Personal gains aside, elite schools in the Philippines have also been encouraging students to graduate into ones committed to national capacity building. They encourage students to develop sense and skills of leadership.

    PHSA executive director Fernando Josef maintains that it is simply not enough for elite schools to just develop technical skills and hone passions among students and instill discipline into graduates.

    It is also important for schools to encourage students to develop a sense of commitment to their country and to the whole of mankind.

    "Being an artist doesn't end in self-gratification. You have to share," said the executive director.

    And that is why that PHSA organized a few days ago its students to help prepare food in a soup kitchen for the victims of Typhoon Ketsana.

    The school is now organizing groups that can provide art therapies to children displaced by typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

    The PHSA doctrine, according to Josef, is to develop artistically gifted and talented students while forming a national center for excellence and leadership in arts, research, training and support programs.

    To Criselda Go, PHSA has given her the time and space to do what she has always been good at since she was five: singing.

    "Music will give me a sense of accomplishment ... that I have done something good."