At 45 years old, Marites Gregorio Maomay has achieved a milestone once thought beyond her reach, earning her Senior High School diploma under the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand at Malvar Senior High School (MSHS) in the academic year 2023–2024.
For years, Marites had been a familiar face around the school grounds, not as a student, but as part of the non-teaching staff. Her responsibilities included cleaning classrooms and restrooms, ensuring the school environment remained orderly and welcoming.
Born and raised in a low-income family, Marites had to drop out of school at an early age to help support her household. As a daughter, she carried the weight of responsibility, working various jobs to ease her family’s burden. Eventually, she became a mother of two and continued to work, putting her children’s needs and education before her own.
“I always wanted to go back to school,” she shared in an interview. But life had other plans back then.
Her turning point came not from encouragement, but from daily exposure. Working inside a school surrounded by students, teachers, and daily lessons, the urge to study returned stronger. After careful thought, Marites enrolled in the same school where she worked, choosing the ABM strand.
Marites’ journey was far from easy. Unlike most students, her days began early and ended late. She balanced schoolwork with her duties as a utility worker—cleaning rooms during breaks, then attending classes while still catching her breath from work. Fatigue was constant. Yet she showed up, day after day, determined to see it through.
In the beginning, the age gap made her feel out of place. “Sometimes, I would ask myself if I truly belonged there,” she recalled. “There were days I sat quietly at the back, too shy to participate.”
There were moments of silent judgment, too. The curious stares, whispers, and students wondering why someone her age was in their class. But she pushed through. Over time, those same students began to respect her consistency, humility, and discipline. She was fondly called “Aling Maliit” by many, and some even sought her advice not just on schoolwork, but on life matters as well.
Academically, she faced challenges. She had to re-learn basic concepts and understand new ones that didn’t exist in her time. She struggled with technology, especially in digital presentations and online modules. But with the support of teachers and classmates, she steadily progressed.
Marites shared that self-doubt remained one of her biggest obstacles. “There were nights I cried, thinking maybe I was too old, or too late,” she admitted. “But every morning, I told myself that I’m doing this not for recognition, but for the younger version of me who never got the chance.”
And she was doing it for her children, too. There were evenings when she’d come home from school and still help them with their own homework, tired but still smiling. She wanted to show them by example, that it’s never too late to dream, and never too late to try. “I want my children to see me not just as their mother,” she said, “but as someone who didn’t give up.” She added.
Above all, Marites believed deeply in the power of education. For her, going back to school wasn’t just about a diploma, it was about self-worth, growth, and creating a better future for her family. “Education is important,” she said firmly. “It’s something no one can take away from you.”
In April 2024, Maria graduated from Malvar Senior High School—closing not only her own chapter, but also that of the ABM strand for the 2023–2024 school year.
Now holding a diploma she once believed was beyond her reach, Marites hopes her story encourages others to pursue education, regardless of age or background.
YOHANNAN 
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