“When God closes a door, He opens a window somewhere.”
Ito na siguro ang pinaka-angkop na kasabihan na maglalarawan sa karanasan ni Rufino Pamaran III o mas kilala bilang Ino ng kanyang pamilya at mga kaibigan.
Ang statement ay isinulat ng kanyang ina, ang lifestyle writer na si Maan D'Asis Pamaran, para sa isang artikulong inilathala ng Smart Parenting.
Si Ino ang 18-year-old boy na nag-viral noong 2019 dahil sa pagpunta niya sa tapat ng admissions office ng University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman bitbit ang signage na may nakasulat na: “Reconsider me?”
Ginawa niya ito ilang araw matapos makuha ang resulta ng University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), at hindi siya nakapasa.
Kuwento ni Maan, umiiyak na ibinalita sa kanya ng anak ang nangyari noong April 1, 2019 at sinabi nitong, “I’ve let you down.”
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Nito lamang Huwebes, September 7, muling nag-viral si Ino nang mag-graduate siyang magna cum laude sa kursong Bachelor of Science in Business Management Major in Economics sa Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).
Ginanap ang graduation ceremony sa Philippine International Convention Center sa Pasay City.
Hindi man nakapasok sa kanyang dream university, ipinakita ng binata ang kanyang determinasyong magtagumpay sa buhay, at sunggaban ang oportunidad sa bintanang nagbukas para sa kanya matapos ang kabiguan.
Read: VIRAL: UP graduate's “Sana hindi niyo na lang ako ipinanganak” post on Facebook
“GOING FORWARD WITH THE PEACE OF MIND”
Nakapanayam ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) ang ngayon ay 22-year-old nang si Ino noong gabi ng September 9, 2023.
Ayon sa kanya, walang bahid ng panghihinayang na hindi siya na-reconsider ng first university of choice niya.
“I look back at the opportunities and relationships I developed in PLM and they were more than fruitful.”
Dagdag niya, “I have a hard time imagining what ‘more’ can look like.
“I would have developed differently if I had gone to my dream university, but ultimately, PLM helped me develop into somebody capable of helping out the community, especially the marginalized.
“That was the ultimate goal for me no matter which university I went to.”
Bagamat palagi siyang maaalala as the boy who appealed for a chance to get into UP, malayo na ito sa isip ng binata.
Aniya, “To my mind, it feels like it's been so long since that time that I stood outside UP.”
“The main point for me back then was to pursue that dream of studying at UP as best as I could and exhausting all possible ways to do so.
“It was more about going forward with the peace of mind that I gave it my all.”
ULTIMATE DREAM: “TO HELP INSPIRE PEOPLE TO WORK AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER”
Sa pamilya humuhugot ng inspirasyon si Ino, lalo na sa kanyang ina at mga nakababatang kapatid.
Mag-isang itinataguyod ni Maan ang binata at tatlo pa niyang anak na lalaki – sina Carmelo, Matteo, at Alejandro.
At sila ang motivation ni Ino “to go full force on my dreams.”
Pero aminado din itong competitive siya mula pa noon, at karaniwang nakakakuha ng mga karangalan sa eskuwela.
Kuwento niya, “If I had to describe my main motivation to graduate with honors, it would be my competitiveness.
“Throughout my whole academic career, I’ve met so many talented students both older and younger than me.
“Naturally, being around so many good people made me want to develop myself in a healthy manner in order to catch up to them.”
Lifestyle writer Maan De Asis Pamaran and son Ino
Mataas din ang pangarap niya hindi lamang upang pagbutihin ang sarili kundi para sa bayan.
“I’ve always been super passionate about working in public service to help our kababayans, and I’m aiming to put that passion into work,” pahiwatig ni Ino tungkol sa landas na balak niyang tahakin sa hinaharap.
Nito lamang September 8, nag-post din si Ino sa kanyang Facebook account ng isang simpleng memoir tungkol sa kanyang college years.
Aniya, “I still remember walking through the humble entrance of PLM with an uncertain future and only a little understanding of how to be an adult.
"As I graduate, I walk out into this crazy and beautiful world with still an uncertain future, but I do know a little bit more about the world and how to handle its challenges.”
Ayon sa kanya, bilang ganap na degree holder, wala pa siyang matibay na plano para sa hinaharap.
“I have no real concrete plan for the immediate future. I’m taking the advice of many people I respect and taking things slow.
"Patiently working towards manifesting a good opportunity for myself is what I’m looking forward to.”
Pero nabanggit niya kay Jeffrey Hernaez ng ABS-CBN News na pinag-iisipan niyang mag-apply muli sa UP para maging isang abogado.
Tugma ito sa ipinahayag ng kanyang ina noong 2019, “He wants to become a lawyer and go into politics, and he long believed that being 'an Isko,' (Iskolar ng Bayan) would help him fulfill his dreams.”