Son of trike driver, veggie vendor shines as UP student leader

JP helped mom sell vegetables during summer vacations. Photo from facebook.com

To make ends meet, his father works as a tricycle driver while his mother sells vegetables. Neither of them reached college, something they now want badly for their eldest child “JP” to finish.

But on Thursday, John Paul de las Nieves made his parents proud not only with his high grades but with his campus leadership. The Economics senior and candidate for cum laude won the vice chairmanship of the student council of the University of the Philippines Diliman.

“If you really want to make something out of yourself, nothing is impossible. Poverty is not a reason. Instead it should drive you to do better,” he said in an Inquirer interview after his poll victory.

Graduating this April, 19-year-old JP is set to take up a master’s course also in economics and will start serving his term in the council in the next school year. The chairmanship went to his party-mate, Arjay Mercado.

Scholarship

A product of Mandaluyong Science High School, De las Nieves recalled spending summer vacations helping his mother Amelita sell vegetables on the sidewalk. On a good day she makes around P1,000, and this is added to the P500 earned by his father Pacifico, who drives a tricycle to help feed a family of five in Barangay Hagdan Bato, Mandaluyong City.

A scholarship from the office of Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales helped De Las Nieves through his four years in UP, where he would be graduating with a general weighted average of 1.57.

Thursday’s election win would allow him to continue what he started in his current capacity as councilor. He won again under the party Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran, which got 16 out of 34 positions in the USC.

Last year, as head of a council committee, he focused on the concerns of students staying in the dormitories, especially those in need of funds to continue their studies. He also met students from UP Tacloban who were displaced by Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” personally helping them find new homes.

‘Eye-opener’

“That experience was an eye-opener. It made me realize what an honor it is to be able to help my fellow students,” he said. “And I notice that the busier I get, the more I get better grades. I study better when I am with friends.”

Though his tuition and lodging are covered by the scholarship, De las Nieves said he still had to watch his personal expenses and make do with the weekly allowance—P1,000 or less—that he gets from his father.

“I am really proud of my parents. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for them and our experiences as a family,” he said. “I am thankful that even though my parents only reached high school, I was able to enter UP. I won’t stop dreaming and reaching for these dreams just because my parents didn’t have a college education.”