4 Cebu and Aklan Scholars receive Educational Assistance

The desire to help comes in quiet moments

Mr. Tong Limcaoco believes that divine providence leads him to philanthropic causes. As a cooperator of Opus Dei, he surrounds his life in prayer and believes in the values that St. Josemaria Escriva teaches.

“It makes me realize the necessity for all to help those in need, most especially by providing the less fortunate with an education or skill for gainful employment,” he shared.

For Mr. Limcaoco, as with the teachings of St. Escriva, his motivation to do more for the students of Dualtech came during some moments of honest conversations with the scholars. To him, these students were diamonds in the rough—mired in poverty and given unfair educational opportunities.

Scholars like John Aldren Nunez, Johcier Pantallano, Renren Limorisan and Keryll Terre all pooled their savings to leave Cebu and Aklan and find better opportunities in Laguna. But life in the mainland is not as easy as they expected, and in the course of their basic training, they were about to give up.

“Hindi rin naging madali ang buhay ko dito [Laguna], kasi kailangan talagang mag-sacrifice at maging matatag at magtiwala sa Panginoon. Tumataas na po kasi ang mga bilihin, lalong- lalo na sa bigas at ibang pagkain. Kinukulang na rin ang padala ng aking ina dahil hirap din po sila sa probinsya,” Limorisan recalled.

Pantallano shared, “Ang akin pong ina ay isang labandera. Pag malaki- laki ang kita nya, napapadalhan nya ako ng Php 700 kada buwan. Kaso hindi po talaga kasya ito sa loob ng isang buwan kaya may mga araw din na wala akong kain. ”

These provincial scholars fend off thoughts of worry and homesickness for their families day after day, and suffer to miss their families’ presence during birthdays, holidays, and other personal milestones. In remedy, they opt for a life of prayer; devoting their hours to education and industry expertise, hoping they will meet their families soon with a diploma and title in their hands. They have left brothers and sisters back home, who look up to them as beacons of hope. For the scholars, failure is a risk they hope to never take.

These stories of struggle are what moved Mr. Limcaoco to extend aid to these scholars by providing for the living allowance. And to Mr. Limcaoco who has helped these diamonds achieve their shine, being given the opportunity to help is blessing enough.

The four scholars are on their second phase of training. Aldren is in Amherst Laboratories (Binan City), Johcier is in Systempowermark (Carmona Cavite), Renren is in EMD Technologies (Calamba) and Keryll is in Shindengen Philippines (Calamba).