Jerry Uwag Watamama is extremely happy after passing the February 2024 Criminologists Licensure Examination (CLE) because this achievement is not only an honor for himself and his family but also for his tribe.
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| Photo courtesy: Jerry Uwag Watamama (Facebook) via PEP |
He is the first board passer from the Manobo Dulangan tribe, which means "high place," so they live in the mountains.
Jerry's family is poor. However, no matter how difficult life was, he worked hard to achieve his dream of graduating and passing the board exam. He spent a year and a half as a campus janitor and three years as a security guard to support his studies and review for the board exam.
Although Jerry had a scholarship, he did not rely on it completely and chose to work to meet his needs.
Jerry also shared that he is the eldest of three brothers, so he feels that his parents rely on him to help support the family. Furthermore, his parents do not have permanent jobs or a business, and they only work as farm laborers, planting and harvesting on other people's land.
Jerry graduated with a degree in Criminology from Notre Dame Tacurong College in Sultan Kudarat, which also served as his workplace. He started working there as an errand boy in his first year of college, and by his second year, he was working as a security guard. Jerry did not feel ashamed even though his classmates and professors saw him working. It took him five years to graduate due to the financial challenges he faced. While reviewing for the board exam, Jerry continued working as a security guard until he finally passed.
Currently, Jerry is working as an instructor at a private school in their area. He plans to apply to the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, or the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Congratulations, Jerry!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
