MARIA AURORA (PIA) — A scholarship program under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program is helping students in Barangay Debucao in Maria Aurora, Aurora continue their education despite financial challenges.
The educational assistance provides support to students from low-income families who are striving to complete their studies and pursue better opportunities.
Among the beneficiaries is 22-year-old Shyna Alonzo Matutino, a graduating Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management student who sees the scholarship as a pathway toward achieving her goals.
For Matutino, staying in school has required determination and sacrifice as her family struggles to meet the costs of higher education. She shared that her parents were unable to finish their studies and rely mainly on farm work to support the family’s daily needs.
Despite limited income, her parents remained determined to keep their children in school and encourage them to pursue a college degree. Financial difficulties also prompted her older sibling to set aside personal educational aspirations so Matutino could continue her studies and complete her degree first.
The sacrifice weighed heavily on her and strengthened her resolve to finish school and help her family achieve a better future.
Matutino said the support and sacrifices made by her family continue to motivate her to work harder and persevere through challenges. She considers her parents her greatest source of inspiration because of their unwavering commitment to providing opportunities they themselves never had.
According to Matutino, earning a college degree represents an opportunity to improve her family’s circumstances and break the cycle of hardship. “This is the stepping stone for me to be successful in life,” she said.
She added that the scholarship has eased some of the financial burden carried by her parents. The assistance has reduced concerns about educational expenses and allowed her family to focus on supporting her journey toward graduation.
“Sobrang laking tulong po kasi tulad namin na mahirap lang. Maiibsan po ang pag-aalala ng aming mga magulang sa gastusin sa pag-aaral dahil napakalaking tulong po ng Bawat Barangay Makikinabang,” she said.
Matutino expressed her gratitude to President Marcos for providing opportunities to students who face economic hardships.
She said the scholarship has strengthened her determination to complete her education and eventually give back to her family. “Para po sa ating Pangulo, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., sana po ay patuloy ninyong suportahan ang mga kapwa ko estudyante na kapus-palad. Naniniwala po kami na ang edukasyon ay susi sa kinabukasan,” she added.
Barangay Debucao Chairperson Rhammel Frago said many families in the community face challenges that make it difficult to support their children’s education. He noted that prolonged dry spells and other difficulties affecting the agricultural sector often reduce household income and limit the resources available for schooling.
Frago said the scholarship program provides meaningful assistance to students from disadvantaged families and helps ease the burden on parents. He also expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for extending educational opportunities to students in the barangay.
For Matutino, the assistance represents more than financial support. It is an opportunity to transform her family’s sacrifices into a better future and prove that education remains a powerful tool for changing lives. (Michael A. Taroma)
