Tenggarong– PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) symbolically handed over the Mahakam Education Assistance Program to the Regent of Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) Edi Damansyah on Thursday, 17 August 2023. This program is a concrete manifestation of the Company's commitment to the Community Development Program (PPM or CSR), especially in education.

General Manager of PHM, Setyo Sapto Edi, said the Education Assistance Program is part of CSR activities carried out annually with support from SKK Migas, which have provided sustainable benefits to the community, especially the younger generation.

"In accordance with the policy of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI) as the holding company, PHM runs various PPM programs in the fields of economic empowerment, education, health and the environment which are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal 4 namely quality education that is inclusive and evenly," he said.

Setyo explained that in 2023, Mahakam Education Cost Assistance will be given to 84 students currently studying at 17 tertiary institutions, starting from the D3, D4, S1, Linear Teacher S1, and S2 levels in East Kalimantan. The students came from 5 subdistricts around the operational area, namely Anggana Subdistrict, 25 people; Muara Badak District, six people; Muara Jawa District, 25. Samboja District has 23 people, and Sanga-Sanga District has five people, including Pesisir scholarships for three students from Anggana District.

PHM also continued the Coastal Undergraduate Assistance activities in the form of guidance on entering State Universities (PTN) and facilitating the registration of the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP)+ scholarship for coastal students. Through this mentoring activity, in 2023, there will be 28 students who have successfully entered PTN and received the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) + scholarship.

In his remarks, the Regent of Kukar Edi Damansyah said that the PHM Coastal Undergraduate Education Assistance and Scholarship Program was one of the efforts to improve the quality of human resources in Kutai Kartanagara and provide enthusiasm for students and university students to be more enthusiastic in studying.

Meanwhile, Manager Communication Relations & CID PHI-Regional 3 Dony Indrawan explained that HR capacity development is one of the focuses of the Company's flagship CSR program.

"We are currently preparing for the implementation of the Kalimantan Friends of the Earth Scholarship program for students with good academic achievements but who come from underprivileged families to be able to continue their education at the undergraduate level at universities in Kalimantan," explained Dony.

Dony hopes that the program, in collaboration with the Pertamina Foundation, can lead the younger generation from the Company's operating areas to obtain a better education and become a driving force for progress in their respective regions.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) is a subsidiary of PHI, which carries out upstream oil and gas operations and business according to ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) principles in the Mahakam Work Area in East Kalimantan. PHM and other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates run innovative Social and Environmental Responsibility programs in Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PHI headquarters is in Jakarta. Further information on PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.