28/07/2026
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐-๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ ๐๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ-๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ณ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
Getting admitted into college goes a long way, several miles way back in Tubay, Agusan del Norte. But how high can an aspiring MSU Marawi student reach, when they are living in constant survival of having to endure a day without eating, and having to seek opportunities on their own?
Those struggles began long before he entered college. Back in high school, there were days when he and his younger sister went to school without breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and without money even for transportation. To momentarily ease the pain of hunger, they would rub herbal oil on their stomachs just to make it through the day.
โOne of the most difficult moments I experienced was when we barely had enough for ourselves, yet my sister, who was also in college, needed money for her school projects or even just to buy food. Knowing that I could not always provide what she needed was heartbreaking. That was one of the hardest challenges I had to endure because, as an older brother, you naturally want to help, but there were times when I simply had nothing to give,โ he mentions.
He recalls one memory that has never left him. As they walked home one day, both exhausted and starving, his sister asked, โKuya, makasugakod kaha ta aning ing-ani ra, gigutom na kaayo ko?โ (โKuya, can we really make it through this? I'm so hungry.โ)
Although he no longer remembers his exact words, he has never forgotten the promise he made.
โOo, nganong dili? Kining kagutom dili ni mao atong katapusan; kung magutman ta nga nag-eskwela, maghatag ra na ug kusog sa atong nagdilaab nga passion. Magpadayon lang gud ta ug salig lang, dako ra tag maabot puhon, promise nako na sa imoha.โ
(โYes, why not? This hunger is not the end of us. Being hungry while studying only adds fuel to our burning passion. Let's keep going and keep our faith. We will go far somedayโI promise you.โ)
Years later, Salvador became the first among their seven siblings to enter college and is now graduating with Latin honors from MSU, while the sister who once shared those walks with him is now an incoming second-year college student.
โFor me, everything begins with mindset. If we're financially poor, then let our mindset be rich. We cannot afford to have limited resources and a limited way of thinking at the same time. Dream beyond your circumstances. Keep learning, keep improving, and never let where you came from determine where you can go. I am a rich person if money is not an issue,โ he says.
โSiguro sabihin ng iba na burden siya, na pamilya mo lang ang iniisip mo. Para sa akin, hindi, kasi I do not just understand the situation; I lived it. Minsan, hindi natin masisisi ang parents natin in the first place, dahil sila rin ay biktima lang ng sistema. I live for this. I live to give my siblings a good future as well. Gusto ko silang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral.โ
He poignantly adds, โMay nagagawa pag nagagamitan ng utak, pero iba ang nagagawa pag gagamitan mo din ng puso.โ
Salvador, including other students of their college, does not simply face hectic schedules and demanding requirements, but it is also the hardened discipline and meticulous instructions of their professors that makes CFES a place where attaining high grades is near inconceivable.
โI never expected that I would become the first Summa Cum Laude in the history of our humble college because, for decades, no one had achieved it. Looking back, I would say this achievement was both a goal and the result of the hard work, discipline, and consistency I invested throughout my college years,โ he says.
โAlthough becoming a Summa Cum Laude was one of my goals, life is uncertain. You can never predict what lies ahead. Even after the final results were released, I spent the entire night awake trying to process everything because I simply could not believe it was happening. It took time before reality finally sank in,โ he says.
โI sincerely hope this achievement changes the mindset of future CFES students. I truly believe there will be more Summa Cum Laudes after me. I was simply the first, but I certainly will not be the last,โ he affirms.
When asked how he wants to be remembered, his answer strips away the prestige of his academic titles, leaving behind the raw, human essence of his journey.
โI hope people remember me not only as the first Summa Cum Laude but also as a first-generation college graduate who refused to let his circumstances define his future.โ
โI hope they remember me as someone who remained stubborn enough to pursue his dreams, ambitious enough to believe that he could achieve them, and courageous enough to question the status quo. If those qualities are what people remember about me, then perhaps they, too, will realize that they can challenge limitations and create opportunities for themselves,โ he adds.
โAside from loving yourself holistically, if you fail impossible things, itโs okay to question yourself and take your time realizing and understanding everything, because the world is so dark and desolate. At the end of the day, no one can answer your questions except you alone,โ he says.
โSo, to every future CFES student, enrich your mindset. Invest in your growth, believe in your potential, and never stop striving to become the person you are meant to be. Sometimes, the greatest change in your life begins with the way you choose to think,โ he affirms.
Orland Phillip L. Salvador is a manifestation of every โabsurdโ dream that all deprived learners hold upon, because this milestone implores people to continue seeking answers on their own, and to allow oneโs potential to grow.
โMahirap maging mahirap, pero mas maging mahirap kung hindi ka aahon sa hirap.โ
Article by Mohammad Walie Alango
Layout by Fatma Sharika Dimalomping
