I am Angelica Vallo Velasco, the second of 5 siblings from Pangasinan. My mother is a housewife and my father doesn’t have a permanent job. I knew my parents couldn’t support our studies in college. So, after I graduated highschool I worked for almost 4 years in Pangasinan as a tindera in a bus station, as a helper and as a food service crew. Then I worked as a Shades Sales girl in SM Calamba, Laguna where my Tita lives.
At work, I was required to go to our office at Boni Mandaluyong for our orientation on that memorable day Oct. 5, 2010 that changed my life. On my way going home to Laguna, in the bus there was a man who sat beside me. We talked and he asked if I was studying etc. then he introduced Punlaan School, that according to him supports less fortunate students. It gave me a spark of hope. But he only knew limited information about Punlaan. He suggested that I research on the internet. By the time he went down from the bus I was already crying and saying “Lord ito na po ba ang matagal ko ng hinihintay. Ito na po ba ’yun? Thank you Lord!” My joy was overflowing.
I learned afterwards that Sir Hermes Ranola had read about Punlaan in the column of Mr. Bernie Villegas, his former colleague in the former Center for Research and Communication now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific.
I started researching about Punlaan gathering information about the qualifications and requirements. Last Dec. 8, 2010 I took the exam and luckily I passed. But when I started applying in Punlaan no one in our family knew it, especially my guardian who was my aunt. She only knew it accidentally. She confronted me. As usual it was a dramatic moment. I told everything to her. After that she and her husband supported me. I passed all the requirements and qualifications but there was a big hindrance I needed to face. I didn’t have enough money to support my studies. So, I brought it up to my prayers. I was very grateful, my prayers were answered because there were good people who would be sponsoring all my monthly personal expenses, my board and lodging, food and transportation for two years of my studies.
I went to Pangasinan to fix my requirements. I talked to my mother saying “ Nay mag-aaral po ako sa Maynila.” She answered me, “Anak wala tayong pera pansuporta sa ’yo. Sabi ko naman po “Huwag po kayo mag-alala. Ako po ang bahala. Ibigay niyo lang po sa akin itong 2 years para makapag-aral, pagkatapos ko po susuportahan ko ulit ang pamilya natin!
I started studying at Punlaan School and it was not really easy.
There were a lot of challenges and sacrifices. But I persevered to study hard and industriously, not only in our school phase but also in our OJT phase. A lot of hard work, prayers, great determination, sipag at tiyaga were my capital. I also learned from St. Josemaria Escriva in the Way that “An hour of study, for a modern apostle, is an hour of prayer. It’s good for you to put such determination into your study, as long as you put the same determination into acquiring interior life. Make good use of your time.”
I am deeply grateful to Edsa Shangri-La Manila – the Papa Razzi and Cold Kitchen department, my OJT venue where I learned so much about my kitchen operations which greatly enhanced my cooking and baking skills.
My special thanks to SM Foundation who sponsored my scholarship. I worked as a saleslady at SM Calamba which became the connection to finding Punlaan School. Only to find out I was chosen to be one of the SM Foundation Scholars for which I am truly grateful.
I thank Punlaan for teaching us the knowledge and skills, guiding us and inculcating the values that we need and we can use anytime, anywhere. Punlaan taught us to always keep our feet on the ground, learn from our mistakes, obey rules and regulations, persevere and be determined to reach our goals in life.
After graduation I worked at the Marco Polo Hotel and am presently the Chef de Partie at the Solaire Resort and Casino.