When SM City-North Edsa opened in 1985, the vision was clear: People’s access to products is vital, but Filipinos’ access to quality education is priceless.
The SM Group emphasized this commitment to inclusivity when the company insisted that APC will operate as a non-profit and non-stock institution. The higher education institution has upheld its legacy of inclusivity by supporting 9,300 scholars: 7,000 from public schools, 1,000 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police, plus more than 1,300 from SM Foundation. Overall, APC provides scholarship support to 80 percent of its students, with P9 million awarded in 2023, and a total of P700 million in education grants over the last 18 years.
“It was very inspiring for him to do that,” the graduate said. “It goes to show that SM really wants to help us…It ignited our passion to continue our studies.” Gapuz and Buyco are only two of the numerous successful APC graduates. In fact, from the graduating classes between 2020 and 2022, the employability rate is at 92.8 percent within 24 months from graduation.