The Philippine government has a program providing free education up to college.

However, members of the marginalized sector still could not fully feel the ease of free tertiary education – transportation costs, food allowances, textbooks, activity expenses, thesis, and more are not part of the free.

For one, this student spends P400 per day to attend school despite being beneficiary of free education. Living is hard, she said, but she has high hopes that she can repay her mom – a fishball vendor – for all the sacrifices.

The Daily Struggles of a Working Student

Although education is often considered “free,” particularly for students attending public schools or state universities, the costs of transportation to and from these institutions are not covered. Furthermore, expenses for snacks, meals, and other fees related to projects and activities assigned by teachers or professors are not included.

Many people could relate to the viral Facebook post by college student “Fannie Tican,” where she shared the daily struggles of those, like her, working hard to complete their education despite significant obstacles.

What deeply resonated with netizens was her account of her mother’s efforts to ensure she had access to education, which could potentially change the course of her future.

Beneficiary of Free Education But Have to Spend P400 Daily

Each day, Fannie requires ₱300 for transportation to school, but her mother, through selling fish balls, sets aside ₱20 each day, relieving her of this concern.

“Isang klase lang ang papasukan ko bukas tapos nag-aalangan pa akong pumasok,” the netizen stated.

“400 ang magagastos ko sa isa’t kalahating oras na klase dahil 300 doon, pamasahe ko balikan.”

“Nanghihinayang ako sa barya-baryang ‘to dahil bawat piso nito, pinaghirapan ng nanay ko sa pagtitinda ng fishball at kikiam.”

“Kung hindi naman ako papasok, mawawalan ako ng attendance, makakaapekto sa grade ko sa subject na ‘yon.”

“Na-realize ko lang, ang mahal ng edukasyon kahit libre. Ang mahal mabuhay. Pero ito ang nanay ko, inihiwalay niya na ang 400 na pambaon ko para maitawid ko ang bukas.”

Hope to Repay Her Mother for Her Sacrifices

Therefore, she said that one day, the time will come when she will be the one to repay her mother for all her sacrifices.

“Salamat, mama. Balang araw, mabibigay ko rin sa ‘yo ang buhay na gusto mo.”

In an interview, Fannie Tican revealed that she is a senior college student majoring in Business Economics. Although she resides in Bataan, she attends a university in Pampanga, which results in transportation expenses of around ₱300 each time she commutes to school.

This daily sacrifice motivates her to attend school the following day, carrying with her the hard-earned money her mother diligently saves for her education.