CARITAS Manila, the social services arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, has recently graduated 1,604 college and vocational-technical scholars for the school year 2021 to 2022 under its Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program (Yslep). This is the largest batch to date since the program started almost 70 years ago.

The tally of graduates is broken down as follows: 565 scholars from Luzon, 511 from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, 279 from the Visayas and 249 from Mindanao.

Among the Yslep graduates, six are summa cum laude, 54 are magna cum laude, 140 are cum laude, 78 are special awardees, 68 are recognized for their academic excellence and 779 are in the dean’s list. The 2021 to 2022 batch has finished courses in business, education, economics, engineering, social sciences, information technology and agriculture.

Caritas Manila recognizes each and every Yslep scholar during a special event called Kairos, which means the opportune time or the appointed time in the purpose of God. Each scholar receives a certificate of recognition and an Outstanding Youth Servant Leader Medal. A total of 18 Kairos events have been held nationwide from June to September this year.

Yslep prioritizes disadvantaged youth from the poorest provinces and indigenous groups as well as those who are victims of calamities and those affected by war and conflict.