Cebu Technological University (CTU) – Carmen Campus third year HM student Dick Bongo wins at the University Mobility of Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) Photo Contest last March 15, 2022.
Mr. Bongo received a virtual pass to the APAEI 2022 Conference on March 27- 31, 2022. The campus will also provide him with a 1,000 cash incentive.
His winning entry caption, “Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation in CTU Carmen: Being genuinely happy means accurate service and dedication to the Hospitality Industry.”
“My inspiration for writing such a heartwarming description was my experiences in life,” Dick Bongo shared during an interview with the Aquarian.
He graduated elementary as class valedictorian and enrolled in the Pilot Class at Carmen National High School – Day Class, but he quit because of family problems.
“On September 29, 2010, my mother was diagnosed with leukemia and died the same year. After a year, my father was also diagnosed with lung cancer and died that year also,” Bongo confessed.
However, these unfortunate circumstances in his life did not stop his goal of finishing a degree.
“I enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and passed the exam. Then, I enrolled in CTU-Carmen as a Marine Engineering student and had finished the 3-year academic requirement. After that, I was able to apply for two companies for an apprenticeship, but sadly, I have inherited my father’s disease (lung problems), so I had to stop,” Bongo added.
These were, for him, the most difficult times as he was almost closer to his dreams.
“It was depressing. I do not know how to move forward. Yet, having the motivation to be the first of my siblings to finish a degree motivated me to try again. So, in 2019, I enrolled in the BSHM course, and now I am in my junior year,” he added.
As to his win in the Photo Contest, “I joined the photo contest through the encouragement of Ms Alma Arnejo. Fortunately, out of 5 entries submitted, my photo was chosen as the winning entry.”
“I am honored and blessed to bring pride to my beloved CTU-Carmen, and more than anything else, I am happy and proud of myself for conquering my fears,” Bongo concluded.