Scholars, Scholarships and the School Boat Program
Wyn C. Gallo, Project Coordinator CORPh
Date Published
Estimated reading time
4–6 minutes
“On Fridays, we will be waiting for a pump boat coming to our island. If there is no boat for that day, we go back to our boarding house. Wake up early the next day, then wait for the pump boat again.” – Jade
From individual stories, the impact of Calls Over Ridges Philippines ripples across the Municipality of Del Carmen. The dream is to bring education closer to their homes—but this time, they do not own the house.
Jade, a first-year college student, was only 12 years old when he first began studying on the mainland of Del Carmen. Growing up in Sitio Campingganon’s Barangay Maribujok (‘Barangay’ being the smallest Filipino political unit), seven kilometers away from the mainland, Jade entered a new world when he stepped into the main town, unaware of the challenges he would face in pursuing his education.
Sitting in the port for hours and waiting for a boat to sail to the island of San Fernando and Sitio Campingganon is a common scene on Friday afternoons in Del Carmen, Siargao. Fridays are sacred for islander students. The opportunity to go home in the afternoon is crucial for preparing the basic necessities for the coming week. The one-hour or longer ride in the pump boat will be well worth it after receiving the 300 pesos (5.15 USD) from their parents to secure the next week without worrying about food and covering the materials needed for school projects.
The Municipality of Del Carmen consists of 19 primary schools and 4 secondary schools. With three of these secondary schools situated on the mainland and just one on Caub Island, many island students have to move to the mainland to continue their education.
Jade’s narrative is shared by many islander students who take the significant step in pursuing secondary school. From their small island, they move to the larger island of Siargao, which feels like a city to them. In doing so, they face not only the financial pressures of studying away from home but also the challenge of adapting to a new and more complex way of life.
Through the School Boat Program, Call Over Ridges Philippines (CORPh) helps scholars bring their families together who in turn empower others in their barangays and sitios to strive for education. This sparks a ripple effect that encourages collective action to address absenteeism and bring educational opportunities within their reach. While these challenges may stumble the scholars’ dreams, they also strengthen their resolve to give a wonderful life to their families, just like their islands.
“Handling a sailing boat is the same as handling life. We sometimes experience different sizes of waves, and we always choose to overcome them,” says Jade.
Sailing Stories: Away From Home
“I was excited when I stepped on the mainland. I remember it all. I will be studying at Del Carmen National High School while working,” says Jenalyn. Like Jade, she is a first-year Information Technology student at the same university.
According to our observations, fifty percent of the scholars are working students. For them, the goal is not just to study on the island but also to ensure survival, which sometimes leads to discrimination among their classmates.
“Some of my classmates make fun of me because I work in a local eatery. Sometimes they see me serving food,” Jenalyn shares in her interview. While the adviser tried to address this, the reality is that such experiences often lead to low self-esteem for island students.
Being a recipient of COR’s Scholarship Program, Jenalyn participates in workshops that aim to empower marginalized students with new skills that enhance their confidence and independence. Localized as the Island Scholarship Integrated Program (ISIP), the goal is to financially support marginalized students’ who otherwise would have to sacrfice education for work. Scholars must ensure their school attendance and maintain an average of no less than 80%. Jenalyn shared she no longer relies on her family for allowance and dreams of having a stable job to improve her single mother’s life.
The Wind That Pushes Forward
Our education initiatives are driven by two core objectives: First, to expand access to education by meeting the essential needs of students, making school more accessible and within reach. Second, to elevate the quality of education by offering supplemental programs that tackle challenges in literacy, numeracy, and skill development, ensuring students receive a comprehensive and effective learning experience.
To achieve these goals, Call Over Ridges has developed a comprehensive plan that engages scholars in facilitating community driven programs designed to make a difference in their communities. Taking the form of workshops, discussions and gatherings, CORPh believes that the beneficiaries we serve can propel the success of projects forward with their barangays and sitios. In a group activity based on their locations, scholars from each community envisioned their dreams for their island and what they wish to share with the world. The expressions demonstrating that their hope extends far beyond themselves as individuals.
Sailing Forward
Looking forward, the organization is committed to reaching more islander students in Siargao, the Philippines, who need support to access education and pursue their dreams. The journey will continue as they sail forward, expanding their efforts across different parts of the island.
About the author
Wyn C. Gallo
Wyn is CORPh’s Project Coordinator and
is based in Siargao Islands, Philippines.
