This scholarship agreement was established following Atty. Bacalando’s expressed intent to support the University’s Scientia-Virtus-Devotio Student Financial Assistance Program: Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid and Loans (S-V-D StuFAP: SGL) initiative.
Atty. Leonito Bacalando Jr., a distinguished alumnus of the USC College of Law, formalized a philanthropic partnership on June 18, 2026 with the University of San Carlos (USC) through the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which officially establishes the Atty. Bacalando Scholarship Fund.
Held at the University Board of Trustees Conference Room in the Downtown Campus, the proceedings were facilitated by the USC Office of Alumni Affairs, Scholarships, and Job Placement (OAASJP) under the leadership of Ar. Margret D. Rosario, FUAP.

Through the Atty. Bacalando Scholarship Fund, the benefactor pledges targeted financial provisions and support dedicated to select USC students who not only exhibit exceptional academic performance but are also willing to commit themselves to promoting a culture of anti-corruption in government and the workplace, and support transparency and accountability initiatives in public service. To ensure the integrity of the endowment, the University will assume key responsibility for the evaluation and vetting process to determine student eligibility.
The ceremonial signing was attended by Fr. Francisco Antonio T. Estepa, SVD, Ph.D. (University President), Atty. Joan S. Largo, Ll.M. (University Vice President for Administration), and Atty. Jose Glenn C. Capanas, J.D. (Dean, School of Law and Governance), who witnessed the formalization of the accord.
Collectively, Fr. Estepa, Atty. Largo, Atty. Capanas, and Ar. Rosario expressed their profound gratitude to Atty. Bacalando for his kind generosity.
In response, Atty. Bacalando expressed his sincere appreciation and humility upon being welcomed back by his alma mater, noting how deeply honored he felt to invest in the next generation of Carolinian scholars. He likewise offered personal admiration for the USC Family under Father Estepa’s leadership for its unwavering commitment to academic excellence and its enduring legacy of shaping world-class professionals grounded in Christian values.
Previously, Atty. Bacalando was appointed as the first-ever Filipino Justice Department Secretary in Micronesia.
