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My commitment to social justice is deeply intertwined with my personal experience. My affiliation with the ASEAN
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University NetworkDisability and Public Policy Network (AUNDPPnet) fellowship has been a cornerstone of my
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graduate journey. This programme, which supports differentlyabled postgraduate students, has honed me to become
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an advocate for disability policies in my home country. It emphasises applying knowledge to real
world challenges,
particularly highlighted by my advocacy for persons with disabilities (PWDs). However, none of this would have
happened without taking a terrifying risk. When I applied to Ateneo, I was banking on an external scholarship to pay
for my studies, but I hadn't received a decision by the enrolment deadline. I chose to commit and accept the offer to
study in Ateneo anyway, not knowing how I would fund the master’s programme. I only found out that I had secured
the AUNDPPNet scholarship a week after that commitment. That was a calculated risk, and I can say now, the risk
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was worth everything. I credit Ms. Athirah and Mr. Amir for being incredibly helpful throughout the application process,
and of course, I am forever grateful for the neverending guidance and lifelong help extended by Ms. Issa Mijares, a
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faculty member at the Ateneo and Programme Coordinator for AUNDPPnet, who encouraged me throughout. She gave
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me the confidence I needed to proceed under the AUNDPPnet programme. I am also incredibly proud to say that I am
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the first person from my hometown of Malinao, Aklan,who finished with an Ateneo degree two underclassmen
followed the year after. It is a milestone that represents more than just a personal achievement.

After graduation, I am taking a break from studying, but I am already looking at potentially pursuing a doctoral degree
abroad. My mentors encourage me to spread my wings and go beyond what is expected of me. More than the master’s
degree itself, the most valuable lesson I will carry from my Ateneo journey is the necessity of being brave enough to
take risks. If you take risks, you might end up in a really good place. You might end up taking another risk that will
lead you to spaces that allow you to thrive. It was that act of being bold and trying new concepts I had never
encountered before that truly allowed me to grow, and that is the transformative power of an Ateneo education

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Led the singing of the Ateneo de Manila University school song during the 2024 Convocation ceremony

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