𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗮: 𝗔 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

𝘣𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦

“Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsan nasa ibabaw, minsan nasa ilalim.” These timeless words echo in many Filipino households, reminding us that life is full of ups and downs. But for one man, life wasn’t just like a wheel, it was the wheel. Literally and figuratively.

Meet Geneses Ojagan, a 32-year-old school driver whose journey proves that determination can take you places, even to a college graduation stage. For over three years, he has served as a driver and Administrative Aide I at Davao del Norte State College (DNSC). But this time, he’s not driving anyone to campus, he’s walking onstage, clad in a black toga, to receive his hard-earned degree in Bachelor of Science in Disaster Resiliency and Management under the Special Program for Adult Education at the Davao del Norte Learning Institute (DNLI)–DNSC.

His story isn’t your usual tale of a student. It’s grit, sacrifice, and resilience. His journey to the summit of his dreams was not a smooth highway, it was a rugged path marked by sleepless nights, tight schedules, and the constant juggle of responsibilities. As he steered the college vehicle each day, he was also steering his life toward a better future, not only for himself, but also for the people he holds dear.

“From the time I started working as a driver at DNSC, I was surrounded by students and educators every day. It reminded me of the dream I once had: to finish college,” he shared. “The DNLI program gave me hope and an opportunity that fit my situation. I realized it’s never too late to invest in yourself and build a better future.”

Wearing two hats, driver on the weekdays, student on the weekends, Geneses learned how to manage the ever-blurring lines between duty and dream. It wasn’t easy. He had to face academic deadlines after long hours of driving, sacrifice rest for recitations, and push through exhaustion just to finish assignments. But in every mile he drove, there was meaning. In every class he attended, there was purpose.

His dual role taught him life lessons beyond the classroom. The discipline, patience, and sense of responsibility he developed behind the wheel became vital companions in his educational journey. At the same time, being a student kept him grounded, curious, and humbled by the idea that learning truly never stops.

“It was a journey full of sacrifices, challenges, and learning,” he reflected. “I had to constantly shift between responsibilities, but in the process, I grew not just as a student, but as a person. Every ride I drove, every lesson I attended, they all became part of one story.”

For Geneses, balancing his full-time job and college life tested every part of him, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿: 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. 𝗛𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲.

Now, as he stands on the threshold of graduation, Geneses Ojagan reminds us that success is measured by the perseverance you show on the way there. His black toga represents more than just academic achievement, it’s the culmination of early mornings, late-night drives, sacrifices made in silence, and a dream that never ran out of gas.

From the driver’s seat to the commencement stage, Geneses’ journey is a moving tribute to every working adult who dared to dream again. And as he takes his final bow as a student and his first steps into a new chapter, he shows us that even drivers, too, can reach the summit, one determined turn of the wheel at a time.

Because this time, the wheels are no longer turning just for others. They’re carrying him to a future he once only imagined.