A 58-year-old mother graduated along with her two sons from senior high school in Lapu-Lapu City.
Elma Antonio has aspired to graduate from school because, she said, education is a tool to alleviate poverty and a legacy she can give to her sons --- James Dean, 28 years old, and Ritchie, 23 years old.
James and Ritchie, along with their mother, graduated from Lo-ok Senior High School on April 14, 2025.
They have affirmed that, indeed, indigence and age are not hindrances to finish school.
The three are from the Municipality of Albuera in the Province of Leyte who took a chance at finding the good life in Cebu.
As they live seemingly the life of nomads, moving from place to place to seek greener pastures, Elma’s sons were not able to finish high school early on. However, Elma saw in Cebu the opportunity to settle temporarily. She saw how the community in Cebu has developed a love of learning, the literacy rate is high, and that every learner is encouraged to pursue aspirations.
Elma said the inspiration rubbed off on her. She vowed to have her children enrolled in high school despite the circumstances.
She approached Lo-ok National High School which has an open high school program for persons who have certain challenges in reporting regularly at school such as pregnant persons, working individuals, persons with medical conditions that make it possible to report regularly, as well as persons deprived of liberty.
Elma said she also sought enrollment to set an example of determinaton and perseverance to her children despite their predicament.
While Elma’s sons are working, they complied with the requirements so that the three of them were able to enroll at Lo-ok National High School.
The mother and her two sons were classmates at school.
Their class adviser, Teacher Rejeal Jumao-as, has taken pride in the achievement of the family. Jumao-as is one of members of the faculty who encouraged continuously the mother and her sons to go after their dreams.
In an interview with GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak, Elma said that she would look back to the day her eldest son died. She said it pains her everytime she recalls her son passing away without even finishing school.
"Namatay sya na hindi ko man lang siya nagabayan sa pag-aaral," an emotional Elma recollected.
She said she does not want to see her remaining children suffer the same.
"Mahirap ang hindi nakapagtapos. Lupa ang tingin sa 'yo [ng mga tao]," she added.
Elma cited that education is a tool to be able to find better-paying jobs with better work conditions.
Ritchie, for example, lost several pounds because of the manual labor he must accept to earn, as he has no better choices.
As of this writing, Elma and her sons are bracing for the life they would want to pull off as college students.
"Mag-aaral tayo [sa kolehiyo], magdadasal tayo," Elma told her sons as words of encouragement.
