By Cyrus A. Natividad
Leonance Erfe with Prof. Annalie D. Gilongos
Leonance Erfe is a graduate of Business Administration in 2017. She finished her studies through the Work Study Service Program (WSSP) of Central Philippine University and was absorbed to work as a ‘job hire’. After that, and until now she is a regular employee and Secretary of the CPU National Service Training Program (NSTP), where the WSSP also holds office. Both offices are handled by WSSP Coordinator Professor Annalie D. Gilongos, MN, RN.
Leonance recalls how she was able to succeed in her studies as a work student assigned to the janitorial service of CPU. She lives in the Calaparan area of Arevalo Iloilo City where she has to wake up at 3 A.M. to prepare her meals and start off to school in CPU at 5 A.M. “Life was hard, and I needed to struggle for my studies and assist my parents as well. It was a ‘Dream come true’ as I was hired for employment by my Alma Mater later on. I am the bread winner who fully supports my two siblings Joy and John Laurence. I am very grateful to CPU and for the Work Study Program that gave me the opportunity for employment.”
She emphasized four important values she maintained during her time with WSSP. She said that, “Until now as a CPU employee, the same are expected in every work student in the university. First you should have good personality – an attribute which makes a person likable, approachable and hospitable in the workplace at all times. Second, a work student must be industrious; must be hard working, determined to finish any job assigned to him or her.” “Thirdly, the student should be a dedicated person, makes the best out of himself or herself; never leaves the work undone, and makes the best result on his/her assignment.” She added, “Above all, the student must have intelligence. It is intelligence that gives a person the initiative, the action, and the decision to start, to make and accomplish the assigned task.”
For Leonance Erfe, it is the Christian value and inspiration of her family that let her moved on to finish her course and further on to pursue her bigger dream to become a teacher. In 2021 she finished her Diploma in Teaching (DipTe) course, and currently on review for her coming Board Exam.
According to Prof. Gilongos, there are disciplinary actions on the work student when he or she has failed in two or 3 subjects. A reduction in academic load will be done according to the number of failure that the work student incurs.
On the other hand, she said that “the admission of a student to the Work Study Program requires his/her academic record from High School; Personal Interview, and Written Aptitude Test. There are three 3 places of assignment for work students who pass the entrance exam. The assignments are based on the determination of skills and results from the test.”
The four areas of assignments are the Janitorial Service, Library, Services and Laboratory and Clerical. During the pandemic, the Work Students were not allowed to report to school, but they are monitored based on their academic performance.
Each work student according to the CPU WSSP, are given a subsidy of 10,000 pesos per semester that are spent on their active (without failure subjects enrolled); also a 600 pesos cellphone load allowance per student was given during the pandemic but particularly to those who have the least chances of having a wi-fi at home. Alumni Associations worldwide and other local organizations or sponsors have their chances of sending donations or scholarship allowances to CPU WSSP Office at Central Philippine University.