She only earns Php500 a month, but a midwife mom was able to successful raise three degree holders! Her story has become an inspiration to many parents who are also struggling with their finances and feeling unsure whether they could send their kids to school.
Maria Dizon-Buncalan, known as “Mayang” to her colleagues, works at the Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center (DAPPMC) in Koronadal City, South Cotabato in southern Philippines. Because she is an unregistered midwife, she earns much less than what her colleagues get for doing the same job.
But even with her low salary, she is a hero to the eyes of her three children Ace, 24, Argie, 27, and Aiza, 31. Despite her small salary, this supermom was able to send all her kids to college and they are all degree holders now.
“She’s my mom. Napagtapos niya kaming tatlong magkakapatid on her own. She’s working in a hospital and hindi siya registered, meaning mas mababa sa regular na sahod iyong sahod niya…” shared Aiza.
“Iyong tuition namin is salary deduction. Every sahod ng mom namin, may mga bawas pa iyon from PAG-IBIG, PhilHealth, SSS. So bale naiiwan sa sahod ng mom ko is Php500. Imagine tatlo kaming nag-aaral.”
Because she works at DAPPMC, she was able to enroll all her three children to St. Alexius College, owned by the same family.
“Sa tuition nila Aiza noon, binabawasan ako ng PHP1,500 every 15th and katapusan ng buwan,” Mommy Mayang recalls.
This left her with just Php500 a month. But the family survived, thanks to their mom’s hard work and the kindness of the people around them.
Every time she assists the doctors, they give her some extra cash because they knew she is having a hard time raising her kids. The hospital owners also let the family live on their land.
Even if she’s a midwife, Mayang would help harvest rice or corn with her friends to earn some extra cash during harvest season.
Despite the hardships, she was able to send all her children to college. Aiza now works as radiologic technologist in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Argie also finished the same course and works at Lariosa Hospital in Surallah, South Cotabato.
Ace graduated from aviation electronics technology and used to work as instructor at an aviation school in Baguio before returning home to also become an instructor at Marbel and at his alma mater.
It is amazing that their mom was able to send them all to college despite her meager salary. Truly, she’s a superwoman!