Farmer’s daughter tops class in Davao

DAVAO, Philippines – Top of her class.

Finishing high school as a scholar of the International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) Foundation was only one of the many challenges that Shaina Jane Hugo had overcome. 

Hugo not only earned and maintained her scholarship, but also surpassed everyone’s expectations when she graduated as the batch topnotcher, a feat she never dreamed of.

The third child in a brood of 5, Hugo comes from a poor family. Her father tends a small farm in Malabog, Davao City, while her mother takes care of her siblings and attends to the household chores.

She lived away from her family when she started high school. Although Hugo stayed with her grandparents, she had no one to turn to whenever she had problems and had to make do with what she had to survive. 

In her freshman year, her uniform consisted of her elder sister’s old skirt with a defective zipper and a burnt patch on the back, a small blouse, and an old pair of shoes.

“I had only 3 notebooks and a ballpen when I enrolled,” Hugo recalled. “Those were the only things my father could afford to buy for me. Many times I had to skip meals because I had no more money for food. Sometimes, I felt sleepy and weak during classes because of hunger.“

But these were small problems compared to bigger ones that came subsequently throughout her secondary education. 

“There were times when I was bullied and laughed at in school,” she continued. “I also experienced being defeated in the honors’ list. When I reached fourth year, my father got sick of dengue fever and was unable to work for many days. Later, he was diagnosed to be hypertensive and also suffered from a lung ailment.”

To make matters worse, Hugo’s mother and sister got into an accident almost at the same time. 

“My mother was accidentally bumped by a motorcycle and my sister fell from a ladder, hitting her head on the ground. All these happened while my father was still recuperating, still unable to work,” she added.

That time was one of the difficult moments in her life but it did not prevent her from fulfilling her dream.

Finishing on top

“My achievement is my gift to them and to others who helped me during those difficult times,” Hugo said. “I know all these things happened for a reason. The difficulties taught me to be strong, and made me who I am now.”

Her academics and extra-curricular involvement got a big boost when she was chosen as an ICTSI scholar. Since then, Hugo was able to comply with school requirements and projects on time.  

With brilliance, hard work, determination, and the assistance of ICTSI, Hugo was able to clinch the highest honor during this year’s graduation rites at the Francisco Bangoy National High School in Davao City. She graduated valedictorian, topping 904 other graduates.  

“It was like finishing a mission and I’m happy that I finished one of the requirements towards success – a high school education,” she said.

Apart from her academic award, Hugo also received the Youth Leadership Excellence Award and Gerry Roxas Leadership Award, among others. She intends to pursue civil engineering in college.

ICTSI, in collaboration with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), has been helping poor children like Hugo gain access to education through its scholarship program.

In Mindanao, ICTSI Foundation, Inc supports 30 scholars while another student is being assisted by its subsidiary, South Cotabato Integrated Port Services, Inc which operates in General Santos City. 

The student-scholars are studying at the Davao City National High School and F. Bangoy National High School in Davao, Tagoloan National High School in Misamis Oriental, Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School in Cagayan de Oro City, Labangal National High School, and General Santos City National High School.

“I am thankful to ICTSI Foundation for helping me and other scholars achieve our dream,” the young scholar said. “You guided us in achieving our goals. I dedicate my achievement to you and my parents, our teachers and other people who accompanied us during the challenging moments of our lives.”

To her fellow students, she only has this message: Never give up.

“To the youth who aspire to what is good in life, go on and continue your dream, for nothing is impossible to a person who works hard to achieve them,” Hugo advised. – Rappler.com

The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is the largest business-led social development organization in the country committed to poverty reduction. It helps conducts social development programs on health, education, environment, livelihood and enterprise development.