“Hindi ko talaga inaasahang makakatapos ako ng pag-aaral, kaya naman sa ngayon ay maituturing kong ito na ang greatest achievement ko. (I am not expecting to finish my studies, that is why today I consider it as my greatest achievement),” shared Ms. Nicole Gotoman, 22, from Bangalinga, Iba, Zambales, a Students Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGPPA) grantee in Ramon Magsaysay Technological University (RMTU), Iba, Zambales.

Nicole is the eldest child among the six (6) off springs of Mrs. Rhea Gotoman, housewife, and Mr. Reynaldo Gotoman, detainee. She is the bread winner of the family. Nicole so love her family, she saw them as her most valued treasure; she is willing to do and give everything to promote their welfare and wellness. She had been, and remained as a working student until her graduation day, dated April 7, 2016. She finished her science degree in Business Administration major in Management, a line that she had been working on inside and out of the educational institution.

Nicole worked as a cashier in a fast food company, a staff in a catering service company, and a dealer in a direct selling company. She was not able to continue tertiary education right away; she stopped for two years after her high school graduation.

“Kaya naman mahalagang magkaroon tayo ng gratitude sa mga tumutulong sa atin. Hindi birong makapulot ngayon ng 10 thousand (That is why we should have gratitude to those who are helping us out. It is hard to find 10 thousand, nowadays),” said Nicole in an interview, during her break time at work. She used the grant that see receives from SGGPA to support her educational needs, but she used most part of the monthly allowance amounting to P3,000.00 to support their basic needs in the household.

She is now finished being a working-student; a professional work then awaits her—her dream, becoming a manager of her own firm. ### (Andyleen C. Feje)