In a world that is seemingly made by and for men, women continue to brave their excellence through a society that constantly tries to limit them to a mere gender whose worth is relative to a man's. To celebrate the progress made towards women's empowerment, this is to recognize the story of one of the many outstanding women at VSU, Miss Mikaela Gongora.
Her story is one of grit and excellence. She is a woman who demonstrates a never-ending commitment and dedication towards growth, exemplifying that every woman has the capacity to dream big, confront stereotypes and limitations, and motivate others to do so as well.
Being born a farmer’s daughter from a small baryo in Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, she had not much going for her in terms of an easy life in education; she attended an "open" high school program that was similar to the Alternative Learning School (ALS) in 2013, that held classes once a week. Her classmates were farmers; others were mothers and fathers, taking the slim opportunity the crushing grip of poverty would allow them to learn..
In spite of these difficulties, she came to enroll at Visayas State University (VSU) as a Bachelor of Science in Development Communication student in 2014. However, naturally, this sudden change of surroundings, a new class schedule, and the new realities that came with them proved to be her match. She often sacrificed small pleasures like socializing to focus more on her studies.
She reminded herself that "Excellence is not a tradition, but a lifestyle," a maxim that inspired her to pursue new heights. Indeed, she graduated as Magna Cum Laude in June 2018 with reportedly the highest GPA of 1.30 among any of her batchmates, placing her at a high place in life and the future.
A few months after she graduated college, a "twist" suddenly arises: an unexpected pregnancy. This rattled her life, but she was not swayed from the goals she set for herself.
And so she would go on to apply at Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) a month after giving birth, later applying at PhilRootCrops at the behest of her father as a Research Science Assistant, working ceaselessly to achieve the highly sought-after Masters. She is still currently working at the PhilRootCrops building while pursuing a degree of Juris Doctor at the Dr. Vicente Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation (D.V.O.R.E.F.) in Tacloban City.
For centuries, women have been strangled by gender roles that limit their opportunities for flourishing. Miss Mikaela breaks free from these gender roles and champions the various "societal roles" that she plays. Trying to balance her responsibilities as a law student, her job as a Science Research Assistant (SRA) at Philrootcrops, being a mom to a 3-year-old, and being the breadwinner of the family does not come without having to leave one thing at stake for another.
At times, conflict between her societal roles occurs. But in her self-transcendence, she refuses to remain stagnant and works beyond the scope of her job as an SRA to provide for the needs of her family. She perseveres to provide for her daughter and family at home, especially with her dad being diagnosed with an ischemic heart disease, while she works to conquer law school during the weekends. And with the little time that is left, she spends it by giving herself time to rest and gear up for another set of responsibilities.
Miss Mikaela's got some big shoes that only a strong-spirited person like her can fill. She is able to face these roles with courage and resilience through strategic time management, goal setting, and having the determination to finish her tasks and remain on track. She works smart, never settling for mediocrity and always striving to make the best out of her capabilities in order to produce results that are nothing less than the lifestyle that she lives: excellence.
Amidst all the things that she had to hurdle, always seemingly at the worst end of the stick being the emotional person that she is, she was always able to pull through by reminding herself of her deepest why. In the thick of disappointments, she strives to recall the reason for her fortitude and why she started everything in the first place.
She asserts that it is important to recognize that a breather is required in order to keep going. This helps her get back on the right track and reset her sights on her goals. She is a woman who is always keen on growth to find her deeper purpose. More than excellence in her career, it is her dream to contribute in the name of development to remedy the problems that plague farmers, among others.
Others might call her ambitious, but her deepest why—her purpose—propels her to reach her goals. This way, she is able to live her life without regrets and what-might-have-beens. She proves that being an ‘emotional’ woman is a strength that enables her to experience, empathize, and learn things more profoundly and live a meaningful life.
STAND was her signature for her own maxim. S means Set a goal; to be guided on what you want, T stands for Take a break when needed. A stands for Always believe in yourself first, even when others don't, N is for never give up and never give in—to persevere despite failure and accept it as a chance for change. And D stands for Don't forget to pray and express gratitude, because the Lord will provide when you ask.
But she recognizes it might not be enough; people are still people and still get tired, but her rebuttal to this is elegantly expressed in her own language: "Maglisod ta, Magkapoy ta, Magfail ta, ang importante mahibalo ta."