Ms. Dara Lynn Go’s Full Transcript of Speech

MESSAGE FOR CITE SCHOLARS DAY 2015

CITE Officers and Trustees, Management, Faculty and Staff, Distinguished Guests, Grantors, Parents and Scholars, Good Morning!

I was recovering from a surgery when Sir Marlon Valencia (here) e-mailed me and said, “Hello, Ma’am! How are you?” I said to myself in reply, “I’m good!” Then I read on and saw on the last paragraph, “I included your name on the list of possible guest speakers for our August 7, 2015 Scholars day in CITE.” Oh, Sir Marlon! I was almost feeling fine, but suddenly I am feeling sick again. Please reconsider. But I guess they will not let me get away for free. So, here I am. I Surrender.

I am Dara Lynn Rivera-Go. A biological mother of none, but an adoptive mother of 80 CITE scholars.

10 years and 10 pounds ago, I started coming to this Scholars Day event, with 10 aspiring young students and 10 hopeful parents from families belonging to the lower-income stratum in Palompon, Leyte. I came with my husband Emerson and my friend Glen just as individuals who made it our personal mission to assist promising but financially challenged high school graduates to achieve their big dream of a post-secondary education that will equip them to find jobs that would enable them to be self-sufficient and to improve the lives of their families and their communities as well. It was a leap of faith.

For most of the parents, it was their first time to ride a boat, to come to Cebu and to cross the busy streets with their “kalderos” and “binugha” (pots and firewood). With no clear picture yet of what to expect of their journey with CITE in the next three years, they just put their trust in God, in CITE and in us as their guide. Their neighbors were even telling them, “Hala! Ibaligya gyud na inyong mga anak didto sa Cebu.” (They will sell your sons there in Cebu.) Then they would simply answer, “Ah, dili man pud siguro mi daganan nila Ma’am.” (They will not abandon us.)

GRANTORS

Year 2004… We were just a bunch of young engineers in our mid 20s who wanted something productive to do on weekends when we started a Free Tutorials Project to fourth year high school students of a national high school in a remote barangay in Palompon, Leyte. Every weekend, we zealously went to the school even when it was raining and the dirt road became muddy and bumpy. We passionately carried out this project side-by-side with our busy work schedules and our MBA schooling.

Year 1 was fun and fulfilling! But when we started Year 2, we felt a little frustrated when we saw some of our former tutees out of school. So we thought there must be something more we could do!

Back then, while we continued with our Free Tutorials Project and invited more volunteer tutors to join us, we explored other options. But I had my eyes on CITE. I believed we could work out something with CITE. I believed that with CITE we could take a slice in giving opportunities and hope for a brighter future to the youth who belonged to the low-income bracket families in our community.

Mr. Wally Ong, a former CITE faculty who was also employed in PASAR for a time before he came back to CITE, became our key. In 2005, we requested him to introduce us to CITE. So he introduced us to the Scholarships Officer back then, the late dear Mr. Jun Capuyan. And there our love story with CITE began.

For our first six Scholars Days, we trailed behind the CITE faculty as they entered the auditorium, feeling red-faced and wanting to pass unnoticed, if that was at all possible. Though we were always filled with excitement, we always felt abashed and funny because we were not a formally registered association. As I said, we are simply a bunch of engineers who believe in the same cause for education. Though working and busy, we go looking for scholarship grantors and match them with our students. For the past 10 years, we have successfully invited more than 10 scholarship grantors to CITE. One of them was PASAR Foundation, to whom we are thankful for the significant support they gave us. PASAR Foundation journeyed with us during our first six years with 10 scholars. And now, 8 of our scholars are currently employed in PASAR, including some scholars of PASAR officers who also became scholarship grantors themselves. There used to be 10, but 1 left for further studies and another 1 recently left for a very good offer abroad. 2 of the currently employed are now enrolled in ETEEAP, hopefully to be sponsored by PASAR. Moreover, another scholarship grant which we are proud to have brought to CITE is the scholarship put up by our Batch 1 scholars as their way of paying it forward. As they successfully completed their education in CITE through various scholarships and gained stable jobs, they in turn put up a scholarship to give the same opportunity to other scholars. Their scholars graduated in 2013.

 

On our seventh Scholars Day, when the Scholars Day was held in Cebu Doctors University Reclamation Campus, by God’s grace, my husband and I finally became scholarship grantors ourselves through the Perpetual Scholarship Fund. At the same time, our very dynamic collaborator and friend Charisse started the JamJar Project. The project came about when it was becoming challenging to look for full sponsors. (hashtag) #crisis. The concept of the project was for our colleagues, friends and family to share a little to create the JamJar Scholarship fund. It also goes by the saying, “A little by many can do so much.” Like CITE, we also believe that only through collaborative efforts could we attain financial sustainability. Some gave P50/payday, while some gave more. For the past three school years, through the JamJar Project fund, we were able to send our STOP participants to CITE practically for free. It has been supporting 1 scholar in full, who will be graduating come November. It has also received donations in kind from which our scholars benefited. AND today, we are happy to share with you that the JamJar Project is already a Perpetual Scholarship Grantor here in CITE (after the MOA is signed).

I believe that each Grantor here has chosen to take part in educating a scholar in CITE for the same conviction as I and my friends have. We all believe that by being grantors and collaborators in CITE, we support if not enable its mission “to provide training in technical skills and entrepreneurship, values formation, health and social services to the less privileged youth, their families, the local community and the industrial sector of Visayas and Mindanao.” Through CITE, we are helping these young men become more competent, purposeful and ethical individuals who will form the professional, skilled, and progressive work force; become leaders for the province and country’s businesses, communities, and government; become good citizens of the country and achieve greater self-sufficiency and thus alleviate the lives of their families and communities.

To date, we have 80 scholars in its hallmark program, the 3-year Industrial Technician Program, and hopefully counting. 42 scholars already graduated, while the others are currently enrolled. 10 BATCHES in total since School Year 2006-2007.

PARENTS

We now have over 70 families in our small “community”, which serve as a support group for the families. Each of these families has its own story to tell about their journey with CITE.

Every year we have gatherings like Christmas parties, Mothers’ Day celebrations and some other small get-togethers. These are beside the regular Parenting Seminars, which we have successfully requested CITE to conduct for us in Leyte for the past 7 school years. Sometimes, especially during election time, political “analysts” would stop and ask, “Unsa na diha? Rally?” I would jokingly answer, “Yes, indeed!” But, in truth, it is a rally to show support for our cause for education.

Every Christmas Party, we are able to measure the progress of the CITE families. Pag nakatina na, naka lipstick na, ug dako na kaayo ug smile, naka graduate na ang anak ana. (When the hair is dyed black, lips are colored red and the smile is from ear to ear, for sure the son has already graduated.) Samot pa pag naay dala lechon or lechon manok! Pag wala pa naka graduate, nilung-ag nga saging or camote lang una. Okay gihapon!

Dear Parents, during the three years that your sons will be here in CITE, you will feel one of two things… or BOTH. The first thing that you will feel is, “Kadugay mulabay sa mga adlaw!” Time will go so slowly when there will be challenges, especially financial challenges. When it is the time of the month to pay the parents’ share, when you have to send money for your son’s allowance and boarding house rental, when the allowance you will send will be short and you have to find yet another generous soul to lend you money. There may even come a time that you will have to sell “how-how”, how-how de carabao. God forbid. You may receive a text saying, “Ma, wa na koy gi ka-on. Huhuhu…” (hashtag) #gutom. How those lines would squeeze your heart and bring you to tears. Murag kumuton inyong kasing-kasing ug makahilak mo ug mga tulo ka patak. (hashtag) #heartbreak. “Kadugay mulabay sa mga adlaw! Mahuman na unta ka, dong!”

The second thing that you will feel is, “Kapaspas sa panahon!” Time will pass so quickly when things are smooth-sailing. Your son may receive a scholarship from a grantor, maybe one these generous benefactors who are here with us now. So, it will be much less burdensome on the pocket. Or after four (4) trimesters, mag OJT na si Dodong. He can already help in the expenses. “Maibtan gyud mi ug tunok, Ma’am!” as most of the parents would say. UNLESS nipalit ug nindot na cellphone or nag girlfriend girlfriend si Dodong. Post baya dayon ug picture sa facebook, sweet kaayo. (hashtag) #mayforever. Pero si mama ug si papa na walay facebook, “Ma’am, kumusta na kaha to akong anak? Wala na may text text.” Nagkinaguol. But, seriously, especially at graduation time, you will let out a big sigh of relief, and with a smile on your face, you will say, “Kapaspas sa panahon.”

Dear Parents, always keep a hopeful spirit! Do not give up! Pray sacks and sacks of prayers; sako-sakong pag-ampo and regularly monitor your sons.

SCHOLARS

As for you, dear Scholars, whom this event is really for, my number one tip for you that you should do TODAY is “TAKE A SELFIE!” Yes, you heard me. Take a selfie of how you look now before you start your three-year journey with CITE. Hopefully, only THREE. For now maybe you look so short, so thin and so awkward-looking. But in three years’ time, like our scholars, I assure you, you will already be tall, handsome and confident-looking.

Your journey will NOT be easy. You will have to scrimp on your allowance (mag tipid) just to make sure “muabot sa sunod padala ni mama”. There will be days when kailangan i-memorize na lang ang panihapon or kailangan mag in-Amerkano na lang – kanang pa bread bread na lang. But as long as it is not always like that, you should be fine even with these small sacrifices. Offer these up for good health for you and your family, or whatever intentions you wish to pray for. Perhaps a passing grade. Someday, you will look back and laugh at these times.

(Hashtag) #kasurrenderon. Yes, there will be times too. Just climbing up the 136 steps everyday is already a feat! Those 136 steps are symbolic of the sacrifices that you have to make to reach your dreams.

“Are You Nervous?” Did you memorize that piece during your STOP? I have heard many funny stories from our scholars about their experience in reciting this piece. Saying “are you nervous” while nervously shaking both hands and legs. But really, “are you nervous?” will be the perfect question when your unpaid parents’ shares would pile up, when your clearance would not be signed and when you would not be allowed to enroll for the next trimester. What is worse is when “promisory note” would not be honored anymore because you have used up your chances. Murag DMD na ug hangyo, di na madala ug hangyo si Sir Marlon. (Hashtag) #areyounervous. Hangyo lang gihapon and be a good student para maka hangyo. Apil pud gani ko ug hangyo.

Dear Scholars, all’s well that ends well. Whatever challenges you may go through in your three-year journey with CITE, just keep your eyes on the goal! (Hashtag) #ForMyFuture. Never waste a single day; embrace the challenges that may come and do not forget to pray. Let God win your battles for you.

Be grateful for this new beginning. And when it is your turn, make a difference in other people’s lives.

So are you up to the challenge, dear scholars? If you are up to the challenge, your JOURNEY begins today!

Good day.

List of Sponsors: Individual (MCM 1, TWG 1, LHE 2p, MRR 2p, Christie Chua 1, GDC 1p, Roy-Faye Estrada III 2, James Tovell 2p); Group (PASAR 10, Batch 1 Scholars 2p, JamJar 1

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *