For 38-year-old Erwin Macua, it’s never too late to make your dream come true. The security guard, who has worked at St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City for 17 years, will be marching alongside the students he watches over daily to receive his college diploma. To top it all off, he will be completing his Bachelor of Elementary Education degree with cum laude honors.
According to a report by ABS-CBN News, Erwin, who grew up in Trinidad, Bohol managed to work while studying and raising his three children.
“Age is not a hindrance, poverty is not a hindrance. Just pursue your dream…”
“Age is not a hindrance, poverty is not a hindrance. Just pursue your dream with the formula: hard work plus determination plus prayer and you will reach your aspirations in life,” he told ABS-CBN, adding how he always dreamed of finishing his studies to become a teacher, having developed a love for kids.
“Education is a good course to deal with students and you can really change their lives,” continued Erwin, who received a 1.45 grade point average upon completion of his course.
Aside from saving up to fund his freshman year in college, he had an anonymous donor to thank for the rest of his college tuition.
A dream 20 years in the making
“I am so happy and proud,” Irenea, Erwin’s wife of 20 years, told Cebu Daily News. She runs a sari-sari store to help Erwin provide for their family’s needs.
Their eldest son Jean Vincent, 17, is a college scholar completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy at the University of Cebu. Their second son John Clifford, 16, is a Grade 10 student at the Ramon Duterte Memorial National High School. Their youngest Cherise May is 10 months old.
The diligent student and devoted dad managed to work daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. After his shift, he would be in class by 7:30 a.m until 4 p.m every Monday to Friday.
Though it took him 20 years to finish college, Erwin is living proof that it’s never too late. He’s thankful to his alma mater for playing a huge part in making it all happen. Continuing, he told Cebu Daily News, “I am so thankful to all these people. They made my dreams come true.”
Now that he’s a college graduate, Erwin plans to keep working as a security guard while he prepares for the nationwide licensure exams for teachers.
READ: Meet the fisherman’s daughter who’s graduating from college with magna cum laude honors
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