Nelpa A. Ursabia was born to a struggling family in Payao town who couldn’t support her education. Despite the challenges and difficulties she faced, she persevered and continued her education. “I encountered a lot of challenges, especially when it came to financing my education,” she said. Despite the difficulties, she didn’t give up on her educational journey.

Nelpa was a girl of big dreams, she was motivated to finish her studies until college. She went to PESO to inquire if they can help her find a part time job. The PESO Manager interviewed her and found her to be qualified for SPES. Nelpa readily grabbed the opportunity and worked under the program until 2018.

With hard work and faith, she successfully graduated Bachelors in Elementary Education with Latin Honors as Cum Laude in 2021.

“The SPES Program was a blessing and a big help for my studies because it was one of my sources for providing the needs for school requirements and school projects. With the help of the salary I received from the program, I was able to purchase internet load for my virtual classes and provide for my personal needs,” Nelpa shared.

“May this SPES program continue to help other young adults achieve their goals in life and make their dreams come true. Thank you, DOLE! Mabuhay!” She exclaimed with delight.

Nelpa’s story demonstrates that if you truly desire something and work hard for it, the struggles and challenges will be worth it in the end. END/With reports from ZSFO