Building opportunities through education, community service, and sports — from the islands of Hawaiʻi to the Philippines.
The Mariano-Soquena Foundation is comprised of different programs aimed at helping today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders in Hawaii and the Philippines succeed by creating opportunities through education, community service, and sports.
Founder Story
Founder & CEO Gino Soquena returned to the Philippines and saw youth in need — and decided to do something about it. In 2016, he established the Mariano-Soquena Foundation with a simple belief: every young person deserves a chance to succeed.
Today the Foundation runs four programs reaching scholars across Hawaiʻi and the Philippines — from junior golf scholars in Santa Barbra, Iloilo to university students at Central Philippine University.
“It all started when I went back to the Philippines. I saw youth in need — and I had to do something about it.”— Gino Soquena, Founder & CEO
Board of Directors
Board member details coming soon. Please contact us for more information about the Foundation’s leadership team.
What Drives Us
We believe education is the foundation of every opportunity. Scholarships and academic support are at the heart of what we do.
Giving back is not optional — it’s core to who we are. From Guimaras to Honolulu, we show up where we’re needed.
Golf and athletics teach discipline, focus, and teamwork. We use sports as a vehicle to build character and create opportunity.
We bridge Hawaii and the Philippines, honoring the heritage of both while investing in the next generation of leaders.