Some students find studying a heavy task and find work tiring when they graduate. But for Amelia Tapang, a working student, doing both together is not such a large burden.

 

“Masaya ako, kasi challenge eh. Sa part ng work ko, marami akong nakikilalang tao. Sa school, nagiging masaya ako kasi marami kang kaibigan at the same time,” she shared.

 

At Informatics College, her professors are considerate of her situation as most of them who are taking the night classes are also working students. At her job, her co-workers try not to give her too much work when they know that she has exams coming up.

 

She shares how at an early age, she is already used to working hard. In elementary, she helped her aunt in managing her sari-sari store in exchange of paying for her school uniform. She also helped her teachers sell items such as sandwiches in exchange for some lunch.

 

She remains optimistic despite the difficulties.

 

“Basta na-eenjoy mo ‘yong pag-aaral, parang wala sa’yo ‘yong pagod saka ‘yong hirap, pero ‘pag hindi mo na-enjoy yong pag-aaral, ‘ay naku ewan ko ‘lang kung makatapos ka,” she said laughingly.

 

However, at first, it had not been easy for her as a working student.

 

When she first entered college back in 2000, both of her parents were unemployed, which prompted her to start as a working student when she was 20 years old.

 

Through the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) of the Department of Education (DepEd), she was able to work as a secretary at the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). At that time, she was able to earn at least 4,000 pesos a month.

 

She was only in her second year when she found out that she was pregnant with her first child.

 

“Nagalit ‘lang sila [mama at papa] noong nabuntis ako siyempre,” she shared. But despite the unplanned pregnancy, her parents were nevertheless happy that she was able to support her studies on her own, while also providing for her family, together with her husband.

 

However, it had eventually became too difficult for her to effectively juggle being a working student and a young mom.

 

“Mag-aadjust ka kung paano mo pagsasabayin. Doon sa school namin dati na pinasukan ko, stressful… Wala silang pakialam kung nag-wo-work ka, kumbaga wala silang consideration,” she recalled. “Alam mo ‘yong ‘di mo alam kung papano mo hahatiin ‘yong katawan mo.”

 

She eventually decided to prioritize her work by quitting school for 16 years. She continued working as a secretary at PAO until she transferred to her current job at the Prosecutor’s Office in Valenzuela.

 

She wants to finish college because having a degree would make her eligible for promotion, and she does not want to go back as a senior high school student. According to DepEd, if one is not finished with college by this year, they would have to go through the extra two years in high school due to K to 12.

 

Now, she has decided to become a working student once again and is currently taking a degree in Business Administration.

Every weekday, she works from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. She gets a two-hour break to review for her lessons for class, and then she’s finally off to study from 7 to 10 in the evening. She would only arrive home at around 11 pm.

Getting a vacation is also nearly impossible because of the tri-sem per academic year scheme of her school. Her work does not offer a break either, except during the holidays.

“Nasasaisip ko, sana kung naituloy ko [‘yong pag-aaral ko], hindi na ko magsasacrifice tulad ng ngayon, kasi ang hirap sa part ko, nag-wowork ako, may mga anak akong inaasikaso, at the same time nag-aaral pa ko,” she shared.

 

While there were times that she wished she was able to finish her studies the first time around, she doesn’t let the past hold her back.
 

“Pero ‘yong lahat ‘yon binabalewala ko na ‘lang kasi siyempre ang gusto mo sa buhay mo mangyari makatapos ka,” she said.
 

For a working student with a deadline for her thesis, or has to review for a quiz during her break time at work, Tapang remains optimistic, saying that life’s difficulties are what enable her to become more independent and to face challenges head-on.