"FINALLY, I fulfilled my father's dream," said Roland de la Cruz, National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (Nacusip) national president and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) vice president, after he graduated Bachelor of Laws at the Philippine Law School on March 21.
Roland is the son of the late lawyer Zoilo de la Cruz, former labor sectoral representative in the 13th and 14th Congress and was considered the Father of the 13th Month Pay and Social Amelioration Bonus for workers in the sugar industry.
"It's been six years, three cities and three law schools, a journey not paved with a bed of roses and was not made on a marble ground. It was hard, tiring, challenging, but inspiring one. Eye on the prize was a constant echo in my mind. Hard work, perseverance, determination, unconditional support from my wife and my family and peers, ardent prayer and faith in God were the push I held on during my journey as a law student,” he said.
He said when they lost their father, he thought it was over, but his wife Rosalia kept him moving.
Moreover, he said his law studies was not a walk in the park.
The last four semesters were brutal, he said, as he recalled the hours he had to travel to get to school, not to mention the union concerns and other meetings he needed to attend.
He said that it's quite sad that his father was no longer here to witness the fulfillment of his dreams. But he vowed to continue the journey until he becomes a full-fledged lawyer.