by: Norberto G.
Betita
Later in my senior years I took and passed a scholarship for
agricultural engineering at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City. However,
due to poverty my parents did not allow me to go, hence I enrolled in a local
college for a course leading to a degree in Banking and Finance. My elder brother, one of the twins, who works
with the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP), promised to
support my college education, but his vices seemed to consume greater amount of
his income that at times he failed to send the most needed allowance. And so I
remained dependent to my parents for support. They have taught and continually
encouraged us to study, because education is the only way to cut the chain of
poverty in our family and our personal life.
I tried hard to be more patient of whatever meagre resources
that our parents could afford to support. I persevered despite the absence of a
pair of school shoes that I have to wear only a set of rubber slipper to attend
classes. I kept trying patiently to go to school with my only blue jeans, which
color turned brownish after a whole week of wearing. I do not bring books or a
notebook which my classmates generally do. I only have in my back pocket a
folded scratch bond papers and a ball pen to take notes during classes. I am a
poor man and I could not afford the contemporary styles of my youthful years. As
such my person seemed to be almost totally aloof from associations of
classmates. Yet I tried so hard to be good at my studies, and for this I have
gained good friends at the campus and respect from my instructors. I took every
challenge as an opportunity for advancement and intellectual growth. When given
the opportunity to be the department contestant in an oratorical contest during
one of our college day celebrations, after the original contestant had
withdrawn, I took the courage to memorize and practice a lengthily oratorical
piece with only a week to the scheduled contest. In the middle of my discourse,
in front of a vast audience of students, teachers and parents, I forgot a few
parts then I captured relevant words from my own thoughts and continued,
finally ending up second place.
In classes I never felt being intimidated. I proved what I
believe is right on a particular subject matter and principle, even if it would
mean that I would have to engage in a debate with classmates and instructors. I
read and studied my lessons and generally come to school ready and prepared for
any discussions. I seldom stayed long in the campus due to my ragged look which
created inferiority in me. Yet women are close to me because of my ability to
promptly respond for help in their assignments.
Class excursions are generally a problem to me because
instructors would require us to go. Those who were able to attend will have an
incentive or plus point of 50% of our term examination. Since generally I am
not able to attend I have to study even harder to have the best score.
Tuition and fees was always a very serious concern. When
examinations were scheduled, my parents would have a hard time responding to my
school needs, that sometimes I have to take special examinations for failure to
pay my tuition and fees on time. My beloved mother, have to plead before the
school president for help if only for me to be given the permit to take the
examinations on time. While I was considering supporting my college education
by working part-time, yet minors are prohibited by law. For two years I took
that painful beat of deprivations while in college. Always mindful, however, of the counsel of my
parents to obtain the highest education possible I persevered and look towards
the future with unrelenting optimism. I tried to be motivated by the thought
that like the darkened clouds above the horizon, there runs a stream of
flickering light which signals a brightness of hope of a possible brighter
day. However, poverty and deprivation
eventually took its toll.
While I was thus joining a crowd of outgoing students at the
narrow exit somebody happened to step on my rubber slipper and it broke. I was
totally ashamed and embarrassed. Frustrations sunk deep into my heart as I
walked limping with the broken slipper trying to salvage my remaining dignity
while in company with a large crowd of students. All my optimism and wonderful
dreams for a college degree seemed to crash before me, and my vision of a
brighter future became blurred. I thought that my college life was not what it
should have been. I needed to work to be able to provide some of my most needed
personal bits and pieces.
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