In the shaded corners of life, how far can we sow the seeds of hope and cast humanity’s light forever?

While the Philippines continue to age, how do we ricochet between its certainties and doubts? In 2021, around 18.1% of Filipinos (about 19.99 million people) lived below the poverty line, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. With the growing inflation and disasters since, the poor grow ever poorer.

"Diploma o diskarte?" [Will you choose your own diploma or resourcefulness?] Amidst the multitude of different principles and beliefs, one truth that carries sublime tears is that not all people have access to formal education.

Based on the 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) conducted in the country, about nine percent (9%) of the estimated 38.2 million Filipinos aged 6 to 24 years old were out-of-school children and youth (OSCY). OSCY refers to family members 6 to 14 years old who are not attending formal school; and family members 15 to 24 years old who are currently out of school, not gainfully employed, and have not finished college or post-secondary courses.

Of the 9% OSCY, some are intelligent, motivated and have the potential to graduate and may land a good job in the future however, instead of seeing them in the universities and colleges they can be seen in the streets working and earning for their subsistence. The most common reasons among OSCYs for not attending school were marriage or family matters (37.0%), lack of personal interest (24.7%), and high cost of education or financial concern (17.9%).

To learn is a treasure, yet costly to hold. Even with the provision of free tuition for students enrolled in identified state universities and colleges (SUCs) through Republic Act No. 10687, also known as the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act (UniFAST), the daily struggles of surviving college remain a daunting challenge. This assistance does not cover the daily commute expenses, the cost of even the simplest meals like instant noodles, the fees for printing endless schoolwork, the rent for a modest boarding house, or the countless other expenses that come with navigating the realities of higher education. For many, these unaddressed costs can be as burdensome as the tuition that has been waived.

For heap of indigenous youth, higher education is a distant horizon—a dream whispered but seldom reached. The path is tangled with thorns: financial strains that weigh heavy, social walls that loom large, and doors to opportunity locked tight. This is the reality that the members of the Indigenous People (IP) in our dear province of Biliran, known as the Mamanwa, were born into and grew up with.

In this darkness, a young man rises with his glimmer of hope. Illuminated by the fire of his ancestors and a vision for his community, he takes one step, then another, defying the odds, breaking the silence, turning stigma into strength. He is John B. Paradas, a member of the Mamanwa ethnic group and a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Criminology (BS Crim) student in BIliran Province State University (BiPSU). Once perceived as a mountain person, this citizen will soon be marching snappy across the stage, cloaked in the dignified black toga.

You might be wondering how he was able. How did adversity shape his journey to academic victory? By grace and luck, beautiful things happen. There are moments of serendipity that lead us to magical opportunities for profound growth and success. These encounters remind us that humanity is far from dead—that there are still souls brimming with kindness and warmth, ready to ignite our candle when our light fades.

During the 2021 Indigenous People’s Summit, University President Dr. Victor Cañezo Jr. noticed Paradas. Wherein, he presented the university Affirmative Action Program—an initiative to make quality education accessible to all.

The Affirmative Action program emerges to increase the chance to study college of the underprivileged/ marginalized students such as those coming from the indigenous groups, persons with disabilities (PWD), students from public schools, and students from depressed areas.

By dint of the Board of Regents (BOR) Resolution No. 28, series of 2021, the Affirmative Action Program for SUCs in Region VIII - Eastern Visayas, in collaboration of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd), was approved on June 30, 2021.

BiPSU, being one of the purveyors of this transformative endeavor, implemented the Affirmative Action Program in the first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022, helping six of its students. This embraced Paradas when he was a struggling first-year criminology student, a lifeline extended when he was on the brink of abandoning his studies.

"Nawad-an na ko'g gana kay nahunahuna nako na magtrabaho nalang ko aron makatabang sa akoang parents. [I lost my desire to study because in my mind, I have to work to help my parents,]" said Paradas.

Fortunately, as a target beneficiary of the Affirmative Action Program for IP, he met the eligibility criteria, which details (1) passing grade point average (GPA) of 75% in senior high school as certified by the school principal; (2) at least 50% of passing score in the SUC-administered admission examination as certified by the SUC Admission Office; and (3) must not be a Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiary.

More radiant than the celestial bodies, the once-bleak hopes of Paradas and his fellow student beneficiaries bloomed a rosy hue, nurtured by the life-giving benefits. Their lives are now entwined with a living allowance of PhP 2,500.00 per month which also covers meals, transportation and other incidental expenses; all other expenses not covered by the UniFAST such as Related Learning Experience (RLE), including on-the-job training (OJT) fees, internship and other required fees of the enrolled program; ready-made uniforms prescribed by the program; and free accommodation in dormitories.

Since its commencement, the affirmative program has catered to an increasing number of beneficiaries. Initially at six, the number saw an increase of three in AY 2023-2024, reaching nine. For the current academic year, this number has further grown to 19. This group is composed of four IPs, one PWD, and 14 students from underprivileged backgrounds.

The first batch of program beneficiaries, involving Paradas, will be graduating in months to come. Two of them will graduate with a BS Crim, two with a BS in Information Technology, and one with a Bachelor of Elementary Education degree. By the wave of its magical wand, the scholarship transforms dreams into destiny, turning the impossible into the inevitable.

“An ini nga positibo nga programa naghimo hin usa nga paagi diin an mga damgo ngan tinguha han mga Lumad sama ha akon nagka mayda kahigayunan nga akon maabot an akon mga pangandoy. Karon, mapasalamaton na mu-gradwar na ko sa kursong criminology, padayon han akon mga gusto makab-ot aron matagaan ko hin maupay nga kaugmaon an akon pamilya.” [This positive program has created an opportunity where the dreams and aspirations of Indigenous People like me could be realized. Now, I am grateful that I am about to graduate with a degree in Criminology, continuing to pursue my goals so that I can provide a better future for my family,] Paradas shared.

Imagine a young indigenous student, who once worked as a laborer to support his family, who used to battle prejudice and poverty, soon donning a graduation cap. It not alone gave Paradas the skills and confidence to uplift his community, yet, it created ripples, inspiring families and the entire community to believe in the possibility of change.

The revitalizing power of the affirmative action program is vividly reflected in the story of John Paradas. This movement, which aims to level the playing field for marginalized sectors, goes beyond providing access to education—it paves the way for a brighter future, instilling hope, and breaking cycles of poverty and discrimination.

“At BiPSU, service transcends duty, we help change lives. We bridge gaps and innovate solutions to address the interest of student welfare. Here, we value each existence, each background, each perseverance, each dream, and we support it by delivering the necessary means,” Dr. Cañezo stated.

This is an affirmation of humanity's enduring spirit of generosity and equity. It reflects a society's commitment to inclusivity, to rewrite destinies. It bridges to a world where talent and perseverance—not socioeconomic status—determine one's future.

When life is scary and dark to others, may we kindle the radiant spirit of human compassion and guide them to a better place. By then, their refuge will be shadows, not the abyss.