"I have personal experiences of being underprivileged. Yet today I feel, together with my fellow students, that we are no longer underprivileged," stressed Emily Labistre, president of student council of Iloilo City Community College (ICCC).

The 17-year old head of League of Leaders (LOL) party led the 220-pioneer student, school management, faculty and staff in giving cheers during ICCC inauguration Thursday.

"I feel God is smiling on us and on you – our guests and benefactors because today we have a future that is much brighter, full of hope and expectations," Labistre told audience in between tears of joy.

She was thankful the ICCC donated by Edgar "Injap" Sia II would prepare the youth to become successful professionals someday.

"Our dream for a better life for ourselves and for our family is now within reach because of ICCC. We are truly blessed – we are special for being the first batch of students to avail of your generous gift of education. We will always treasure this precious gift and be thankful of it for the rest of our lives," said the excited Labistre.

"Our elders always say that education is the only wealth that cannot be taken away from us. They also say that education is the key to success and that the success of each individual redounds to the progress of the nation," she exclaimed.

But not everyone is given the opportunity to obtain or pursue their education, especially college, Labistre said.

Thus, the ICCC envisions being the leading educational institution where quality and affordable tertiary education is provided to the underprivileged youth.

"I and my fellow students are indeed financially underprivileged – for most of us have fathers who are trisikad drivers and mothers who wash clothes or lavandera for our neighbors or vendors of native delicacies and street foods to help augment the family income," Labistre shared.

Her father is a jeepney driver while her mother has to stay at home to take care of her younger siblings and a brother who is a special child.

"Some of us have to work as housekeepers, construction workers or janitors so that we have some money to spend for our transportation and school projects," she said.

"Others stopped from schooling for some time for lack of financial means to support our college education. I myself have to quit for a year so I could help my parents while they are at work by taking care of my siblings," Labistre recalled.

"In behalf of my fellow students and our parents, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our guests, benefactors, government officials and friends of Iloilo City," she said.

"We pledge to live up to the expectations of our elders, professors, benefactors, and Almighty God, to become competent and dignified professionals who attain success for the service of our community, our country and specially our city – our pride," avowed Labistre.

Meanwhile, Joel Adrias, president of the Injap Foundation, Inc. represented and read the message of Dr. Sia.

"Let this be a breeding ground that will incubate Ilonggo youths to be potent tools for nation building, Adrias said as he read Dr. Sia's message.

Adrias said that the four-storey building is "indeed a concrete realization of the earnest vision to have a citizenry that are endowed and equipped with the necessary tools for the higher and professional education.

As inscribed in the portal of the building Injap said that "this is my gift and my family's to you because I believe that education is the best tool to fight poverty".

"Take good care of this building so that this generation and the succeeding generation will encounter life's changing experiences in this institution," Adrias said as he read the message of Dr. Injap Sia.

Councilor Plaridel Nava, Committee Chair on Education expressed confidence that "we will produce brilliant leaders from this institution".

"We witnessed today a quantum leap towards the realization of a cherished vision for our constituents, especially the underprivileged," Nava said as he emphasized that accessible education will always remain at the helms of the city government's endeavors.

The occasion's guests include Vice-Mayor Jose Espinosa III and Professor Tomas Lopez, President of the University of Makati; Iloilo City officials, national government officials, among others.

The school has about 210 officially enrolled students according to Professor Catalina Sunico, the school's Dean of Instruction.

She said the two courses offered are Bachelor of Science in Travel Management and Bachelor of Science in Administration.*ICPIO/PIA