Alfred Vargas hopes to keep on studying until he's 'a senior citizen'
For AraBella actor Alfred Vargas, one is never too old to study and one can never learn enough of anything. The 43-year-old TV idol, who is the incumbent Councilor for the 5th District of Quezon City, is at present also enrolled at the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning (UPSURP) where he hopes to complete his doctorate degree in urban planning.
"I love being a student again," he said in a message sent to GMANetwork.com. "I get a lot of insights and wisdom from my professors and classmates which I can apply as a public servant."
The proud father of three sees education as a never-ending process and that anyone can take it at any age. In fact, if he has the means and the time, he would love to keep on studying until he's 60!
"Learning is an everyday process. It should never end. I think I'll continue to study, study, and study until I'm a senior citizen!"
In case you didn't know, Alfred took his undergraduate degree in management economics at the Ateneo de Manila University and then later earned his Master of Public Administration at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (UPNCPAG).
"I finished AB Management Economics in Ateneo de Manila as my undergrad. Then I finished my MPA in UPNCPAG. And I will do everything I can to get that PhD from UPSURP in the next few years.
"I feel so lucky to have had the chance to study in two of the best universities in our country," he shared.
It should be remembered that when Alfred completed his Master of Public Administration degree in 2020, he had already decided that he would pursue his doctorate studies.
"Yes, after finishing my masters in public ad in UPNCPAG in 2020, I took the entrance exam of the college last year, passed it, and I am now pursuing my PhD naman in UPSURP to become an urban planner," he said to GMANetwork.com
Alfred knows that the road to his PhD is not a short one. But it's a journey that he's willing to take, even if it means devoting many years to it. Through it all, Alfred seems to have learned the impossible balance between time for family, work, studies, and public service.
"It's a long journey which will probably take me four to five years because I'll first have to get my urban planning diploma for the first two years, then masters for urban planning for another year, then my PhD for another one or two years, depending on my schedule."
Alfred attributes his love for learning to his late mom, Atty. Susana "Ching" Dumlao Vargas.
In his July 25, 2021 Instagram post, Alfred said that it was his Mommy who gave him direction and inspiration and instilled upon him the discipline and focus that ultimately helped him earn his Master of Public Administration degree.
He wrote, "Maraming salamat sa inspirasyon, sa guidance at sa disiplina. Higit sa lahat, thank you for teaching me to dream, work hard for my dreams, and help others reach their dreams as well."
Such tribute didn't come as a surprise that Alfred also posted a dedication post for his Mommy Ching on her 9th death anniversary.
Part of his caption read, "She fought courageously & graciously. It was the last lesson she taught us. To face life with responsibility, meaning & purpose. To love & make a difference even in your smallest of ways. To have no fear in life, only fear of the Lord."
HERE'S A GLIMPSE OF ALFRED VARGAS'S PICTURE-PERFECT FAMILY LIFE: