Langging grew up in a poor family in a rural area. She worked hard in school and helped her family financially while pursuing her dream of going to college. Although her parents could not afford to send her, she was accepted into a scholarship program in Manila run by nuns. She initially had to work as a caretaker to save money for school. After a year of working hard, Langging was enrolled in college to study education. Through perseverance and sacrifice, she was able to achieve her dream of getting a college education and becoming a teacher.

1. A Sedulous Dreamer
By Jechel Anggo
In a place of distant neighborhood, surrounded by the fruits of nature and a number of
three to four vehicles with the same image passed by, the children in their respective houses
will go out when they hear an airplane or a helicopter just to wave their hands, assuming that
they were seen, where the family of Langging lives. She belongs to a loving and a hardworking
family that everything they reap has being worked. She’s the third among the four siblings. Her
elder sister is a working student in one of their relatives since elementary to high school to
sustain her studies and right after graduation, find a job. Not being satisfied because of the low
salary, she flew to manila. She worked as “kasambahay” and lastly she was hired as a cook of
one of the branch congregation of the Religious of Mary Immaculate (RMI) at the same time
she was studying every Sunday in a vocational school that is managed also by the nun.
Meanwhile, Langgings’ elder brother is quite not lucky enough in his field of work. He
used to work for two to three months and after that, he stopped and seeks for another job. On
the other hand, Langging in her young age already helped her parents. Since elementary, grade
school to high school, she already do the house hold chores, helping her parents to earn money
by selling vegetables, go along with the peasant together with her mother to till the soil. At the
end of the day, they will receive their payment. Oftentimes Langging used to be the one who
was left in their house together with her younger brother who has eight years of gap with her
age. Her parents’ wakes up before the sun rises to go to their small farm, gathering fruits and
vegetables and feeding their animals. When her mother arrived, she assists Jun-Jun, their
younger brother in taking a bath.
While waiting the rice to be cooked, Langging who seated evenly in a long bench beside
their dirty kitchen, rest one’s chin on her right hand, she asked herself “Is it really destiny not a
matter of chance but a matter of choice? Why is it there are rich and there are poor? Are my
parents choose to be poor rather than to be rich? What if I choose to be rich does my choice
change the chosen field of my parents? she sighed deeply. “Uie! Langging, you’re out of the
world again, your rice smells burnt already” shouted her mother while preparing their things in
school. Refreshing her mind, she immediately put aside the firewood and pull-out the charcoal
in between. “What are you thinking about that even the smell of the burnt rice you didn’t
noticed ha?” “Do you have suitors already Langging? Spare yourself from them. If you want to
become successful in life or else you will live and work under the heat of the sun. Study hard for
that is the only thing we can leave to you…” “Yes Ma, I will” I don’t have suitors, nobody dare to
do that”, she smiled as she is heading to the kitchen for breakfast.” Hay!... Mother unceasingly
reminds me and teaches me the lessons in life, almost every day, but I love Mama so much for I

2. know both of them sacrifices for us. “You better take a bath after that. You might be late
already” said her mother.
Langging is high school already and few months to go, she will graduate. Her parents
had been worried of Langgings future for they know how she perseveres in her studies. They
can’t afford to send Langging in College but they didn’t lose their hope and give their support to
her. Langging who knows the status of her family, help them in her own simple way to assist
their financial status. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon she is cleaning the surroundings of
Manay Lalings house or when there’s no class and holiday, she still go along with her mother to
till their neighbors farm and they will receive a payment at the end of the day. On this way, she
has an allowance already and budgets her fare during her high school days.
It’s the graduation day. Mother prepares already the gifts and garlands; everybody is so
busy accomplishing their daily routines. After doing so, her father prepares the chicken for
adobo, tinola, and a little for the pansit for their dinner. Kuya Roel gets the papaya as one of the
ingredients in tinola and mother prepares the “Biko”. Langging also prepares herself. She
chooses her most beautiful dress that her Ate gave. Put some make-up on her face, into her
eyelids, eyebrow, check and a rosy red on her lips. Father wears his best polo and mother wears
also her pair of blouse and skirt. Everybody is ready. As they arrived in school, a sea of people
waiting and queuing according to the first letter of their surname. The boys are separated from
the girls. Because of sudden feeling of excitement and being nervous, she feels like the nerves
of her feet are moving and a fast palpitation of her heart. The music for graduation tuned in.
Marching starts. Father positions at my left and mother at my right. The tension that I feel also
lessens when we are sitting already at our respective chairs. The program started with a very
nice opening. Everybody left their mouth opened as they witness the presentation. They feels
like it’s the end of their sufferings, perhaps, it’s the end of their high school days but as the key
note speaker says “Every graduation is not the end but a beginning. It’s a beginning of the new
chapter of life. Probably you’re looking for a job or you’re going to enroll in college”. He also
shares his experience on how he becomes a successful ophthalmologist. As he said, their living
before was just simple enough to sustain their needs as they eat at least three times a day and
during rainy season a drip of water will drop into the floor. To make the story short, talk ends
with a round of applause. The sun already sets at the western horizon when the program ends.
Everybody take some photos to their teachers, parents, friends and boyfriends before they
leave. Langgings father already go ahead of them because he will be the one to cook their
viand. As langging and her mother arrived everything is ready. His uncle’s family is also there
and everybody enjoys the dinner.
On the night after the graduation, while Langging was washing the dishes, she hears the
beep of her phone. Wiping immediately her hands at the piece of cloth, she gets the phone and

3. found out it was Jean. “hai ging, good eve! The enrolment in BISU will start tomorrow; do you
want to go with us? Almost all the Faith students will enroll there. Just text me if you will
come.” The ambiance of her face suddenly changed, lowered her shoulders and sigh deeply. A
little pain she felt in her heart. She replied, “ok jean, thank you for the information. I will text
you if I will be going tomorrow” she just left her phone on the table and go back to the kitchen
spiritless. Her mother noticed her and already sensed her daughter’s sadness. Langging knows
very well that her parents can’t sustain her college. Her mother asked by cracking a joke while
caressing her daughter, “what happen that your face can’t be drawn even by famous artist or a
designer?” “Ma, Jean had just texted me, she inform that the enrolment in BISU will start
tomorrow and she invited me if I will come. Tears run down as fast as her sob into Langgings’
face. “Ma, I really wanted to study in college, please let me. I will apply as a working student so
that you will not find burdened in my studies and use my 50% discount in my school. Her
mother felt so sorry as she look at her daughter that she even blame herself in having this kind
of situation. She felt so pity into her. Stop crying my child. Cheer Up! You will study in college
but not here. Your sister said you will be send to Manila. “Manila?”,langging was very shocked.
Yes ging. There is a congregation of nuns somewhere in Manila where you sister work and also
study every Sunday who support young girls in need who wanted to pursue their studies but
there’s a consequences…” being delighted with the good news, embrace her mother without
letting her continue her mother’s speech. “I can do it Ma, if the consequence will be just to
maintain my grade or any household chores, then it would be easy for me to do that”, langging
who is filled with hope and joy didn’t know what she is saying.
Early morning, Langging prepares her things that are needed even her old notebooks,
test papers, dictionary, clothes and shoes. At the same time, her cousin Joray who is in
Mindanao texted her and asked langging if she can study in college. “Being ahppy that she can
study and it is in Manila she replied, “Yes Couz, as a working student or something like scholar
in Manila.” “Wow! Really!? How I wish I could also study but my parents can’t afford to send
me in college.” “It’s not a hindrance couz, you can join with me and together we will reach the
zenith of success in the future.” “Ok, couz thank you. I’ll text you if when we are going in your
place so that let’s go together in Manila. Langging also informed her friends that she will be
studying in Manila as a working student. It was dawn that Joray and her grandmother arrived
and two days to go they will be heading to Manila. They enjoy their life while they can see and
bond with their family. The days run too fast that they will say goodbye to langgings’ family.
Langging carried three bags that she almost put inside their home so that she won’t miss them.
Though it’s langgings first time to be far her family, she didn’t feel any heartache but as fine as
the weather. A sack of advice her mother leaved to her, but her sweet father and brothers just
only say “takes good care of yourself, if things go wrong there, don’t hesitate to inform us.”
“We loved you so much ging.” A warmest hug and a longer kissed as if it’s the last her family

4. gave her. As langging turn about it seems that the water of her eyes wanted to drop but she
control it.
After one night and one day, langging and Joray arrived in Manila. They were fetched by
one of their relatives. They only stay three days there and the nun fetch them heading to the
dormitory for an interview. Both of them feels awesome at the things they had witnessed as
the flood of cars bumper to bumper along the road, a giant building overshadowing them and
as the cars runs across over their head. As they arrived the nun let them to change their
clothes, arrange their things in the Casita and wait for an interview. After few minutes they
hear three knocks from the door. As they open it, they saw the nun gesturing to go to the
office. Their feelings mix with excitement, nervous and thrilled that the rosy lips changed into
pale. Inhale. Exhale. They do before they enter to the office. The conversation goes, at a
sudden, “Ha? Sister?! We will not study yet?” Being surprised and shocked, the girls answered
in chorus. “Yes, since there is no vacant for the scholarship because we only receive thirty
scholars so, for the meantime, you will be working as “Kasambahay” so that you can save for
your future studies and you will be able to assist yourselves in financial matter.
Going back to their, the information really affected them; they can’t stop the water
flowing their eyes, sympathizing each other. Days, weeks, months and a year that Langging was
working as a baby sitter. Her cousin was already one of the scholars last October. It just
happened because only one was vacant during that time though both of them were asked if
who, but Langging give way to her cousin because of her situation in her employers hand.
Langging still continue working and studying every Sunday at the same institution in the RMI.
All the experiences that she had whether it’s a happy or sad, she just make them as an
inspiration for her ambition. She never gives up in her dreams though there is toughest
moment that makes her to give up. Hoping that someday or some night the nun will give her
good news. She also sends an amount of money to her family. Her family was her motivation
and inspiration that she sedulously works with faith and passion. God is her refuge and
strength. In times that she fall, only in God she calls. Leaving a life far from her family realize
Langging that was not easy, but she’s a grown up already. Life is a journey. Sometimes the road
may soft and a rough. You may passed through a cross road that you need to think not only
once but twice of what you will take.
While the baby was sleeping, Langging caressed her and watch her angelic face. The
telephone rings. She immediately runs to answer the phone because the noise may make the
baby wakes up. “Vega residence, Good afternoon,” she greeted, “May I speak to langging just
for important matter?” the caller said. “Speaking, who’s this please?” “Ging, could you please
ask permission to your employer? Come here at 10 o’clock in the morning and bring all your
documents for we are going to enroll you. “Ha?Sister? I am going to school already? Yes! Yes!

5. Yes! Thank you so much sister. I have waited this for so long and now this is it. Thanks God!
without knowing that the baby wakes up. Because of her great joy it makes her jump. The smile
in her face glistened all over her soul ‘till she noticed that Sab was on the stairs already. She
immediately run to her and share her happiness to sab by kissing, hugging, tickling her. The
house that was deafened by silence turns into laughter and they enjoy the rest of the
afternoon.
Langging already fix everything. She’s ready to leave but she feels a little pain in her
heart as she saw Sab crying as she ride the taxi. It’s been a year that she was with Sab. As often
as the taxi stopped, are the times she wipes her checks with a piece of cloth as if she still hears
the cry of Sab. She arrived 15 minutes before lunch; she was welcomed by the nuns and her
cousin together with the Vicenta Maria Home (VMH) girls, the name of the scholars. It’s a long
journey of her life. She continues reaching to become a future teacher and an educator and
now at her third year college. Life is a matter of patience for her. As the well-known quotes
“You will not taste sweetness of success unless you taste the bitterness of sacrifices” she is the
current vice president of the VMH and a good daughter to her parents. Funny yet touchy;
laughs the most but cries the worst. A heart that can easily be fall but hard to be stole. That’s
the life of a simple dreamer. A dreamer, an explorer, an adventurer of life, she never gives up
and only in God she trust. Waiting…hoping that someday she will reap the sweetness of her
sacrifice. 