MANILA, Philippines - The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) presented to President Aquino last month representatives of the 455 scholars of its DBP Endowment for Education Program (DEEP), a corporate social responsibility project providing scholarships to bright and promising youth from low-income families who wish to pursue a degree or non-degree course in the fields of maritime education, agriculture, technical and vocational courses, entrepreneurship, forestry, education and hotel and restaurant management. The program started in 2008 and initially supported 120 nursing students enrolled in various schools all over the country. The following year, demand for seafarers and technical and vocational skills expanded the scope to both maritime and short-term courses.