Right on the day when their review classes for the March 2024 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) was about to start, Rita Jean Cabunag had to undergo surgery.
Cabunag, a graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) major in Science from the University of the Visayas (UV)-Main Campus told the Philippine Star that on that day, she underwent surgery to remove her ovary. Quite amazingly, the situation only set her back for the week.
Pretty soon, she was able to attend her review classes and catch up on the lessons. Because she had just undergone surgery, Cabunag admitted that she suffered a lot when she decided to do that, yet she has no regrets.
According to this impressive young lady, the review center was quite far away from where she lives. So, she had to endure the long, painful commute just to get there and go home afterward. What mattered was that she was back on track and catching up with her batchmates.
It turned out that she didn’t just catch up - she actually overtook them! When the LET results came in, she ranked 9th Place, garnering a score of 91.0%.
Aside from the extra challenge of juggling her studies with recuperating from her surgery, Cabunag admitted that she also had to deal with the loss of her beloved father.
Cabunag said that she hadn’t dreamed of becoming a teacher when she was younger. She only chose this course due to well-meaning people who inspired her journey. Even when it wasn’t her first choice, she tried her best and was able to graduate as cum laude.
Her father was also among her top fans and cheerleaders. Sadly, her dad didn’t make it to her graduation. Torn, the young lady hoped that she could make her late father proud but also wanted to show her independence.
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| Rita Jean Cabunag received Php300,000 bonus from the University of the Visayas. Photo credit: City Government of Naga, Cebu |
After making the school proud of her achievement, Cabunag received a monetary reward worth Php 300,000 from her alma mater.
She currently works in a review center, and advises young students to reach for their dreams despite the challenges they face in life.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
