THE MEMORY OF A DISTANT PAST
It was early morning in this foggy
and chilly mountain homeland. Most children of his age were still snuggling and
sleeping on their beds. However, this boy has to brave the unwelcoming cold and
struggle against his wishes to sleep some more in order for him to sell bread
around the neighborhood to add up his meager allowance. This was a daily
routine for him likened to an early morning rite. This proved to be a test of
courage and persistence. At school, he doesn’t have what his classmates were
enjoying like new things, flashy gadgets or more than enough allowance. What he
had was the determination to succeed and faith to rise above his challenges. An
educational scholarship paved his way towards his academic journey. It was a
responsibility and a gift to such a young man and he has to prove his worth
just to maintain the most-prized scholarship. Weekends will always be days of
manual labor in a vegetable garden and a neighboring small scale mining site.
He has to tend to their livestock as well with the food refuse coming from
their school canteen which he gathers on a daily basis on weekdays. He has to
carry his garden’s produce to the city market during Sunday’s on foot to be
sold with a fair price. Summer was not a season for him to go outdoors and play
until the sun sets. He was mostly doing summer jobs like being a working
student, laborer in a construction site, and a deputized individual for government-funded
projects to save him a penny or two for some of his schooling expenses that his
parents cannot readily provide.
All these experiences shaped up his
consciousness to excel and redefine his existence. Indeed, it was a clear
picture of a struggling individual who constantly pushes himself to mark his
place in this world. Looking back, the man that he is now cannot
help but to shed a tear upon reminiscing what it has been for him before.
Nevertheless, he was grateful to those meaningful experiences because it made
him human. It made him whole. It taught him important lessons in life more than
the world’s best learning institutions can give. It fashioned him in such a way
that he will always recognize where he had come from.
(The
Executive Director’s Alma Mater where he painstakingly challenged himself to
maintain his educational scholarship grant from Grade 1 up to his Masters in Business Administration )
IN A TIME MACHINE
Mr.
Martin B. Papay Jr., the Executive Director of Maharlika International School
announces the availability of scholarship grants to deserving Maharlikans in
memory of his paternal and maternal grandparents effective this coming School Year 2015-2016. It shall be known as the Fermin & Elena Papay Memorial
Scholarship and Alipio & Flora Banaken Memorial Scholarship. The said
scholarship grants will offer 50% or 25% discount on tuition depending on the
combined monthly income of a certain student’s parents.
As
an academically inclined individual, Mr. Papay emphasizes that the student
should display excellent academic performance in all grading periods of the
whole school year. Failure to do such will mean disqualification from the said
scholarship grant.
A
further detail on the educational benefit is readily available in the office of
Maharlika International School.
PAYING IT FORWARD
(Mr.
Papay together with his foster children in the Philippines on their annual
educational supplies shopping. Adopt-A-Scholar Project of his Alma Mater, the University
of the Cordilleras through its Alumni Association)
PERPECTIVAL HORIZON
“I
know what it is like to have nothing in life but sheer determination, will
power and unwavering Faith in God to succeed” quoted Mr. Papay as he shared his
objective to this writer. After all, what we seek in life is the difference
that we can make in every opportunity presented. This defines who we are. This
defines the young boy before who once had a dream but woke up and made it a
reality.
(Once
there was a boy…
The
Executive Director shares a light moment with this writer in his office)