Once an out-of-school youth, this UP student strived to get back on track and graduate summa cum laude
Colene Anne Santos was only 11 years old when she had to step away from the classroom due to financial troubles, spending the next few years watching in envy as other children continued their education while she longed for the chance to return to school.
Little did she know that she would eventually find a path back to learning and pursue the education she had always dreamed of. Her story has reached a triumphant finish as she has graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Philippines.
Difficult childhood
Santos' life wasn't always defined by financial hardship, as she lived an ordinary childhood and actually had a proper education at a private school from preschool up to Grade 5.
However, everything changed when her family went through a difficult period that led to her parents’ separation. Left in the care of her mother and grandmother, Santos had to navigate a new reality.
"We were really in a poor situation po talaga. May mga panahon na napuputulan po kami ng tubig at kuryente. Minsan nauubusan kami ng pagkain," she told PhilSTAR L!fe. "'Yung father ko po, nagbibigay lang po siya ng bare minimum. 'Yun lang po 'yung source of income namin, doon po kami nagta-try na mag-survive."
Adding to their difficult situations was her mom's mental health struggles.
"She's diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder and ayaw niya pumunta sa clinic, pero way back, [she was] also diagnosed with vertigo and goiter kaya hindi po siya makatrabaho," Santos said.
Because of this, Santos was forced to make a big adjustment with the loss of her formal education, but it wasn't easy, especially during times when she saw her former classmates and other kids continue moving forward with their studies.
"Ang sakit nun sa'kin, parang dagger in my heart... kasi I knew back then that I wasn't living a normal life, that I should be living a life like them," Santos said.
"Araw-araw po ako umiiyak. Every time na may enrollment season at lumagpas na 'yung enrollment season na yun, grabe 'yung iyak ko," she added.
Returning to the classroom
Santos' life as an out-of-school youth continued for seven long years until she eventually had the opportunity to return to formal schooling through the Alternative Learning System by the Department of Education.
This allowed her to take the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) in place of the traditional junior high school curriculum.
However, her road back to school was still filled with obstacles as she initially failed the examination equivalent to Grade 8.
"Ako lang 'yung nagbabasa, ako lang 'yung nag-aaral kasi wala namang nagtututor sa'kin. Akala ko okay na 'yun, so I took the exam with no tutors. Tapos, na-fail ko 'yung isang subject, 'yung math. Ang PEPT kasi, may five subjects 'yan. Kailangan lahat ng subjects mapasa for you to excel at the next grade level," Santos explained.
Luckily for her, she received support from her churchmates, who encouraged her to try again and helped her prepare for the exam.
"Naging moral support po sila sa akin. And on top of that, tinulungan din po nila akong mag-aral. 'Yung group leader ko po nun, teacher po siya, at 'yung specialization niya po is math. Tinutulungan niya po ako for free, so I'm really grateful for her," she highlighted.
Santos also decided to reconnect with her father after so long. He then helped her enroll at a review center in order to pass the PEPT.
Despite her complicated childhood, Santos said that she chose to seek understanding rather than hold on to resentment against her parents.
"Hindi ko talaga alam 'yung cause ng problem noon. Nung bata ko, wala na sila eh, pero sa akin naman, I just wanted to have a normal family. I just wanted to reconnect with my blood, and I wanted to also know the truth," she said.
"On top of asking for help, I also wanted to know kung ano nangyari sa family ko. So, napatawad ko naman sila way back kasi 'yun 'yung ininstill sa akin na value eh, to forgive and forget," she emphasized.
Becoming summa cum laude
Santos’ return to formal education marked the start of a new chapter. Her hard work eventually led her to UP, where she took up Philosophy. She admitted, however, that the course was not her first choice, as she originally wanted to take up Business Economics.
"Noong senior high school ako, merong subject na philosophy of the human person, and parang that piqued my interest. Sobrang na-interest po talaga ako sa philosophy because it's all about questioning the world," Santos said.
"I stayed in Philosophy kasi it's really fundamental. It asks about the most fundamental question of the reality of the world," she added.
Santos appreciated the subject even more thanks to her experience as an out-of-school youth.
"Ilang years akong walang access sa knowledge. But now, taking philosophy, parang ang lapit na ng knowledge sa akin. Sobrang lalim talaga ng relationship ko sa philosophy because I was deprived of learning. I was deprived of wisdom. But now, it's given to me through this course. After all, philosophy means the pursuit or the love of wisdom," she highlighted.
Throughout her college years, she joined child-centered organizations while advocating for the youth’s right to education and gender equality, wanting to empower young minds and drive meaningful social change.
There is no doubt that Santos has come a long way from the young student who once struggled to pass an exam on her own. Now, she graduated summa cum laude—a testament to how far persistence can take someone.
Sharing her study habits, she said that what works for her is "active recalling."
"Aaralin ko muna 'yung topic, tapos kapag naaral ko na, aalisin ko lahat ng gamit sa lamesa ko. Wala akong iPad, wala akong kahit anong materials. Tapos, i-di-discuss ko siya sa harap ng salamin. Kapag alam [mong] i-explain sa sarili mo, ibig sabihin naintindihan mo na talaga siya," Santos said.
Santos' next step is to pursue law school. But for now, she is busy saving up money through her job in the aviation industry.
For out-of-school youth who also dream of having a formal education, she shared that the key is a "combination of humility, diligence, and prayer."
"You need humility because asking for help requires showing vulnerability about your situation," she said. "You also need diligence because the truth is, you need to work an extra, extra mile to catch up to your peers kasi wala kang educational background. So, it is challenging at times, but whenever you feel like giving up, always return to the reason why you started or why you're doing this."
"And lastly, you need prayer. No one can do this on their own, so on top of the help you can receive from others, you also need divine guidance to fully accomplish what you are meant to become," she added.
