Genalyn Evangelista
CITY OF MALOLOS—Francheska Rose E. Cho achieved a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management from STI College Malolos on June 26, 2025—a remarkable accomplishment coinciding on the day of her twenty first birthday. This wasn’t merely an academic milestone; it represented a profound personal victory, hard-earned through unwavering resilience in the face of numerous obstacles.
Her academic journey was far from smooth. She describes it as “filled with silent battles, tears I had to wipe on my own, and moments when I almost gave up.” The most significant challenge arose with the unexpected death of her mother in 2022 while she was on her second year in college. This devastating event left her emotionally shattered, feeling as though she had “lost my anchor, my comfort, and my biggest supporter.” The grief was immense, a constant weight throughout her studies, yet she persevered, finding strength in quiet moments of reflection and prayer and theough her loving and supportive relatives.
This emotional burden was also compounded by significant financial difficulties. Following her mother’s passing, supporting her education became an enormous strain, forcing her to “swallow [her] pride and go around asking relatives for help.” This humbling experience underscored her commitment to education as “the only chance to build a better life,” both for herself and to fulfill her mother’s dreams for her.
Throughout this ordeal, Francheska learned valuable lessons: “I learned to fight quietly. I learned to be strong in silence. I learned to be thankful even for small help.” Despite the pain, she refused to quit, understanding that to do so would be to abandon the shared hopes she and her mother had held dear. This journey revealed unexpected reserves of strength, teaching her to “keep going, even when life feels impossible.”
Initially, she held a more modest ambition: “Maka-graduate lang ako kahit walang honors, okay na. Makaraos lang,” reflecting a mindset focused simply on survival. Yet, over time, this shifted. Each academic success became a small victory, reinforcing her belief in her ability to overcome any obstacle. Her Latin honors achievement was not simply about intelligence; it represented “endurance…prevailing over sven when it hurt, trying again after every breakdown, and believing—little by little—that I was capable of more than just ‘makaraos lang.’”
This success, however, is not solely hers. Francheska dedicates her achievement to her mother, to Tito Manny, who provided unwavering support during a period of immense grief, and to baby Aki, who brought much-needed joy into her life. She also acknowledges those who doubted her abilities, stating that their skepticism only fueled her determination to prove them wrong. She concludes, “This achievement isn’t just mine. It belongs to everyone who stood by me, believed in me, challenged me, and loved me through it all.”
Francheska’s journey holds a powerful message for fellow students facing their own challenges. She emphasizes that success requires not just intelligence but unwavering determination. Drawing on her own experience of conquering self-doubt and hardship, she encourages others to believe in themselves, recognizing that, “you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to succeed—you just have to be the most determined.” Her being cum laude graduation is a testament to this principle, a powerful reminder that even in the face of numerous obstacles, dreams can and do come true. This is the start of her flight, a journey to even greater heights.
