Peck by Peck to the Peak
A single peck — a small, almost unnoticeable step — but one that matters.
Dream as high as the mountains; after all, dreaming is free.
It’s easy to say that to those who have the means. But what about those who are barely surviving — where school is a second option, and working becomes the first?
In every corner of the country, countless children can’t afford to go to school, especially in college. They’re lucky if selected for scholarships. According to EDCOM 2’s Year Two Report, released last January 27, the college dropout rate has reached 39% — primarily due to financial problems.
Miguel is one of those dreamers. A student from a family of farmers, the firstborn among five brothers, and the first in his family to enter college. Carrying nothing but books, notebooks, and dreams — and the echo of promises whispered by his tired parents.
His dream was high — too high for what his family could afford. He failed to secure a scholarship, a setback that could have ended it all. But his parents refused to let that happen. Willing to sacrifice everything, they offered their last piece of farmland as collateral to borrow money — just so Miguel and his younger brother could continue their studies.
A dream that required blood, sweat, and the land beneath their feet.
"Magtanim ay 'di biro, maghapong nakayuko."
Indeed, farming is no easy task. He earns only 300 pesos a day — and what does he get after? Body aches and exhaustion. His daily earnings are barely enough for the supplies he needs for college: a calculator, books, school materials, and essentials for his boarding house. There’s nothing left for comfort — not even a peso to spare.
A working student. A child burdened with responsibilities. Often judged by those around him.
For Miguel, every day is a survival of the fittest — not the smartest. People say, “Work smarter, not harder,” but when you have no resources, you are forced to work harder — with blood and sweat.
Each day, he takes one peck — one step — toward something greater than himself. A future not promised, but pursued.
College is a game-changer. It gave him a voice, a stand, and a fight. While his younger brother is also studying, his parents, already weary, see education as a gamble. For them, Miguel’s studies are a bet — a desperate hope that their sacrifices will bloom into success.
But for Miguel, he’s not gambling. He is investing.
Though it’s just a single peck toward the peak of the mountain — his dream — it is a powerful one. A single peck is still progress. And that single peck will one day carry him to the finish line.
