My Heartfelt Thanks

Yours if you want it.

Posted by Sunny Cervantes on September 27, 2007 at 4:57am

Thank you so much to all those who responded to my plea for help. You know who you are. I would not want to embarrass you by naming who you people are.

The gift of education is so priceless. It is one of the treasures we have that can never be stolen from us.

My daughter, Angel, goes to a very good school. I would want the same for the other Filipino kids. I would want them to have the same opportunities that Angel would have because of her education. Our kids are the future of our nation and society. Wouldn't it be nice to know that we will be leaving this world into the capable hands of our children? Education is one way to ensure that.

I believe that a quality education is the right of any child. Going to a good school should not be a privilege. And, yet, the reality is that it often is.

The Philippines does not have a very good public school system. Kids who go to public schools cannot compete with those who went to the premier ones. And it's very sad because the kids who go to the public schools are just as - if not more - intelligent and talented as the other kids who are more blessed financially.

There is a stigma here to kids who went to public schools. Society tends to look down on them unless, of course, you went to high school at the Philippine Science High School or college at the University of the Philippines. Both schools are the only public schools here that garner the same respect and, often, awe that exclusive schools command.

The University of the Philippines is our answer to Harvard. It is the country's premier state university. Tuition fee there is subsidized by the government. But, because of the educational standards set by the university, what was once meant for the less fortunate has now slowly evolved to becoming a bastion of elitism in this country. The aim of the university is to provide world-class education to Filipinos especially those who cannot afford such an education.

Yet, over the years, the tuition fee has increased significantly because more and more affluent children go to UP. While the tuition fee there is still infinitely cheaper than other universities, it is no longer something to sneeze at. When I was in UP, the tuition was free. We only had to pay the miscellaneous fees.

Towards the end of my stay there, the tuition fee became semi-subsidized depending on your parents' income. They called the system, STFAP. I forgot what that stands for. But the premise is that students should pay for quality education if their parents can afford it. Many failed to make it to Bracket 1 (free tuition) and many more tried to cheat the system to remain at Bracket 1 despite being able to afford the entire educational cost.

Still, despite the STFAP, many other financially-challenged students find it difficult to pay for a UP education. And it's very sad because they are more intelligent, more talented and in a better position to help this country move forward than I could ever be.

I'm very grateful to those who are going to help. I never expected it at all. I just thought I'd ask because what have I got to lose by asking anyway? Nothing. The worst was that I'd be ignored. What else is new? LOL!

Again, thank you very much. I am truly humbled by your generosity. And, as hokey as this may sound, I believe that you will be more blessed because you helped those in need.