“The crowd begun to shout loudly when my name was called and crowned as Miss Isabela States University (ISU) Palanan 2015. I was very happy, overwhelmed and a little bit nervous at the same time. I can’t even describe what I felt especially when all eyes were at me,” exclaimed Jerameel Molina, a 17-year old lass from Centro West, Palanan, Isabela, as she was crowned as the Miss Isabela State University-Palanan 2015 recently.

Molina is a sophomore student taking up Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is also a scholar under the Expanded Student’s Grants in-aid Program for Poverty Alleviation or E-SGPPA. She is the eldest among the brood of five and a daughter to Lanie Molina, an active parent leader for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and to Enrique Molina, a driver.

Molina recognizes the importance of education because she believes that it would be the key to uplift the status of her family. “I’m truly grateful for being an E-SGPPA grantee because it paves the way to the realization of my dreams,” she emphasized.

Aside from her grace and stature, Molina won the hearts of the judges with her wit during the Q & A portion. When asked if how can she help as a student amid the many crisis that happen in our country today, she answered, “I could help by being an agent of change in promoting peace, love, compassion and discipline to strengthen values and character among Filipinos.”

Molina also bagged all the major and minor awards. She bagged the Minor Awards like Ms. Smart Padala, Ms Watson, Ms. Lady’s Store, Ms. Body Beautiful and Ms. PR Bank. She also garnered best in Beach Wear, Best in Casual Wear, Best in Production, Best in Creative Attire and Best in Gown in major awards.

Despite of what I felt in that certain moments, there is a feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction in me. It was my first time to join in this such prestigious event and my hardship were all paid off,” she ended.

Being an ESGPPA scholar, joining in that prestigious pageant is her one way to prove to herself and in the community despite of their status of living, she has the ability, talents, brain and guts to join and win the crown. She want to eliminate the irony of capabilities of the 4p’s beneficiaries to the mind of the community. She is a living model to all the 4p’s beneficiaries of Palanan Isabela.

The Expanded Student Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) is a scholarship granted to all poor but deserving College students belonging to indigent household specifically 4p’s beneficiary identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in coordination with Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as long term mechanism with full commitment to breaking vicious cycle affecting the families. ###By RONALD D. RAMOS, Social Welfare Assistant- Palanan, Isabela