ANGIELO Labajo Pahamutang has proven that having a disability is not a bar to reach his dream of becoming a teacher.
The 21-year-old from Talisay City, who can only see with one eye, was one of four Cebuanos who topped the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), the results of which were released yesterday.
Pahamutang of Talisay City College got 90.20 percent which is good for 10th place in the examination’s secondary level.
According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT), 15,223 secondary teachers out of 38,433 examinees passed the LET.
The figure translates to 39.61% passing rate.
The PRC also said that around 10,310 elementary teachers passed the tests out of 37,117 examinees (27.78%).
The Talisay City College is the top performing school in the elementary level with 90.24% passing percentage.
There were two topnotchers in the elementary level – 4th placer Jestoni Limpangog Potot of University of Cebu in Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue with 88.20 percent and 10th placer Junnalie Labajo Brago of Talisay City College with 87 percent.
There were two other topnotchers in the secondary level: 7th placer Sheila Mae Mangubat Diano of Cebu Normal University with 90.80 percent and 10th placer Angielo Labajo Pahamutang of Talisay City College with 90.20 percent.
Pahamutang, 21, of Lagtang, Talisay City is an orphan. His father, Agapito, died after his first year in college, while his mother, Maria Esterlita, passed away when he was on his junior year in high school. Because of his father’s death, he was forced to stop for one year because of financial difficulties. He lived with his uncle’s family in Pardo, Cebu City.
Pahamutang became a working student with the Servant of Mary in Mohon, Talisay City. The institution paid for his tuition from second year to fourth year.
It was while he was on his second year when doctors diagnosed him to be suffering from glaucoma on the left eye. While he partially lost his eyesight, it did not discourage him from pursuing his dream.
“It even encouraged me to pursue my dream as teacher,” he said.
Pahamutang graduated cum laude.
“I just prayed to pass and I did not expect to be in the topnotchers’ list,” he said in Cebuano.
Pahamutang said he dedicated this achievement to his deceased parents, to the family of his uncle, to the nuns of the Servant of Mary, his teachers, the school and to God.
Pahamutang is presently teaching in a private school in Talisay, but he plans to move to a public school when his contract ends.
Dr. Edgar Martinez, dean of Instruction and Discipline of the Talisay City College said, the two topnotchers from the school will get P10,000 each. He said the city government is expected to also give rewards to the topnotchers.
Martinez said the school was very happy that they have maintained their status as the top performing school in the elementary level. /Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan