MANILA, Philippines – Many were inspired by the story of Khane Jevie Rose Solante Cervantes, the Top 1 of the March 2024 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), a magna cum laude graduate and a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from Barangay Poblacion, Cateel, Davao Oriental.
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| Photo courtesy: Khane Jevie Rose Solante Cervantes via DSWD |
Featured in an article by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Cervantes shared her journey and struggles before achieving the success of graduating with honors and becoming a topnotcher in the LET.
Among the 44,764 candidates who took the exam on March 20, a total of 20,890 elementary teachers (46.67 percent) passed. Khane was one of the three examinees who tied for the top spot, achieving an outstanding average score of 92.40 percent.
For Khane, this achievement was not just a personal success but the result of years of perseverance, commitment, and the realization of a lifelong aspiration.
Growing up in a big family was a mix of joy and challenges for Khane. With nine siblings, their home was always lively, yet their happiness was often overshadowed by the financial struggles caused by their parents’ unstable income.
Despite their tireless efforts, their earnings were barely sufficient to cover the basic needs of their large family. Many nights, Khane would lie awake, anxious about how her parents would manage to make ends meet.
“Luckily, sina mama at papa, they value education so much. Kahit hirap kami financially, hindi nila pinaparamdam na pwede kang mag-stop muna. Kahit hirap, ipupush ka nila na, sige lang, kaya to, patuloy lang. So parang hindi ko na-feel all throughout na sumuko,” Khane stated.
As a 4Ps beneficiary, Khane qualified for extra assistance from the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST). Through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), she was granted Php40,000 per year, which helped cover her tuition and other educational costs.
Cervantes admitted that there were times she missed submitting school projects and requirements on time due to a lack of money. Fortunately, she found ways to manage, and her professors were understanding, which allowed her to get by.
In retrospect, Khane and her parents were thankful to the 4Ps program for providing their family with support to meet their educational expenses.
Khane’s message to her fellow beneficiaries is one of hope and determination.
“There’s a time na parang masasabi mo, hanggang dito na lang ba talaga ako? Hindi na ba mababago ang sitwasyon ko? I know what it’s like, I’ve been there. Pero believe me, when you want something and you work hard for it, it’s really possible to get out of your situation. Now that there are programs from the government helping low-income families, it’s up to them to explore and make the most of these opportunities.”
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express