IP scholar graduates as magna cum laude

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A member of the Indigenous People (IP) from the upland flower capital of Murcia garnered her bachelor’s degree in Science in Agriculture with top awards along with 10 Pagkaon scholars during the 2nd Commencement Exercises of Catholic Ming Yuan College (CMYC) in Murcia recently

Nelly Ambrocio, a Bukidnon from Sitio Katugasan, Brgy. Minoyan, was conferred Magna Cum Laude and Leadership Award with General Weighted Average of 92 percent.

She landed on the top spot among BSA graduates, a press release from the provincial government said

As an incentive, Ambrocio will receive a total of P12,000 from the Negros Occidental provincial government.

Nelly is the second of three siblings of farmers Nestor and Josefina Ambrocio.

Unlike other farmers who are into high value crops and other root crops, Ambrocio’s family is into flower farming.

They plant and sell chrysanthemum in their almost one-hectare ancestral land.

To help her parents, her weekend routine includes harvesting flowers every Saturday morning, packing flowers for transport, spending overnight in the vicinity of St. John Baptist Parish Church in Bago City and selling flowers before the first mass every Sunday.

Nelly said that her family earns between P1,500.00 to P2,000.00 per week, just enough to buy their basic needs.

Nelly thanked Gov. Eugenio Jose V. Lacson and the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program for the support extended to her until she finished her four-year course. She also thanked her parents, professors, and staff of CMYC for taking good care of her while she was studying.

Meanwhile, Suzith Jean Macasinag of Hinobaan and Shiela Marfil of Murcia were conferred Cum Laude during the graduation ceremony and will be given an incentive of P5,000 each.

Other Pagkaon scholar-graduates include Ma. Nina Malunes and Jeihwil Love Pana-ongon of Bago City; Jayson Mirambel, Liza Joy Remotigue , Ianna Louise Teompa and Jessa Villaflor of Murcia;  Altheia Kate Monceda and Trisia Mae Regala of Hinobaan.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Rev. Fr. Yongxing Cui, Rev. Fr. Shunyo Ding, Sr. Goretti Lu, Dr. Armigenia Benedicto, Mariam Castel, Keah Mariz Dela Cruz, Alfredo Barcelona, Karen Dinsay and Michelle Nessia, among others.

Gov. Lacson congratulated the scholars for their achievements and wished them success in their future endeavors.

He said that he will continue to provide support to the less privileged but deserving children of farmers, fisherfolk and livestock raisers so that they will be able to uplift the quality of life of their families.

He lauded the faculty and staff of Catholic Ming Yuan College for training the scholars well and preparing them in their journey to Taiwan for their Master’s degree in Agriculture at Nanhua University.

Those who are set to take up their post graduate studies at Nanhua University, Taiwan are Malunes, Mirambel, Monceda, Pana-ongon and Regala.