FREED from the Cycle of Poverty: The success stories of BSPFI scholars

Lovella Panlaqui

The father, Mang Alexander, belonged to a peasant family in Floridablanca, Pampanga. He is the eldest among eight children. After reaching first year high school Mang Alexander decided to stop from school to give way to his younger siblings who also wished to learn at least from the elementary school. As the eldest child, he assumed some of his father’s responsibilities to sustain their family financial demands.
While working as a truck driver, Mang Alexander met Aling Teodora. They got married and were blessed with three children. Russel, the eldest among the three, was lucky enough to finish high school. But like his father, he did not continue any further to give way to his younger siblings. He worked as an assistant for his uncle who was an electrician. He supported his youngest sister’s (Lovella) financial needs at school. Jinky, the second among the three siblings, got married after finishing high school and had two children. Jinky’s marriage did not last long, she got divorced and now a single parent to her two kids. After finishing high school, Lovella was recommended by St. Joseph Community Center to BSPFI. Lovella expressed her willingness to take a College degree and eventually work to break the cycle of poverty within her family.

TODAY

Lovella has finished her computer secretarial course also at Virgen delos Remedios College. She graduated last March 26, 2003. She is the youngest among the three Panlaqui children and is the only one who has gone beyond high school education. Thus, her graduation was really a good news to her family. She is working with GRAMEEN Bank, a bank that has reversed conventional banking practice by removing the need for collateral and created a banking system based on mutual trust, accountability, participation and creativity. GB provides credit to the poorest of the poor in rural Zambales, without collateral.

Demetria Romero

The father, Mang Renato is a native of Manaog, Pangasinan. He graduated from elementary school but did not take any further studies but helped his parents in farming instead. In 1978, he left his hometown and went to Olongapo City hoping for greener pasture. He engaged himself into all kinds of work that was available for him until he met Editha who was a food server in one of the restaurants in Olongapo City. Like Mang Renato, Editha is not a native of Olongapo, she is from San Marcelino, Zambales. She went to Olongapo to be able to support her family in the province.
Mang Renato and Aling Editha got married in 1980 and they were blessed with three children. They were having a simple yet happy family life until Mang Renato was involved in a fatal fight that led him to prison. While serving his term in prison, Aling Editha was left alone supporting her children.
At the time that Mang Renato was released from prison, Demetria was already graduating from highschool. Mang Renato accompanied Demetria to BSPFI and applied for scholarship assistance to purse her studies in college.

TODAY
Demetria N. Romero of #80 Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City has just acquired a degree in BS Criminology from Virgen delos Remedios College. She graduated last March 26, 2003. She is now an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Hong Kong.

Romelo Dumagas

Romelo ‘Bagets’ Dumagas of 97-A Lower Kalaklan, Olongapo City used to be a pahinante (truckdriver’s assistant). He had given up any hope for a better life until Fr. Albert saw his streetsmart intelligence and offered him a scholarship grant. Proving his worth, Bagets eventually became a Sacristan at the Holy Family Quasi-Parish and he displayed discipline and diligence in doing church chores and school works. When he graduated as a computer technician, his school, COMTEQ Business College-SBMA, saw his patience and potential and got his service as in-house computer assistant and subsidized the continuation of his studies to a four-year degree. The former truck driver’s sidekick is now on the driver’s seat of his zooming career.

TODAY

Romelo graduated last March 2003 with 2 courses, Electronics Computer Technology (ECT) and Computer Technology (ComTec) at COMTEQ, Olongapo City. He is now employed as a fulltime employee at the same school where he graduated, as Net Administrator and Trainer/Instructor.