TIMELESS TREASURE

By Vanessa Jean Bacus

Behind every successful and happy home are callous hands and a sacrificial person. Beneath the ground of a person lies a core that has been shaken several times but never gave up and remained golden. As we can see buoyant children and graduate students dreaming high as the sky, behind is a woman who has sacrificed more than herself, her dreams, and hap - piness just so they could build a bright future for their children—a woman like my mother.

With their sparkling eyes and soft smile, we often do not recognize the glistening tears behind their facade. They can build a wall greater than the wall of China just so their children could not see their downfall.

Oftentimes they masked their pain so no one could see their struggle

“While we were completing our thesis paper and preparing for such a big event—my grandfather was on the hospital bed,” she lamentably shared. Unfortunately, the person behind her motivation to pursue things could not witness her feat and their tribe’s triumphant win. Krezyl’s advocacy for preserving the IP culture is not just their tribe’s concern but also requires the collective effort and responsibility of everyone. The Hiyas ng Kadayawan is just one of the ways the city can support the indigenous tribes in our region and continuously recognize their significance in the country’s rich culture, history, and heritage.

However, it is crystal clear that minorities’ pleas are in raising a loving home. To put their children’s minds at peace so that they could focus on their dreams—selfless, right? We are the priority. And as for them, no one else makes sense than us. The love they pour and all the sacrifices they have made and willingly made are heroic.

Nothing compares to a mother’s love; The homecooked meals they prepare to make sure we are not starving at the end of the day; The way they reprimand us when mistakes are committed but still remind us how all of these piec - sometimes overlooked and unheard, especially regarding their protection and welfare. It is no longer a thought to ponder that our fellow IP brothers and sisters are part of the vulnerable sector, and for them to be heard, we also have to do our part which is amplifying their voices. With the university’s vivid support to indigenous communities anchored on the school’s vision and mission, providing everyone— primarily through scholarships and programs—the opportunity to attain quality education is plausible.

“With or without the crown, I promised to still do my advocacy. Now that I was given the chance to be the Hiyas sa Kalambuan, I can do more with using my voice to represent not just my tribe but also the other lumad tribes,” Krezyl added. It is only fitting es make up our growth; and the thoughtful messages they send asking how are things doing or whether we are eating at the right time or not, especially to their children who are living far away from home. and graceful to look at and enrich the beauty of our cultural roots and identity as much as how we embrace the comfort that modernity brings us. This is a manifestation of the Four Gs (Galing, Gawi, Gawa, at Gana) of a UMian going beyond the premise of academic excellence and finally being able to connect with the different realities of people.

Indeed, a mother’s love could conquer anything for her children. A love that will be brought to infinity and beyond. No matter how rough the road is, they will walk and be with their kids until the end of their journey.

“Kung para sa inyo, kayanon nako ang tanan,” my mama said.

Krezyl’s crown is more than just a mold of steel and gems. It also signifies the love and pride of being part of a rich and colorful tribe. To be grounded on your origin while braving hurdles amidst the storms of life is something one can find inspirational. As she said: Never be ashamed and embarrassed by being in the tribe because being a warrior is such a great honor. With that, her crown weighs heavier than it is as she also carries the glint of hope and the future of her tribe—for better days.

Looking back at those times when my mother went to everyone to borrow money just so I could take my exam disheartens me but, at the same time, motivates me to pursue my studies. She had to conquer everything and brave life’s hurdles for me to keep up with school activities and other necessary payments. Just by that, I know that the ‘love’ one seeks to find meaning can be defined by the unconditional labor my mother does mundanely for us—a timeless treasure that is one of a kind.

Saki Sasaki, a 22-year-old student at Kainu University in Taiwan, grew up in a sheltered environment in Miyagi prefecture in Japan with her parents and two siblings. As a child, Saki described growing up a little differently than her sisters. Her bubbly and optimistic personality radiates through her with everything she does, and she is well aware of the things she wants to do from the beginning. For this reason, she pushed through with her goals in life and is now one step closer to her future…by stepping back.

Since Saki’s goal has been to learn the English language and become proficient at it for her plans. Therefore, when it was time for her to choose her college school, she was torn and frustrated as none of the schools she considered in Japan could cater to her needs. Still, she became even more as-