Laoag City--Jeremy Adrian Guiang, a beneficiary of the Sirib Youth Leader Scholarship (SYLS) Program, recounted the multiple opportunities the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) has offered for his personal transformation.
“Innemkami nga agkakabsat, siak ti inaudi. Amin a kakabsatko nagasawada ti naubing atawen. Nakitak kadakuada ti saanko kayat a tuladen ta ammok a ti oportunidad ti edukasion ket isu lang ti mangparang-ay iti panagbiagmi. Bayat iti panagbasak iti kolehio, lima a takyag iti binagkatko ta dagiti manangko ket saanda a nakabasa. Siak lang ti nakapagturpos iti kolehio. Ammok met a saan a lapped ti kinakurapay iti oportunidad iti edukasion,” Mr.Guiang narrates.
Mr. Guiang and his family reside at Brgy. San Matias, Laoag City. His father is a carpenter and his mother sells tupig and bibingka in order to support their family’s daily expenses.
Initially, Mr. Guiang’s friend invited him to attend a Sirib Camp in 2015, and he shared that his application to the scholarship is unintentional. Yet, he became a consistent beneficiary from his first year until his fourth year in college.
Aside from financial assistance, Mr. Guiang hails PGIN for providing an avenue for the youth’s personal development, saying, “Saan laeng nga stipend ti naawatko. Sakbayak a nag-college, managbabainak. Gapu iti panang-engross ken panang-engage iti Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association, (SIKA) Inc. kanyak, mamatiak a nakatulong daytoy iti panagbalinko a sociable person… Inikkandak pay ti gundaway nga agbalin a lider, saannak lang nga ag-folfollow-en. Nagbalinnak pay a lider ti eskuela, komudidad, ken ti agtutubo ti Ilocos Norte.”
As the incumbent deputy chairperson of SIKA-Laoag City, Mr. Guiang urges his fellow beneficiaries to be a good example of “kinasirib” (intelligence) and to always believe in their capabilities and skills.
He also expressed his gratitude towards outgoing Governor and Senator-elect Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos for the scholarship opportunity given to him as well as to Ilocos Norte Governor-elect Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc for continuing the best practices done by the Marcos family.
Mr. Guiang will receive his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education major in General Education as cum laude on the 41stCommencement Exercises of the Mariano Marcos State University on June 7, 2019. (Blessing Angel V. Agliam)