Valencia City, Bukidnon — Rechelle Lacorte, 22 of Purok 1, Tongantongan here grew up in a farm where his parents have been cultivating since her childhood.

Rechelle’s parents did not own the land. They are tenants whose income is dependent on the farm labor and on their share of the income of the produce.

Rechelle have witnessed the sufferings of her parents and neighbors brought about by poverty for years. However, she saw it as an opportunity for her growth and understanding.

Challenges in studies

It was not easy for Rechelle to get academic opportunities. She had to face and endure the financial predicaments from elementary up to college because of lack.

“It was not new to me whenever there was a delay in my allowance, or if I didn’t receive any,” Rechelle said, adding that the struggles went on until her college days.

“When I have lots of requirements, my parents would even ask her where to source out the money to buy those,” explained Rechelle.

“Moana gyud si Mama nako, asa nato ni kwaon ang pampalit ani, nak? Ang allowance ra gyud nimo atong gisaligan and wala pay harvest diri sa ato,” Rechelle disclosed. (My mother would ask me where to find money to buy [for my requirements in school]. We are only dependent on your allowance and it’s not even harvest season yet).

Rechelle was referring to the scholarship she earned from several grants during her college days due to her meritorious academic achievement since elementary.

I was raised and was able to send to school through tenant farming and with the help of some scholarships offered by the government like the Provincial Scholarship Program of Governor Jose Maria F. Zubiri and the Academic Scholarship of Central Mindanao University in first year and third year in college.

“But, then at the end of the day, problems and challenges made me a strong person. I took that as an inspiration to get high grades and to excel in academics, said Rechelle who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness Management at Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Bukidnon in 2016.

Pantawid Pamilya helps her achieve her dream

“Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) helped me a lot to pursue my dreams and it became a very big part of where I am today,” declared Rechelle, who is now a licensed agriculturist.

“I know there is nothin in this world that can pay how indebted I am to ESGP-PA (Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation),” said Rechelle, adding that, “ESGP-PA came at the time when my parents decided that they could no longer enroll me in fourth year college.”

ESGP-PA is a college scholarship program of DSWD, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.

Under the program, a student-grantee who is a 4Ps beneficiary is entitled to a maximum grant of P60,000 per school year or P30,000 per semester for tuition and other school fees, textbooks or other learning materials, and stipend.

“Of all the scholarships I have enjoyed, ESGP-PA was really a great help to those students like me that come from poor families. My parents’ joint income was not enough and in the last three semesters in college in 2016, finances really mattered,” said Rechelle.

“ESGP-PA serves as a light to a path where I want to be, a road to success where at the end I want my parents proud, happy and will have a comfortable living, let them rest and let me do all the things they’ve done for me and pay them back with something good for all their hardships,” said a teary-eyed Rechelle.

Rechelle claimed that she has to pay back her parents for enduring the heat of the sun in tilling the farm just to earn money for her allowance and all just for her to earn a degree.

Rechelle disclosed that ESGP-PA also helped her pass the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists. She reviewed at Aim to Top Review Center for free, sponsored by the ESGP-PA, through the efforts of the Central Mindanao University in Bukidnon.

Dedicating success to parents, 4Ps

“I dedicate my success to my parents and to others who have extended a helping hand so that I can reach my dreams, to ESGP-PA of 4Ps and to our Almighty Father,” said Rechelle when asked where to dedicate her success.

A degree holder and a registered agriculturist, Rechelle is currently working at the Department of Agriculture Region 10. She is assigned to the Administrative and Finance Division of the General Services Section of the regional office.

She plans to take up technical-vocational courses related to agriculture. She also plans to take and pass the Civil Service Examination.

She is hoping she will meet 4Ps beneficiaries who are now enrolled in college in order to share her story and inspire them to strive hard in their studies.