CHRISTIAN Nazarene Magcawas was turned down when he applied for a college scholarship at his high school alma mater, De La Salle Lipa, as well as at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
But another application, at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, offered him a partial scholarship. He grabbed the opportunity and went on to finish as class valedictorian and summa cum laude of Benilde’s Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management program this year.
In his graduation speech, Magcawas paid tribute to his mother, recalled the difficulties he endured, and called on CHED to “support students truly in need, not just those with good grades, but also those who fight silent battles, who struggle to get by, who simply want a chance.”
Christian Magcawas, 2025 class valedictorian, summa cum laude, Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Manila Times is reprinting a condensed version of his speech.
Get the latest news
delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
“For many, the road to Benilde might have been familiar, paved by stability. For me, it was navigating an uncharted, uncertain, and steep road.
“One person came to mind: the high school dropout who changed my life. She left school [at a] young [age] to support her family, sacrificing her dreams so her siblings (and later, her children) could chase theirs.
Advertisement
“She taught herself what the classroom couldn’t offer her then, and instilled in us a profound respect for learning. That high school dropout is my mother. She once told a young boy in Lipa about De La Salle, believing it could change lives. Today, she has a college graduate after 10 years with De La Salle, one graduating with the highest honors. Destiny may have failed her, but she never stopped believing in the gift that was once stripped away from her, and she never stopped believing in mine.
“I was told that, without a good education, success would always be out of reach… My time as a [high school] scholar at De La Salle Lipa taught me this early. I paid as little as P50 for tuition, but gave back hours of labor each day cleaning classrooms, painting walls, even during vacations. At 13, mopping floors while my classmates went home early was a lesson in humility and the true price of education.
“Then came the pandemic. Twelfth grade. While others were making their first dalgona coffee or their first TikTok, my family wrestled with how we would eat, stay safe, and survive. By God’s grace, our small grocery store, and my mother’s relentless work, saw us through.
“At 18 I found my first job, selling vegetables and chicken. But life, as it often does, threw another curveball. We lost the store.
Advertisement
“My father was sick. My mother lost her job.
“May 29, 2021 at 6 p.m. A date etched in my memory. Tears streamed down my face because of fear. ‘Partial scholarship,’ the email read. How could I go to Benilde? My parents, burdened, couldn’t risk it. That night, hope felt like a distant star.
“Yet, as I prepared to respond to Benilde, I received an email from De La Salle Lipa informing me I hadn’t qualified for a college scholarship. The same news came from CHED. With a heavy heart and without my parents’ knowledge, I turned my decline email into an acceptance.
“Now, here I am. God may have closed doors, but He was building something far greater. He didn’t turn me down, He redirected me. Regardless of the 78s in my JHS report cards, Benilde chose to believe in me and now I am here.
Advertisement
“From that scholarship, and a part-time job, cracked open other doors, funding my first year and a half. To Miss Nicky, my deepest gratitude for the Supplemental Funds for Scholars that carried me and many others to this day.
“Now, at 22, I stand here as my family’s first college graduate.
“My story might echo familiar narratives: ‘mahirap, nagtapos.’ Another working student. People applaud. But I ask: Why should this be an inspirational story? Why do these stories stand out? Because they’re rare. Because for many, education still feels like a luxury instead of a right.
“Why can’t students simply go to college, free from worry, focusing only on learning, with stable Wi-Fi, good gadgets, and enough food on the table? That should be the norm for every Filipino student, not a tale of exceptional struggle.
Advertisement
“Why should it be rare for a student who doesn’t belong to an elite class, who is an IP [indigenous people] student, or who is marginalized, to finish [his or her] studies? If there’s one piece of advice I can give, grab the highest education available to you. Privileges may not be equal, but if you have the chance to have access to one, I assure you it is more than worth it.
Systemic change
“We celebrate grit, but what we really need is systemic change. Education shouldn’t be a test of survival. It should be a guaranteed path, accessible to every student, regardless of background. A basic right, not a luxury for the few.
“To CHED, I advocate for reforms. Support must reach students truly in need, not just those with good grades, but also those who fight silent battles, who struggle merely to get by, who simply want a chance. Let’s stop asking the youth if they want to study. The answer is always yes.
Advertisement
“The better question is, can they?
“We are Benildean Lasallians professing to commit to one faith, be of service to other people, and be a communion in mission. La Salle touched my heart, taught my mind, and transformed my life in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
