Monark Foundation, Inc.

Monark Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit technical-vocational institute established in 1997 by Monark Equipment, the authorized Caterpillar dealer in the Philippines. Founded by Ana Banson-Pastelero and Jose Antonio Banson in memory of their father Onofre Banson, the organization aims to provide educational opportunities to less privileged but determined youth, equipping them with skills and values to become responsible societal members. The institute initially focused on Heavy Equipment Servicing (HES) for male scholars and later expanded to include female Automotive Technology scholars in 2002. It operates under the Dual Training System accredited by TESDA, partnering with industry leaders for practical training. Key milestones include NGO certification in 2002, awards for best practices in dual training from TESDA, accreditation by the Saskatchewan Government of Canada in 2007, and recognition as a 5-star institution by the CAT Institute in 2012. In 2016, it began offering a Senior High School Plus Program in technical-vocational tracks. The foundation has branches in San Pedro City and Cagayan de Oro City, with a vision to be a world-class learning institution producing competent individuals who contribute to a better world.