Cindy Ela Felix, 20
Cindy, the so-called “bunso” (youngest child) of the family, isn’t spoiled but a hard worker. She has been a consistent honor student from elementary to high school, and remained a WMPC scholar throughout college when she took up B.S. in General Nursing at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Born to a father whom she describes as a “laborer from time to time” and a mother who’s a school teacher, Cindy knows the value of her scholarship grant.
“I don’t exactly remember how I got the scholarship but as far as I can recall, I was deemed qualified for the scholarship when I graduated in elementary. Apparently, WMPC went to nearby schools and brought the good news to the top five graduating students. The students who exhibited exemplary academic performance were automatically given scholarship grants for meeting the qualifications set by the institution,” Cindy narrates.
Cindy earned her WMPC scholarship during high school and college—a total of eight years that saw her excellent academic performance rewarded. “I felt truly blessed to receive free education and not a single centavo was spent on school fees. I vowed to always do good in my studies and never let the opportunity go to waste,” she says. “Our lives have become easier because the money my parents earned that was supposed to be spent on my education was allotted to other important things like food, savings and house bills.”
By completing her education, she now has an opportunity to give back not just to the company that sent her to school but also to Mindanao itself.
“It’s kind of disappointing how Mindanao is seen these days,” Cindy notes. “As a Mindanaoan, I can use my voice to tell and show people that there is more to Mindanao than what is shown in the media—that Mindanao has a lot more to offer despite the terrorism and that Mindanao is a land rich in culture and talented people. As a registered nurse, I would gladly offer my services to those who are in need especially the poor who are deprived of proper health benefits. Extending help through my field is the most I can do to be of use to everyone,” she passionately states.
Like any other local, Cindy has big dreams for Mindanao.
“I am hopeful for a peaceful Mindanao—where all tribes and followers of different religions live in harmony. A less corrupt Mindanao, where officials chosen to lead spend the allotted budget to where they are intended. A clean Mindanao—where natural habitats are protected from human civilization as much as possible,” she concludes with optimism.