16/06/2026
๐ช๐ถ๐น๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐: ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐โ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐-๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ ๐๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ
โSix years ago, I went to Bacolod just to find a summer job to help my papa sustain the needs of my family. I told mama that I won't go to college since we can't afford it, I'll just find a job and help them support my siblings' education. So, I stopped. I lost hope of being able to reach college. I accepted my fate already.โ
For most people, those words would have marked the end of a dream.
But for Wilma C. Delos Reyes, they became the beginning of a story that would one day make history.
Wilma C. Delos Reyes, a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship graduate, stands as Bacolod City College's first-ever Summa Cum Laudeโa milestone that not only marks personal triumph but also symbolizes hope for countless students who believe their circumstances have already determined their future.
As she began her valedictory speech, her soft, childlike voice echoed through the hall, a voice familiar to many who had witnessed her journey as a student leader. But it was not the sound of her voice that held the audience's attention. It was the story behind it: a story of dreams deferred, sacrifices made, and a young woman who refused to let hardship define her future.
Born and raised in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, Wilma is the eldest among her five siblings. Her father spent years working as a laborer in a printing press, while her mother worked tirelessly to help provide for their family's daily needs.
Life was never easy, Wilma often found herself carrying responsibilities beyond her years.
There were days when having food on the table was uncertain and there were days when survival came before ambition.
โGapanaghaw lang kami humay kag ga-pang ag-ag para lang may makaon kami,โ she recalled.
As a child, she sold fruits and vegetables in school just so she and her siblings would have enough allowance. She walked kilometers to and from school because transportation was a luxury their family could not always afford.
Despite the challenges, Wilma graduated from elementary school as valedictorian. Yet even at a young age, academic excellence could not shield her from reality. Although she had proven her abilities in the classroom, she was uncertain whether she could even continue to high school due to her family's financial struggles.
Fortunately, help came when her mother became a beneficiary of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Through this support and the kindness of people who believed in her dreams, Wilma and her siblings were able to continue their education.
Still, the journey was far from easy. Frequent illnesses often kept her away from school, causing her academic performance to suffer during her junior high school years. But true to her resilient spirit, she refused to let setbacks define her future. By senior high school, she had regained her footing and worked tirelessly to excel once again, eventually graduating as the top student in her track despite the many obstacles she faced.
But even then, academic excellence could not shield her from reality, realizing that talent and intelligence alone could not pay tuition.
After senior high school, reality struck harder than any examination.
College was no longer a dream her family could afford.
While many of her classmates prepared for enrollment, Wilma prepared to let go.
โI told mama that I won't go to college since we can't afford it.โ
Those words were not spoken out of laziness or fear. They came from love.
Love for her parents.
Love for her siblings.
Love strong enough to convince herself that sacrificing her own future was the right thing to do.
She traveled to Bacolod looking not for a university, but for work.
The dream ended there, or so she thought.
Because sometimes, when a door closes, grace arrives through people willing to become bridges.
Someone offered her a place to stay. In exchange for helping with household chores and tutoring a child, she would be able to continue her education.
She accepted. Not because the road became easier, but because she was finally given a chance to walk it.
That chance led her to Bacolod City College.
What began as a second chance soon became a remarkable journey of leadership and service.
To support herself financially, Wilma worked as a Student Assistant Scholar. The allowance she received became crucial in helping her continue her studies.
At the same time, she immersed herself in campus life.
The once-introverted student began stepping outside her comfort zone, joining organizations, serving fellow students, and embracing opportunities that would shape her into one of the institution's most respected student leaders.
Yet behind every accomplishment was a silent battle. While others slept, she stayed awake until dawn.
While others worried about grades, she worried about grades, responsibilities, deadlines, finances, and family all at once.
There were nights filled with migraines.
Nights filled with exhaustion.
Nights filled with tears.
โThe late-night calls I made to them while I was crying due to the pressure and exhaustion that I felt were all worth it,โ she said of her parents.
Still, she kept going. By her fourth year, Wilma was no longer simply a student.
She became the first-ever governor of the College of Business and Office Administration (CBOA), carrying the weight of leadership while maintaining academic excellence.
The expectations grew heavier. The pressure intensified.
People expected greatness from her.
But while everyone saw a future summa cm laude, Wilma often saw only a tired young woman trying her best not to disappoint those who believed in her.
โGaka-pressure nako, ma. Wala ko kabalo kung ma-maintain ko pa akon grades.โ
Her parents' response never changed.
โMedals or awards are not important. Ang importante maka-graduate ka.โ
Those words became her anchor. And perhaps that is why the recognition eventually found her, not because she chased it, but because she continued despite every reason to stop.
Throughout her stay at Bacolod City College, Wilma accumulated an impressive record of service. She became an active member and leader in organizations such as the Central Student Government, Junior Philippine Entrepreneurs' Society, Circle K International, The Inner Compass: Peer Facilitators' Club, United Seniors Organization, and the Working Bees Student Assistant Scholars.
Her dedication earned her numerous awards, including recognition for her invaluable service to various departments within the institution.
But beyond certificates and plaques, what distinguished Wilma was her willingness to serve even while carrying struggles invisible to many.
So when graduation day came.
The day of a former fruit vendor.
A former โkasambahayโ
A former student who nearly gave up.
A daughter who once sacrificed her own dreams for her siblings.
A young woman who had already accepted that college was impossible.
Walked onto the stage as Bacolod City College's first-ever Summa Cum Laude.
History remembers triumphs. But the true beauty of Wilma's story lies in everything that came before the achievement.
The empty pockets.
The long walks.
The sleepless nights.
The moments she almost quit.
The people who believed in her before she believed in herself.
And perhaps the most remarkable part of her story is that it does not end with graduation.
As recognition for earning the highest academic distinction, she was offered a regular position in the city government by Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya. Yet even with opportunities now opening before her, Wilma continues to dream bigger.
She hopes to pursue law school someday.
For someone who once thought college was forever beyond reach, dreaming of becoming a lawyer no longer seems impossible.
Because if her journey has proven anything, it is this:
Dreams delayed are not dreams denied.
Six years ago, Wilma Delos Reyes arrived in Bacolod believing her education had ended. Today, she leaves Bacolod City College having made history.
And in doing so, she became living proof that poverty may challenge a person, but it can never define the limits of what they can become.
feature| Glaiza Alsosa
lay out & design| Marvy Tubongbanua
Photo Sources:
Councilor Em Ang
Wilma Delos Reyes
Circle K International of BCC
