NEC Foundation Inc. expressed delight on results achieved even as they vowed to support more and more Filipino students into becoming an important force in the country’s high-growth ICT industry.

Since 1986, NEC, through the NEC Foundation Inc. (NECFI) has been providing scholarships to underprivileged students for Computer Science, Electronics & Communications Engineering, and Computer Engineering courses.

The start of the scholarship program was also in good timing with the digital age which was then just starting to unfold, giving the NECFI scholars a rare and timely head start for taking advantage of the emerging huge demand for graduates of ICT courses.

According to NECFI Executive Director and University of the Philippines’ College of Engineering Professor and former Dean Edgardo Atanacio, NECFI has already produced more than 90 graduates nationwide since its inception in 1986. Most of these graduates are now working for top ICT companies both in the Philippines and abroad.

“NECFI has been helping educate Filipinos on a “no-strings-attached” basis since 1989,” Atanacio said.

He said that NEC Foundation scholars are only asked to maintain certain academic standards. But, he said, they are not even asked to pay back what has been spent for them nor are they required to intern or work for NEC. “They are free to choose their career path,” Atanacio said.

The Foundation was set up with a US$1 million grant from NEC Corp. of Japan in 1986. NECFI has since spent more than P17 million in scholarship grants.

“It was a strategic and timely move because the digital age was just starting. It was an opportune time for us to help shape the ICT industry into what it is now,” said Hirofumi Okuyama, Adviser and Member of the Board-Corporate Officer of NEC Corporation.

“NEC is committed to continue being a part of the Philippines’ dream of building a progressive nation with world-class IT professionals,” he added.

Leonardo Santos, EVP & Country Manager of NEC Philippines also noted that globally, NEC has programs for corporate social responsibility, especially in the areas of education and environmentalism. However, the ICT scholarship program for poor but deserving students seems to be unique to the Philippines.

“We decided to focus on the three ICT courses not only because NEC’s core business is ICT. Engineering and computer science courses enable an immediate shift to a higher income levels and a dramatic change in quality of living,” Santos said.

Telecommunications and electronics are also the mainstays of the Philippine economy. Semiconductors and electronics account for 70% of the country’s exports, while telecommunications remains to be one of the most robust sectors of the economy.

NECFI is set to award 16 new grants for the coming school year later today at the UP Bahay ng Alumni.

“We shall continue to provide support to more deserving students in the future. You can be sure that NEC shall remain steadfast in its commitment to the Filipino people,” Okuyama added.

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers.

NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation.

The NEC Group employs more than 150,000 people worldwide.
For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com
* Newsroom: http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/

About NEC Philippines
NEC Philippines is the local subsidiary of NEC Corporation and was incorporated in January 11, 1996. It officially started operations in April 1996, though prior to this, NEC was already present in the Philippines through its Manila Representative Office since the 1960s. NEC Philippines is primarily a sales, marketing & services company engaged in the supply of telecommunications equipment, computer systems, network, IP and Data Networks, ICT Integration, IT solutions and services, among others. NEC Philippines also recently launched NECare Center, its 24x7 support center that not only provides after sales and warranty support, but also offers other services like IT integration, project management and other IT- and networking-related services.

About NEC Subsidiaries in the Philippines
There are ten NEC-consolidated subsidiaries in the Philippines: NEC Philippines, Inc., NEC Toppan Circuits Solutions Philippines, NEC Tokin Electronics Philippines, NEC Manila Branch Office, NEC Technologies Hong Kong Manila Office, NESIC Philippines, NEC Logistics Philippines, NEC Toppan Circuits Design Philippines, NEC Telecom Software Philippines & Japan Aviation Electronics Philippines.

Media Contact:
Marivic Gamo
NEC Philippines
Tel: 8486400
Email: msg@necph.nec.co.jp

Joy M. Cabrillos
Communications Experts Organization
Tel: 811 18 51
Email: joy@comm-experts.org.ph