Cash incentive sought for Cebuana PMA grad

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2017/03/23/1683856/cash-incentive-sought-cebuana-pma-grad
• Thursday, March 23, 2017 12:00 am

By Kristine B. Quintas (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Board has commended 25-year-old Meriam Libongcogon from Balamban town for graduating from the Philippine Military Academy and for pursuing her dreams despite financial hardships.

The PB has also asked Governor Hilario Davide III to grant P100,000 in financial assistance to Libongcogon and her family.

After passing the exam and hurdling the rigorous training at the academy, it is just fitting to grant Libongcogon and her family cash assistance for bringing pride to Cebu province, a PB resolution penned by Board Member Alex Binghay said.

“The financial assistance will signify the provincial government’s support and gratitude to Libongcogon and her family,” the resolution reads.

Libongcogon belongs to PMA Sanggalang ay Lakas at Buhay na Alay Para sa Kalayaan ng Inang Bayan (SALAKNIB) Class of 2017 with a rank of junior commissioned officer, an ensign in the Philippine Navy.

Binghay said Libongcogon’s determination and exemplary achievements in the academy are worth emulating.

“As Cebuanos, we are proud of her recent remarkable achievements,” he said.

“Her story, a picture of success and inspiration, proves and teaches us that poverty and adversities in life are not a hindrance but rather keys to success and realization of one’s dreams. Of course, along with constant prayers and exerting efforts as well,” he added.

Libongcogon is the second child of Mario Libongcogon, a farmer and carpenter, and Florida, a housewife.

Coming from a poor family, she earlier shared that they sometimes settled for a meal of bananas or sweet potatoes to fill their empty stomachs.

At the age of six, Meriam and her other siblings had to break their backs to help her parents sustain the family’s daily needs and necessities.

At nine, she started collecting and selling coconut shells, wood, and sand, as construction supplies to workers, as well as fetched water for them, earning at least P20 a week which she saved and spent to sew her and her siblings’ clothes.

Despite working at a young age to help her parents, Meriam still managed to finish as valedictorian in her elementary school.

At the age of 15, she finished high school as a full scholar in a Catholic school in Cebu City.

She then took a job to become a housemaid in Cebu, hoping that she could juggle work and college education. But taking care of her bosses' children took so much of her time. It didn't work out.

She took computer engineering, but failed to finish her degree.

Luckily, she met a PMA instructor visiting Cebu who encouraged her to take the exam in 2012. She worked as housemaid for the PMA instructor in Baguio City while waiting for the results of the entrance exams. When she made the cut, her life changed forever.

The hardships she experienced before enrolling in PMA gave her the strength of mind and body to finish her studies at the academy.