MSU Tboli magna cum laude takes inspiration from epic hero Tudbulul

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 19 July)—Among Tboli tribe folks, known to be proud of their ethnicity, getting an education is paramount in their often marginalized existence.

MOM AND SON. Brent Licayan and her mom Rebecca, both magna cum laude in their own college degrees. The son got his as class valedictorian in 2023 and the mom had hers in 1994. Photo courtesy by Jazel Cuyos

Many in this animistic indigenous tribe consider having an education as a way to liberate them from cultural stereotypes borne by the little understanding of lowland people about their ethnicity.

Having this in mind and encouraged by his mystic idol Tudbulul, Brent Loyd Licayan pursued his studies amid challenges until it finally paid off when he finished valedictorian of the Class of 2023 of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) of the Mindanao State University (MSU) in this city.

According to Dean Carmela Ong, there are 324 CSSH graduates this year. Almost half were conferred Latin honors—16 magna cum laude and 124 cum laude.

The 23-year-old Licayan, who now holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language Studies, was conferred magna cum laude, the same feat his mother Rebecca achieved when she earned her degree in education from the Notre Dame of Marbel University in 1994.

Elated by what he achieved, Licayan said he is the third magna cum laude graduate in their town, his mother being the first.

Licayan’s teary-eyed mother, an elementary school principal in Tboli town, said she was surprised about what her son has achieved, learning about it only when his name was called as valedictorian in their college.

“Parents must really have to let their children choose their path in life,” she said, recalling the time when his son refused to heed her and her husband’s desire for him to pursue medicine.

She said they had Brent take a scholarship program for a medicine degree which he passed, but he still insisted that he will take language studies instead.

In his valedictory address, Licayan recalled a situation “half a century ago, when the Tboli people held on to a promise by the then Marcos government to create a town for themselves, prompting a horde of Tboli women, young and old, to shower the president’s representative with gifts and kisses.”

ALL SMILES. Brent Licayan with his mother and father, both school principals in Tboli town, South Cotabato, and his younger sister in a post graduation rites photo op. Photo courtesy of Brent Licayan

“Who would have thought that from those fledgling people, who lack power at determining and forging their own destiny against the backdrop of contemporary politics, would rise people who are resolute in deciding for their own advancement,” Licayan said.

In remote tribal communities, where people are often deprived of the education they need, there are always those who find courage to get proper education and excel, he said, citing the many Latin awardees in his class who like him belong to indigenous tribes.

Licayan described the difficulties in indigenous communities where students have to brave long walks over treacherous trails, even wading through rivers, just to get to school,

At times, students are exposed to life-threatening situations when there are recurring calamities, hostilities and threats of armed groups that roam remote villages.

Tudbulul as his idol

In his childhood, the young Licayan said they were taught by their parents to have an inspiration, a role model whose experiences and principles they can rely on to guide them in growing up.

“We live in a remote place and I know of no one then who can be an ideal figure, a real life inspiration, so I turned to Tudbulul,” Licayan explained.

Tudbulul is a mythical hero popular among Tboli folks who look up to the epic god for his never-say-die attitude, unmindful of what he needs to give up on his determination to achieve his goals.

Tudbulul also plays an important part in preserving and conveying Tboli customary laws to the young Tboli generation.

Reflecting on Tudbulul’s character, Licayan said he was able to develop a passion to commit himself to doing even what seems to be impossible for the sake of his tribe.

Such determination, he said, is supported by the principles he learned from his father who is also a school principal like his mom, “Galingan mo ang paggawa. Para kung pumalpak ka man, magaling ka pa rin.”

He said he will use his scholastic achievement to inspire more youth, a role model for them to do well in their lowly hillside village of Lemsnolon in Tboli town, South Cotabato.

Licayan said it is his way of paying back to the community where he was “fortunate to grow up and where people look after each other in an atmosphere of harmony and friendship.”

In Lemsnolon, people live in simplicity but parents strive hard to be able to send their children to school, he said.

Payback time

In his valedictory address, Licayan urged his fellow tribal students, most of whom also have their Latin honors, to render services to communities that are in dire need of development.

“We need to show and prove that excellence knows no ethnicity, religion, and gender” by being committed to the advancement of the tri-people in Mindanao, Licayan pointed out.

“I hope the glory and honor we have brought our communities today is only the beginning and that we hold ourselves to a high standard, going forward as we endeavor to better the living conditions of the members of our communities,” he remarked.

“Deng mayuk kut lan (Tboli for ‘we have come a long way’),” Licayan told his fellow IP classmates as he reminded them on three vital matters in serving their people—have the right perspective, have the right attitude, and always show appreciation and gratitude.

“Our perspective or view of the world becomes our reality, so if we view life not as a dichotomy of winners and losers, but as a journey towards our individual versions of success, we will never be defeated even in our failures,” he explained.

On having the right attitude, Licayan said even when the odds are not in their favor, “we will succeed and when we look back on the trail we have blazed, we will realize that we have accomplished things we previously thought as impossible.”

Most important is to show appreciation. “This reminds us that others have paved the way for our successes, like my mother and father before me and our ancestors before us,” he said. (Rommel G. Rebollido / MindaNews)

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