Wildflour Café + Bakery Trainee is Anihan Academic Excellence Awardee

Excerpts from the graduation speech given by Marlyn, Academic Excellence awardee, appear below. Two other students received the Academic Excellence award in Anihan's 2013 Graduation: Cyril and Aprelyn. Like Marlyn, both are also now employed.

... We, the graduates of this batch are very thankful to all the people who gave us the love, guidance and also the opportunity to attain what we dream of. We really appreciate your sacrifices. Sa aming mga minamahal na magulang, kayo po ang may napakalaking sakripisyo para sa amin... Malaki rin ang aming pasasalamat sa mga guro na matiyagang nagturo at gumabay sa amin...

... Simple lamang po ang aking nakagisnang buhay... Ang pagsasaka at pangingisda ang ikinabubuhay ng karamihan... Masasabi ko pong isa ako sa mga mapapalad na estudyante dahil sa kabila po ng hirap sa pamumuhay sa lugar na nakagisnan ko, nandito po ako sa Anihan ngayon at kabilang sa mga mag-aaral na maluwalhating nakatapos ng pag-aaral...

I found Anihan because of our guest speaker during our graduation in high school. He is Mr. Vitaliano Ramirez... and his wife Mrs. Lourdes Ramirez. They told me about Anihan and they gave me the opportunity to be one of their scholars... Kaya po malaki ang aking utang na loob sa inyo, Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez, at gayundin po sa mga sponsors ko dito sa Anihan, kabilang si Mrs. Terisita Obleno.  Kasama ng aking mga kapwa-nagsipagtapos, ngayon po ay isang magandang pagkakataon upang ipaabot namin sa aming mga sponsors ang aming taos-pusong pasasalamat.

... Ang Anihan po ay may dalawang taong kurso at pagkatapos ng aming on-the-job training ay nakasisigurado po kami na mayroon kaming mapapasukang trabaho na ayon sa aming tinapos na kurso. Katulad ko po, ako po ay nag-OJT sa Wildfour Café + Bakery... Hindi pa po ako nakaka-graduate ay kinuha na po ako ng kompanyang ito bilang isa sa kanilang empleyado. Marami pa po sa aming batch ang may trabaho na rin o di kaya ay may naghihintay ng trabaho sa kanila...

... Most of all, I acquired in Anihan the virtues and skills that have been a great help for me. When I started my on-the-job-training in Wildflour, I experienced how to work in the real world...

In Anihan, I also received the good formation for my spiritual life. Our priest, teachers, and mentors were a great help for me, pointing to me the right way. I am very thankful to my mentor, Ms. Virna, for helping me and giving me advice. Thank you very much...

... To my fellow graduates, let us not waste this opportunity that God has given to us. Let’s continue struggling hard not only for our success but also to help our parents and families. Aim high my fellow graduates! In our future work, let us continue to apply the virtues and skills that we acquired in Anihan and be responsible for our actions and decisions. Let us serve and help other people as a way of saying thank you to all those who helped us. Let us remember to help Anihan so that our beloved alma mater can continue accepting many scholars.

... Now, new opportunities are coming our way. With every step that we take to reach success, let us always remember to love God above all and to serve others. Lastly, don’t stop learning. Even though we will not be in school anymore, in our daily lives there will always be lessons, lessons that will make us stronger.

Sa ngalan ng lahat ng kapwa kong nagsipagtapos, maraming salamat po uli sa inyong lahat!

Read about Anihan's 2013 Graduation

Anihan Scholars Thank Pondo ng Pinoy

Razel, one of the Anihan scholars who graduated this month, gave a message of thanks to Pondo ng Pinoy for their help. Right after graduation, Razel was employed at Amici. Read her speech below.

A message of thanks to Pondo ng Pinoy

... I come from Luisiana, Laguna. April was approaching and my parents were starting to get problematic over where to get the money to pay for my miscellaneous fee, graduation fee and other financial needs. I had asked for the intercession of St Josemaria, the founder of Opus Dei. And then, one day, Ms Kayang Javier, our school director, called eighteen students, including me, and she told us about Pondo ng Pinoy. I was so happy upon hearing this. My classmates and I were close to tears. We were really surprised. My father was so happy when I told him that I will be helped by Pondo ng Pinoy... I am very grateful to Pondo ng Pinoy. Imagine, a small coin can be a big help to some.

In behalf of my classmates, I am expressing to you our gratitude for helping us. I hope Pondo ng Pinoy can still continue in helping students like us. Maraming salamat po. 

All Anihan students receive a full-tuition scholarship from the school but there are still students who are at risk of dropping out because their families run out of means for their other school-related expenses. This is where PnP helps them. Read about this in our previous post.

Can you too help support an Anihan scholar? Find out how you too can help.

Anihan Scholars Assisted by Pondo ng Pinoy Now Employed

Anihan Scholars who were given financial assistance by Pondo ng Pinoy during their last semester in Anihan have graduated and are now all employed in establishments such as Taal Vista Hotel, The Palms Country Club, Sta Elena Golf Club, Amici, Wildflour Cafe + Bakery, Makiling Conference Center, and Dalcielo.
 
Read about how Pondo ng Pinoy helped support these Anihan students in our previous post.

Anihan's 26th Commencement Exercises

Anihan celebrates today its 26th Commencement Exercises.

The forty-four candidates for graduation this year have all passed TESDA's NC II Assessments in Commercial Cooking, Bread and Pastry Production, and Food and Beverage Services.

Many of them already started working as early as one to two weeks ago and the rest already have jobs waiting for them right after they graduate today.

Marlyn Mendoza, one of this year's Academic Excellence Awardees, did her on-the-job-training (OJT) at the Wildflour Cafe + Bakery where she was absorbed for employment, together with her fellow trainees from Anihan, as soon as she finished her OJT. Marlyn is from a poor fishing community in Batangas. Read about how Marlyn reached her dreams through Anihan.

The Anihan Graduation 2013 is especially marked by the privilege of having as guest speaker, Dr. Severina "Rina" Malvar Villegas, a granddaughter of national hero Gen. Miguel Malvar and the very first school director of Anihan. (Read about Dr. Villegas' experiences in starting Anihan in the next post.)

Also, Ms. Sarah Jane Lapaña, one of Anihan's 2008 Academic Excellence awardees, will give a testimonial. Sarah is now the Head Decorator of Cupcakes by Sonja. (Read about Sarah's success story in the next post.)