(See the original Philippine Daily Inquirer article HERE.)
Son of trike driver, veggie vendor shines as UP student leader
Philippine Daily Inquirer
To make ends meet, his father works as a tricycle driver while his
mother sells vegetables. Neither of them reached college, something they now
want badly for their eldest child “JP” to finish.
But on Thursday, John
Paul de las Nieves made his parents proud not only with his high grades but
with his campus leadership. The Economics senior and candidate for cum laude
won the vice chairmanship of the student council of the University of the
Philippines Diliman.
“If you really want to
make something out of yourself, nothing is impossible. Poverty is not a reason.
Instead it should drive you to do better,” he said in an Inquirer interview
after his poll victory.
Graduating this April,
19-year-old JP is set to take up a master’s course also in economics and will
start serving his term in the council in the next school year. The chairmanship
went to his party-mate, Arjay Mercado.
Scholarship
A product of Mandaluyong
Science High School, De las Nieves recalled spending summer vacations helping
his mother Amelita sell vegetables on the sidewalk. On a good day she makes
around P1,000, and this is added to the P500 earned by his father Pacifico, who
drives a tricycle to help feed a family of five in Barangay Hagdan Bato,
Mandaluyong City.
A scholarship from the
office of Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales helped De Las Nieves through his
four years in UP, where he would be graduating with a general weighted average
of 1.57.
Thursday’s election win
would allow him to continue what he started in his current capacity as
councilor. He won again under the party Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa
Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (UP ALYANSA), which got 16 out of 34 positions in the USC.
Last year, as head of a
council committee, he focused on the concerns of students staying in the
dormitories, especially those in need of funds to continue their studies. He
also met students from UP Tacloban who were displaced by Supertyphoon
“Yolanda,” personally helping them find new homes.
‘Eye-opener’
“That experience was an
eye-opener. It made me realize what an honor it is to be able to help my fellow
students,” he said. “And I notice that the busier I get, the more I get better
grades. I study better when I am with friends.”
Though his tuition and
lodging are covered by the scholarship, De las Nieves said he still had to
watch his personal expenses and make do with the weekly allowance—P1,000 or
less—that he gets from his father.
“I am really proud of my
parents. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for them and our
experiences as a family,” he said. “I am thankful that even though my parents
only reached high school, I was able to enter UP. I won’t stop dreaming and
reaching for these dreams just because my parents didn’t have a college
education.” ###
