CHRISTMAS came early for 39-year-old security guard Erwin Valmoria Macua.
He found his name among the passers of the Licensure Exam for Teachers for elementary level yesterday.
Macua, at first, couldn’t believe that he passed until an equally happy teacher from the St Theresa’s College called him on the intercom to break the good news.
“I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I was running on nerves and free data to check the website if the results were already posted. After I saw my name, I cried,” Macua said.
Macua said he can’t wait to start teaching after 20 years of serving as a security guard.
“At 39 and with a family to boot, I’m so excited to start this new journey of being a teacher and start giving back to the people who helped me reach where I am today. Thank you so much,” Macua said.
Teachers and students hugged him and shook his hand to congratulate him.
All the while, the newest addition to the teaching profession continued to open the gates, still on duty.
“The exam was hard. The things we reviewed for were not there and I only studied for a full three days after I filed for a leave,” he said.
Macua said that after his life story came out for the first time in SunStar Cebu, blessings from kind-hearted people started pouring in.
“Everyone helped out. Someone paid for my tuition, someone gave me a laptop, someone paid for my books and even the expenses for my review,” he said, teary-eyed.
With this, the cum laude graduate said he wanted to repay his sponsors by working hard, not as a security guard, but as a licensed teacher.
“I want to start teaching next year. Of course, my first option is STC because this is where I started,” he said.
Since he graduated with a General Education course, Macua said that he can teach any subject.
“If given the chance, I can teach Math. Maybe, Filipino or Araling Panlipunan,” his eyes sparkling.
His advice to the youth and to those who didn’t pass the exam?
“It’s not too late. As long as you are dedicated and you have a goal, age won’t be hindrance in attaining that goal through hard work and prayers,” Macua told SunStar Cebu in Cebuano.