Before dawn, while much of Puerto Princesa City was still asleep, Nicka Bel Perges’ father was already at sea. His catch was never certain, but the purpose of every trip was clear: keep his daughter in school.
Years of fishing helped Perges, a resident of Barangay Bagong Sikat, reach a place far removed from her father’s small boat. She recently stood on a graduation stage at Palawan State University, carrying a diploma and several academic awards.
Perges completed a Bachelor of Elementary Education degree at the university’s College of Teacher Education. She received two Academic Excellence Awards, four Academic Proficiency Awards, the Best in Final Demonstration Teaching award, and the Culture and Arts Ambassador Award.
Behind those honors was a family living on an income shaped by the weather, the condition of the sea, and the amount of fish or squid caught each day.
Her father’s work paid for part of her education, but the family did not carry the cost alone. Perges received support from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), along with the CHED SMART Grant, Palawan Pawnshop Scholarship, Tulong Dunong Program-Tertiary Education Subsidy, and assistance from PalawanSU.
The mix of family sacrifice and education aid allowed Perges to remain in school despite the uncertainty of her family’s livelihood.
Her graduation also marked a shift in the family’s story. The child once monitored as a 4Ps beneficiary had finished college and was preparing for a career in teaching.
Perges dedicated her diploma and awards to the man who had spent years leaving home before sunrise to provide for her.
“Papa, ang diploma at mga parangal na ito ay hindi lamang bunga ng aking pagsisikap. Bawat isa ay may kasamang pawis, pagod, puyat, at sakripisyong ikaw ang unang nag-alay,” she said.
“Kung may nahuli man ang mga kamay mong sugat-sugat sa dagat, iyon ay ang pangarap kong makapagtapos,” Nicka added.
Her father may have returned from some trips with little to sell. But after years of casting his nets into uncertain waters, he saw his daughter bring home what the family had worked for all along: a college education and the chance to build a life beyond the limits of the day’s catch.
