Sweet Success: A SAWP Scholar’s Journey from Lian’s Sugarcane Fields to Engineering

In a quaint community in Lian, Batangas, Joshua Delos Reyes once measured success not by titles or positions, but by a simple hope: makatapos ng pag-aaral.

“Marahil dahil sa kagustuhan kong makapagtapos ng Mechanical Engineering. Simpleng empleyado lang ang Mama at farmer naman si Papa, kaya ramdam namin ang hirap. Dagdag pa rito ang gastusin sa napili kong kurso,” he recalled.

Growing up in a household supported by farming and seasonal work meant every expense mattered. Even with free tuition in a State University, college was far from free. There was rent for a boarding house, daily food allowance, transportation, and laboratory requirements needed for his degree. Mechanical Engineering demanded materials, projects, and equipment that his family often struggled to afford.

Relief came when his mother became a beneficiary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) IV-A Batangas Provincial Office under the Social Amelioration and Welfare Program (SAWP). His mother works at the bioethanol facility of Absolut Distillers Inc., an industry closely connected to Batangas’ sugarcane sector.

“Malaki ang naging tulong sa akin para makapag-aral, kahit sabihin na libre ang mag-aral sa isang State University, kaakibat pa rin nito yung gastusin sa labas. Titirahan, pagkain, mga additional na gastusin sa college. Sa tulong nito nabawasan yung isipin ko bilang mag-aaral,” Joshua recounted.

The additional income helped sustain his daily needs and allowed him to focus on studying instead of worrying about finances. For him, education was not only a personal dream but a way to help his parents who had sacrificed so much.

“Maging Mechanical Engineer ang gusto ko noon dahil napakalawak ng sakop nito. Mas madali akong makakahanap ng trabaho at makakatulong agad sa pamilya,” he narrated.

As his studies progressed, the course took on a deeper meaning. He realized engineering could directly address real-world problems, especially in the community he came from.

“Pero nung lumaon, nahanapan ko siya ng dahilan kung bakit, mas marami pala akong masosolusyunan na problema bilang isang Mechanical Engineer,” Joshua shared.

Photo by J. Delos Reyes

Today, he is now working as an engineer while continuing to think about ways he can support his family’s day to day needs.

Joshua also shared that as a scholar and now a part of the sugarcane industry, he sees that the sugarcane sector, in particular, plays a major role not only in production but also in employment across communities.

“Agricultural country tayo. Napakahalaga ng industriya ng tubo hindi lang sa economic impact nito kundi pati sa employment. Magkakakonekta ang lahat, mula sa farmers hanggang sa amin na manufacturers. Maraming trabaho ang naibibigay nito, at maraming tao ang nakikinabang mula sa produkto at hanapbuhay,” he added.

Through the opportunities created by the sugarcane industry and his mother’s work at Absolut Distillers Inc., their family gained stability.

“Malaki ang naging tulong ng sugarcane industry sa aming pamilya. Nagbigay ito sa amin ng disenteng buhay at nakapagtapos kaming magkapatid,” he shared.

Photo by J. Delos Reyes

Looking back, he considers himself a product of perseverance and opportunity. He credits the DOLE program for easing the financial burden that once threatened his studies.

“Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa DOLE sa oportunidad na ibinigay sa akin,” Joshua stated.

He now shares a message to young people who are struggling to pursue their education.

Photo by J. Delos Reyes

“Sa mga kabataang nangangarap, una sa lahat be thankful to God sa kung ano man ang kinahaharap natin sa buhay. Huwag tayong sumuko sa mga hamon. Humanap tayo ng dahilan para ma-enjoy ang mga simpleng bagay. Kahit mahirap at magulo, hindi na lang natin mamamalayan, nandito na pala tayo sa estadong dati ay pinapangarap lang,” he concluded.

From the sugarcane fields of Lian to the engineering profession he once thought impossible, his story stands as proof that when opportunity meets determination, dreams can take root and grow.#