De La Salle University signed a Deed of Donation on July 16, formally establishing the Julius Manalo Scholarship Grant. The grant will provide vital support to an incoming freshman STEM student, offering a living allowance to help cover dormitory and daily expenses — easing the financial burdens that often accompany university life.

The scholarship grant is named in honor of Mr. Julius Manalo, whose resilience and life journey have inspired many. By recognizing his story, DLSU hopes to encourage future scholars to embrace the Lasallian spirit of compassion, service, and paying it forward.

What begins as a boy’s fascination with computers can grow into a lifelong journey of leadership, service, and global impact. That early spark, nurtured by Lasallian values, would one day lead from the classroom all the way to the C-Suite.

For Carlos “Caloi” Santos, the spark that ignited his love for computers began in 1984, when his grandfather enrolled him in an after-school programming class at Don Bosco Makati. “My generation was heavily influenced by the PC revolution,” he recalls. That early exposure would eventually lead him to De La Salle University, which he regarded then—as now—as having the best Computer Science program in the country.

Following in the footsteps of his two older sisters, Caloi entered DLSU in 1990 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Major in Information Technology in 1994. He later pursued a Master of Science in Information Technology, becoming the first graduate of the program in the Philippines in 1998. His postgraduate journey was inspired by a defining moment in his freshman year: when the Dean of the College noticed his ability to speak confidently to incoming students and encouraged him to teach. From then on, Carlos combined learning with service, teaching at DLSU from 1994 to 1998 while completing his master’s degree.