OPENING opportunities for learners with meager means to pursue their studies, technology-enabled education financing platform “Bukas” revealed that it has funded more than P500 million in tuition fees for Filipino students.
Bukas by ErudiFi came into being with a goal of building a brighter future for the youth by extending opportunities through affordable tuition loans. Since its inception four years ago, the “student-first” brand has achieved consistent year-on-year growth, and has aided more than 15,000 learners across its 90 partner-campuses nationwide.
In Metro Manila, Bukas works with De La Salle University, Centro Escolar University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Adamson University, Mapua University, National Teachers College, Our Lady of Fatima University, Far Eastern University, and FEU Tech, among others.
This year, its tie ups have expanded to Bacolod and Zamboanga, broadening its reach to help more students in need.
“Despite the pandemic the past two years, we’ve managed to continuously grow our portfolio. We’re confident that we can scale the business to help even more students continue their studies for a better tomorrow,” Jon Robert Emlano, Bukas’ president, said.
Angel Aquino, a nursing graduate of Universidad de Dagupan, expressed her gratitude to the platform: “My school recommended Bukas to me. Thank you very much, Bukas, for the opportunity that you have given to a student-mom like me to finish my studies. Because of you, I was able to pursue my education.”
Beyond academic loans
KNOWING that educational attainment does not end with having the financial capacity to cover all the expenses needed to pursue such, providing a support system is also important to a student’s journey to academic success.
With this in mind, the platform launched its “Kasama Ka Bukas” initiative (bukas.ph/kasama-ka-bukas), which helps students in many ways.
One aspect of this campaign is the “Bukas Blog” (bukas.ph/blog) that provides various content: from course, career, and financial literacy that guide learners on ways to cope up with the demands of academic life.
The blog also serves as a “go-to” channel for school tips. The platform works with learning institution partners in mounting online and offline events to enable students discover more about their passions, seek guidance on their chosen paths, and explore new opportunities to enrich their lives.
Bukas Blog is also a community where students uplift one another by sharing inspiring stories and experiences, thus creating valuable linkages among them.
Not sitting on its laurels, the team seeks to add more value to the lives of students and its partner-schools, while further elevating the country’s educational system via academic financing and beyond.
“Our goal next year is to be aggressive in covering more schools outside Metro Manila, providing better access to affordable financing across the country,” Emlano shared. “We are also working on expanding our products and services to cater to more students and improve the user experience for the school admin and the students.”