Hardworks.

 LOOK: A summa cum laude graduate from West Visayas State University (WVSU) is making waves on social media when he shared his story about how poverty did not deter his dreams, encouraging people to build a society where success is not “a one-in-a-million possibility.”

Yancy Aubrey Panugon graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian of the WVSU Class of 2023 on Tuesday, June 6.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Panugon shared how living without electricity, and with no parents did not deter his dreams and academic performance. 

“Now, allow me to share a piece of my story reminiscent of survival films or thriller fiction, and even drama that interests most Filipinos. But the catch is: it's a real-life experience with poverty as the formidable opponent, and I'm the unfortunate protagonist. Life threw me into a rough start,” he began his post, citing an excerpt from his speech during the university’s recognition day.

“My father left without a trace when my mother discovered she was pregnant at an early age, forcing her to take all parenting responsibilities. My mother had to go to Manila to make ends meet, trying her luck for a better life. But reality hit hard like a ten-wheeler truck; the odds were not in our favor. My life had more plot holes and conflicts than Twilight Saga. Soon, I ended up living with my grandmother, who can only see with one eye, and my uncle, who is partially deaf. Picture this scene: we all squeezed into a tiny, dimly lit home without electricity. We didn't own a bed to sleep in, a table to eat on, or even access to water. Our only light sources were candles and flashlights,” he went on.

Panugon shared that even as a child, he quickly learned the value of hard work.

“My friends from Brgy. Duran and I had to gather garbage in our crowded neighborhood and search for recyclables to sell to buy the simple toys we so badly wanted. During elementary school, my pocket money depended on my grandmother's luck in a game called Tong-its. If she failed to win, I would skip school to play Tetris Battle or card games that involved money, hoping to pocket a few coins for school,” he wrote.

“My 73-year-old grandma had to walk kilometers to see me during card days or PTA meetings. As a child, I was confronted with these harsh conditions head-on, but fortunately, the ending to that chapter was not a letdown as I graduated as the top student, the class valedictorian, from A. Montes I Elementary School,” he added.

Moving to Iloilo National High School, Panugon’s high school years presented even greater hardships.

“I remember my grandma had to hold a flashlight for long hours so I could study, and when her arms grew tired, I had to learn the art of multitasking: a flashlight in one hand, the other taking messy notes on a Mara-Clara-covered notebook. Sadly, our flashlight didn't stay long, so I had to switch to a candle when working on projects—no wonder my teachers questioned why my outputs sometimes had candle wax on them. Hope almost died like that fast-burning candle when the high school put even more strain on our finances,” he said.

“I remember participating in quiz bees not for the love of competition but to win cash prizes, hoping to have some pocket money to survive high school and hang out with my friends at nearby fishball stands. But even then, money from those quiz bees wasn’t enough. There were times when I had less than ten pesos to sustain an entire school day. It was a silent battle, fought hard with the undying determination of my uncle and grandma through a mix of literal and figurative blood, sweat, and tears,” he added.

Panugon stressed his commitment to education despite their financial situation as it served as “an escape from the painful realities” of life.

“Our neighbors would ask why I still pursued getting an education despite our financial burdens. The answer was simple: school was my escape from the painful realities of this survival game we call life. And for a little plot twist for this particular chapter of my young life, I proudly graduated as the class salutatorian of Iloilo National High School despite all those obstacles,” he wrote.

“This is just one of the stories in our underdeveloped community where the bitter truth of life is seen and felt. A hard living like this exists for many children and is sadly overlooked in the grand narratives of excellence,” he continued. 

To his fellow graduates, Panugon had this to say: “I encourage each graduate to contribute to building a society where success for every young, struggling dreamer is more of a promise that can be delivered instead of just a one-in-a-million possibility. Let's create a culture where collaboration overpowers competition in this survival game called life.”

Panugon also received several awards during the WVSU recognition day including the Senator Manuel B. Villar Academic Excellence Award as University Valedictorian, Reynaldo Gacho Segumpan Award as Most Outstanding College of Education Graduate, Academic Excellence Award – First Honors (1st to 4th year), Proficiency Award in Mathematics, President’s Recognition for National Awardee, and Most Outstanding Practice Teacher in Mathematics.

The young scholar earned the admiration of his peers. His Facebook post about his achievements has amassed over 5,600 Facebook reactions and 1,300 shares as of this posting. | Sean Rafio 📷 Yancy Aubrey Panugon/Facebook

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