Student who worked 6 jobs while at UP graduates cum laude

A young man who held six different jobs to support himself while he studied graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines in Diliman on Sunday.

Leo Jaminola worked as an encoder, a transcriptionist, a library student assistant, a tutor, a writer, and a food vendor during his five-year stay at the school.

In a Facebook post, Jaminola said that growing up in Mindoro, he played near the esteros and makeshift houses made of tarpaulin as a child.

“These were everyday scenes in my community—a community where most members grapple with the everyday reality of poverty. My family was part of this struggling community,” he wrote.

“We were, and are, part of the section of society that does not have their own homes, that fails to pay their electricity on time, and that struggles to survive from paycheck to paycheck,” he added.

Because his father’s salary as a messenger was not enough to afford three meals a day, Jaminola said he had to rely on part-time jobs and help from their relatives.

"Juggling jobs, academics, and organizational involvement was not an easy feat...There was little actual time for me to devote to my academics as there was a constant need for money,” he said.

Due to his time divided by his studies and work, his performance in school suffered.

“I failed a few subjects and settled for a passing grade for some others. It wasn’t about thriving and excelling anymore; it was just about surviving,” he said.

Jaminola also tried to apply for scholarships but, he said, as a student who "did not have the best grades," he was unable to compete with other students who were fully devoted with their academics.

Due to lack of money, Jaminola was only able to go home to the province during the end of the semester. And to get back to Manila when class resumed, he had to knock on his relatives door "to ask for 20-peso or 50-peso bills" so he could gather enough amount to complete his fare.

“My own small success does not mean that all it takes for poor people to succeed is hard work. While hard work is important, it does not guarantee success as much as privilege does. For although my family was poor, I still had access to privileges that other children did (and do) not have,” he said.

Jaminola said his experiences motivated him to use his education to help the community. He said he will use it to pursue a career in development research. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News