Twenty-two-year-old Bernice Altarejos Teng had a strong motivation to do well in the recent 2016 Pharmacist Licensure Exams. That motivation is her mom, who by all standards is a strong woman.

“My mom is wonderful, amazing. It’s true, she’s my inspiration,” Bernice told the Manila Bulletin in an interview Thursday at her alma mater, Centro Escolar University (CEU), in Manila.

Her mother, Mary Jane Altarejos, 59, is an interior designer. She could very well be a life coach, too, with the way that she taught Bernice about the importance of perseverance.

“She’s a single parent. She’s my mom and my dad at the same time… I’m closer to my mommy because I lived with her. I saw how hard she worked and everything,” said Bernice, who graduated from CEU’s School of Pharmacy last April.

Just two months later, the young woman again proved that CEU is the top provider of licensed pharmacists in the country when she placed sixth overall in the board exams.

She garnered a rating of 91.25 percent and was one of the 394 pharmacy board passers from CEU’s Manila, Makati, and Malolos campuses. The boards took place on June 11.

Just like any graduate that is worth his or her salt, Bernice admitted aiming for the Top 10 but not because of personal accolade.

“I wanted to land in the top [10] but more than that, it’s the honor that I want to deliver for my mom and my family, my lola and lolo who helped finance my studies. My mom couldn’t have done it alone,” said the instant school celebrity.

Mary Jane is from Bicol. She separated from her husband even before Bernice was born.

“I first met my dad when I was in Grade 6,” Bernice shared. “I didn’t know him much. He passed away in December 2011.”

‘SUPER MOM’

Bernice, nicknamed “Nestle” (her second name) described her mother Mary Jane as nothing less than “super.”

The latter is a workaholic as well.

“I’ve watched her work ever since I was a child. Do you know the ‘Super Moms’ that we see on TV? She’s just like that,” said the pharmacy graduate, her face beaming with pride.

“I used to accompany my mom in her construction work when I was young. I saw what she did and I used to tell myself, ‘Wow my mom is really awesome.’”

Bernice said she wanted to enter construction, too, for a time, saying “because that’s what I was exposed to.”

It was only later on after her freshman year in college (she initially took up a physics course in another school) that she decided to venture into the medical field.

Bernice, who has an older sister, said her mom was hesitant at first but soon gave way. “Even before I wanted to be a doctor,” she said, before adding “Ang gulo ko no? (I’m confusing right?)”

GIVING BACK

Turning serious, Bernice pointed out how important her studies was to her.

“Studying for me is something that I know I’m capable of doing. Feeling ko dito ako may chance na pwedeng makapag-balik sa kanya (I feel that this is where I can give back to her),” she said, referring to her beloved mom.

Bernice further said of Mary Jane: “For all the times I’ve been down, she’s always been there…I can feel from her actions na she’s always there for me. She tells me I love you everyday.”

Bernice said she spent a month and a half at a review center, took up final coaching and then went the extra mile by doing self-study for the final 10 days before the exams.

“Others skipped final coaching and just did self-study. Different people have different strategies,” she noted.

“When you’re taking the boards, at first it can be intimidating. All four years [of what you learned in college] in one test? 600 items?

“When you think about it, all you need is perseverance… Perseverance to study during all those four years,” she stressed.

‘THANK YOU’

Of course, the payoff for all the time spent in the classroom and the review center came up seeing her name in the list of board passer.

“I went down from my room. She was in her office. I said, ‘Mommy I’m Top 6.’”

Mary Jane’s eyed welled up really quickly and told her daughter, “Salamat, anak. Ang galing mo (Thank you. You are very good). I love you.”

Bernice said that the “thank you” she heard from her mom was very touching, yet very out of place.

Why? She said it should be the other way around.

“Sino ba ang dapat magpasalamat, ako di ba? (I should be the one thanking her) She raised me and everything. Wala naman akong ibang pag-alalayan kung hindi sila (I can only dedicate my achievement to them).”

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Ellson Quismorio

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