By Cyrus A. Natividad
Teacher Dioleta Montaño Calibara exemplifies herself as a successful Centralian.
When Dioleta Montaño left her home in Brgy. Agsanayan, Buenavista, Guimaras to pursue a college degree, she has nothing to start with, except for a burning desire to graduate in the Bachelor of Science in Education. With seven siblings, some already in college, Dioleta thought about the hardship her parents would go through – to send them all to school. Dioleta always had good scholastic record since her elementary. Applying for a scholarship in a work study program was possible with some schools or universities in Iloilo City.
“During that time we only pay 5.00 pesos for the motor-banca to take us across to Iloilo City,” she recalls. Guimaras was still a sub-province of Iloilo then. She would wisely use the little savings she had in her pocket to look for an opportunity for free college education, or so she thought.
Dioleta responsibly searched her way to realize her dream. “God will guide me and keep me strong,” she recalls – on how she’s able to succeed. She said, “I never stop praying to God for help. He knows what I wanted, and I was determined to stand by that desire. That day I only ate a slice of my sandwich for lunch, and took some water from my canister. I continued on to search and… ‘whoa! God brought me to Central Philippine University where I processed my application for work student in its work-study program.”
She was assigned to work as Library Assistant at Henry Luce III Library. The ‘Library Chief, Norma P. Jaime was very accommodating – so kind and helpful to me and my co-work students.” Dioleta attained her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from CPU in 1986. During her college days, she was elected Representative of CPU Republic, Province of Education. She was Editor of the Educator, the College of Education publication. She was a member of several committees in campus events and activities.
She passed the Teacher’s Board Exam in 1998 and first taught at Leon Elementary School from 1990 to 2008, then at Jaro 2 Elementary School until her retirement in 2021. Her success came not only in her becoming a teacher, her lifetime desire. Dioleta who is married with Gideon Calibara of Leon, Iloilo; has two successful professional daughters: Kristell Joy who graduated Cum Laude in her Master’s degree at WVSU, now a successful teacher and April Rose who is successful in her career at a BPO company. Dioleta is the daughter of Rufino Montaño and Felicisima Gadot of Buenavista,Guimaras.
Thirty six years after, Dioleta looks back with gratitude and high esteem to her beloved Alma Mater. “I will never forget the privilege given to me by Central Philippine University. I even learned and earned through perseverance from Central. I am not the only one who attained good education from CPU. Many of us are privileged to have free education through the work – study program of the University. We have realized our dreams. Still a lot more who started their journey from Central must now be reaching up to the peak of their success,” Dioleta said. To God be the Glory!