He was once a child laborer. At the age of 10, Johnny Lutrago started working at the sugarcane plantation where his parents work as ‘sacada’ labourers in Toboso, Negros Occidental. Sacada refers to a laborer or planter of sugarcane, wherein most of these labourers could be found in Negros Occidental, known to be the ‘sugar capital’ or ‘sugar bowl’ of the Philippines.
Johnny is the second child among the eight siblings. Being the eldest son, he wanted to help his parents by working also at the sugar plantation so he could have baon in school. Before going to school, he would wake up early morning so he could start filing those cut sugarcane ready to be picked up by the trucks that will carry them up to sugar central.
Johnny will just stop his work before 7:00 a.m. to prepare himself in going to school and after his 5:00 p.m. class, he will proceed again to the sugarcane plantation to finish the remaining work he has left for that day. He was being paid P50 per day.
Johnny was in this daily routine until he finished high school. Despite of his hectic schedule, Johnny received an award as First Honorable Mention. Since his parents could not send him to high school just like his eldest sister, Johnny has decided to work in Cavite, Manila after his graduation.
By the help of his uncle, Johnny was able to work as stay-in cargo carrier of ukay-ukay. He earned P 3,000 monthly for almost a year.
One day, his mother Helen called him up and informed him about the Students Grants-in Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA) scholarship implemented by the Commission on Higher Education, DSWD, Department of Budget and Management, offered to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program covered households. Johnny’s family has been included on the program for almost six years now.
Johnny went home to get an entrance examination and later enrolled to West Visayas State University- Lambunao campus in Iloilo taking up Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA).
AWARDS
Now, after four years, he reaps already the fruit of his hardwork. Johnny graduated cum laude and received other special awards such as Best Researcher, Outstanding Student in Agriculture and Outstanding Researcher of the Year.
Johnny said after graduation he will prepare again himself for another battle –to take a board examination on October this year. He said he wants to work in any government offices to serve the government in return.
“Working in a government is one way of thanking our present leadership for all the opportunities they have given to us as poorest of the poor,” he said.
Johnny also wants to thank his for raising and molding him to become a better person.
PR from DSWD/Montesa G. Caoyonan
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