At 31, Ma. Rosario Matibag carries with her not just three diplomas and two professional licenses, but also a story of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering faith, which she exclusively shared with The Summit Express.
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| Photo courtesy: Ma. Rosario Matibag |
She graduated with a Bachelor of Elementary Education in Quezon at 22, passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) the same year, and later pursued her master’s degree in Educational Management while teaching at the Department of Education.
In 2021, she proudly finished her MA in San Pablo, Laguna, while raising her children and selling online to make ends meet, calling it “a degree I owe to my kids who gave me strength to keep going.”
But in 2023, despite a stable position as Teacher III at DepEd, she made the life-changing decision to resign and chase her Canadian dream.
“I left with nothing but faith,” she recalls, admitting that preparing papers, leaving her students, and flying alone for the first time left her in tears.
In Canada, she studied Early Childhood Care and Education in Terrace, British Columbia, all while working multiple jobs—from bakery helper to cleaner—just to survive.
“There were nights I had no rest, no proper meals, but I kept reminding myself: if you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; just don’t stop,” she shares.
Her perseverance bore fruit in 2025 when she graduated with honors, received the AWU Rhena Gardiner Award, and officially became a Certified Early Childhood Educator specializing in Infant and Toddlers.
The most emotional milestone came in March 2024 when, after months of prayer, her husband and children were finally approved to join her in Canada.
“Now I dedicate my bachelor’s to my mother, my master’s to my children, and this diploma abroad to my husband—because my success is also theirs,” she says with pride.
She also looked back on a painful part of her journey, recalling her father who passed away when she was just 17. “At this journey I wish my dad is here, remembered the promise I said when you left me when I was just 17—whatever happens pipilitin kong makatapos. Ngayon may 3 diploma na po ako, Daddy, at 2 lisensya, pero ang pinakamasakit kahit isa hindi kita nakasama sa pag-akyat sa tagumpay. Sana I made you the proudest dad in heaven.”
She recalls how her mother, a single mom, worked tirelessly to raise her and her sibling, who is deaf and mute, ensuring both of them received a good education despite financial struggles.
“For me, every diploma I hold is not just mine—it is a reflection of my mother’s sacrifices, my children’s inspiration, and my husband’s unwavering support,” she adds.
Her journey proves that no dream is too far, and no sacrifice too heavy, when it is fueled by love and faith.
— The Summit Express