By Val G. Abelgas
Kristel Tejada
Two weeks ago, I was privileged to attend the graduation from St. Joseph’s College in Cavite City of seven scholars of a Southern California-based Filipino-American retiree. It was an experience I can never forget.
That the event came just a few days after University of the Philippines student Kristel Tejada ended her young life after being forced to take a leave of absence because she could not raise the money for tuition made the graduation of the seven scholars even more memorable.
During his speech on behalf of the graduating class, Christian M. Ravino, who graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Education and one of the seven graduating scholars of the Estacion Foundation, thanked all those who had helped the graduates pass through the four years of their college education, including the teachers and staff of the college and their parents.
He reserved the last thank you for Newport Beach resident Abelardo “Abby” Estacion, founder and patron of the Estacion Foundation, and even went down the stage to fetch “Sir Abby” to share the stage with him as he finished his speech. While tears streamed down the eyes of the teachers, nuns and some guests, Ravino hugged Estacion and thanked him profusely for giving him the chance to improve his life and get his family out of poverty.
Ravino said his family was relying on him to better their lives, and after graduation from the Cavite National High School, he did not see any chance of getting into college because his poor parents could not afford the tuition and other expenses. The Estacion Foundation came to his rescue and sponsored his college education until he graduated. He now has offers to teach from several schools.
At the reception hosted by Estacion for the graduates, their families and school personnel, the same expressions of gratitude were poured out by the six other graduating scholars, one of whom graduated cum laude and the others with various awards and distinction.
One scholar was so poor, his parents and seven siblings slept like sardines in a small room that served as bedroom, living room and kitchen for the family. Like the rest of the scholar graduates, he was the only hope of the family to get out of poverty.
Estacion wished he had known about Kristel’s tuition problems, and said he would have helped her finish college.
Estacion, who was not really rich but only had the fortune of getting huge retirement benefits from three companies that he served successively that he invested quite well, was a jeepney driver serving American servicemen in Sangley Point in Cavite. He knew how frustrating it was not to be able to study because his parents could not afford the tuition and other expenses.
He landed a job with the US Navy at the very young age of 17, and used his educational benefits under the GI Bill to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration, major in accounting, from Pepperdine University. He retired thrice from three big companies as comptroller and invested the retirement benefits with the help of his cousin, Manny Estacion, an executive at the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Corp. (HSBC) who is now helping him run the scholarship program as president of the Estacion Foundation.
As a way of giving back to the community that nurtured his dreams while growing up as a poor boy, Estacion decided to launch a college scholarship program for poor, but deserving graduates of his alma mater, the Cavite National High School. He has sponsored 60 college scholars, helping them not only with their tuition fees but also with other needs, such as uniforms, books, and sometimes, even school allowance.
He spent for the successful operation of a cross-eyed scholar so she could get back her self-confidence. He paid for hospital expenses of ailing scholars and some parents. And he checked on his scholars regularly through volunteers from St. Joseph’s College and through occasional phone calls or text messages.
Forty-five of the scholars have graduated and almost all have found jobs, and are now helping their siblings get the opportunity to achieve their dreams that Estacion made possible for them. Many of the graduates are now teachers, and inculcating in their students the importance of education and of compassion.
One of his graduates outside of St. Joseph’s College, Sarah May R. Sibug, will graduate magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines (Manila) with a degree of B.S. Biochemistry. Sibug, 22, garnered seventh place in the 2012 chemist licensure examinations. She will be one of the top graduates during the state university’s graduation rites on April 19.
Arthur Ashe, the first black Wimbledon champion and a civil rights activist, once said: “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” We can attain all the riches and successes in life, but in the end, the thing that matters most is what we give back that improves the lives of others.
The tragic death of Kristel Tejada should motivate Filipinos overseas to give back in their own way to give the Kristels of the Philippines the chance to pursue their dreams and get the opportunity to improve their lives and those of their family.
Scholarships need not be just in the form of tuition. Overseas Filipinos can help by providing monthly allowances to poor public high school students, who even with free tuition are having difficulties because their parents don’t even have money for jeepney fare, uniforms, school needs, and snacks.
Some students from my alma mater, Manila Science High School, pool contributions to give monthly allowance to poor, but academically achieving students of the school to help them with daily expenses until they graduate. They only have to maintain a certain grade average to keep the scholarship. The group has expanded its program to continue helping the scholars through college.
If every Filipino organization would only initiate its own scholarship program for deserving Filipino students in their hometown or home province, as Estacion is doing in Cavite City, the Kristels in our country need not become so desperate as to end their lives. And many young Filipinos would not only have the chance of achieving their dreams, and more importantly, learn the importance of compassion and of helping other people. Knowing one has helped another achieve a better life makes him truly happy, as Estacion is obviously enjoying.
That’s the beauty of giving back.
(valabelgas@aol.com)
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