By Khristine E. Cuaresma
I come from a family of educators. I have aunts and uncles who were teachers and they have motivated and inspired me to become one of them.
Aside from my family, my teachers during elementary and high school days were very supportive. They fostered within me a desire to learn, challenge myself and pursue my dreams.
My father died when I was in fourth grade due to a vehicular accident. He was from Masbate and worked as a lineman for an electric cooperative. Losing my father caused me and my family so much pain. I could hardly focus on my studies with the thought of my father gone. Losing him at 10 was probably the most difficult thing I had gone through during my childhood and up until now.
After the demise of my father, my mother went to Cebu to work as a domestic helper. Because of the distance of Cebu from General Santos and the travel expense, she would only come home to visit us during the Christmas holidays. This became the most important annual event for me and my four siblings.
Despite our loss, and to help my mother out, I persisted and was able to retain my SK scholarship from elementary to high school.
After graduating high school from the New Society National High School in General Santos City I had to get a college scholarship since my mother could not afford to send me to college.
While looking for a college scholarship, I met a lady who awakened the flame that I felt when Papa and I would have informal conversations at the dinner table or during our lull times before bed. She seemed to have touched in me a fervor to carry on.
My next step was to apply for a four-year scholarship upon the prodding of that lady.
During the crucial interview, I poured out all the emotional burden that my heart was carrying, sharing the pain that seemed to engulf me at that moment. After blabbering for almost an hour, the lady then shared her own journey, the challenges that she went through. I bonded with her and felt that I was like her. She made me understand the meaning of life and death, and that each one of us has a purpose in life.
Then she asked me: “What is your role?” I did not have an answer. With that question, I felt as though I would break down and throw away my chance of getting a scholarship.
“The tragic accident may have ended your father’s life but it did not end yours. It is a beginning for you to move on, to carry on, take more responsibility and make your life as meaningful as it was to him.”
These words struck me and made me realize that I should strive even harder for the sake of my Mother and my siblings. She told me that my current situation should not stop me from striving even harder – especially under dire circumstances.
The woman was Linda Atayde, the Executive Director for Education of SM Foundation.
As she had foreseen, I became an SM scholar. With the opportunity, I was determined to get good grades to sustain the scholarship grant from SM.
The scholarship did not only push me to get good grades, it also provided me with enriching experience despite being a probinsyana. It gave me an opportunity to interact with fellow scholars who are the same age as mine. It also allowed me to learn and enjoy working for SM during my summer and semestral breaks.
After graduation, I experienced my first airplane ride to Manila to meet my benefactor, the shopping mall magnate, Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr., in person. It was an invaluable experience for someone like me, a probinsyana who rarely had the opportunity to meet prominent persons. Meeting Tatang made me feel so lucky and grateful. The experience was indeed priceless.
I graduated in 2015 and sadly, two years after, my mother passed on. It was another painful experience, but deep in my heart I knew I had to be strong for my siblings.
When I traveled back to Mindanao, I was hired as a substitute teacher at the Lozano Elementary School, teaching six subjects to Grade 4 and Grade 6 pupils. It was a difficult assignment but with my passion, I am confident to say that I did a good job in mentoring our learners.
This year is my fourth year as a teacher. I am currently teaching at the PaoPao Elementary School (PES) which is located in Barangay Sinawal, General Santos City, 11 kilometers from where my family and I live.
Barangay Sinawal is a far-flung, agri-based community which is also prone to landslides. And because of the difficulty in transportation, I learned how to drive a motorcycle just to reach our school.
Khristine Cuaresma is an SM Scholar and an alumna of the Mindanao State University-General Santos City campus.
