By Karren Jay G. Asgar

Centralian Francheska MJ A. Jalando-on’s project, “Coastal Care: A Mangrove Planting Initiative,” was featured in the program, tarps, and LED wall during the awarding of the Chief Girl Scout Medal on November 27, 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall in Pasay City.

At Central Philippine University, students are nurtured to become leaders, innovators, and changemakers. Learning goes hand in hand with service, and Centralians are recognized not only for their academic achievements but also for the meaningful ways they contribute to their communities. This commitment is exemplified by those who have earned the Chief Girl Scout Medal, one of the highest honors a Girl Scout can receive.

For Francheska MJ A. Jalando-on, a HUMSS 11-2 student from the Department of Senior High School and the lone awardee of the Chief Girl Scout Medal from Central Philippine University, the path to this distinction was both challenging and transformative. She received the award on November 27, 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), where she stood alongside 987 other awardees from across the Philippines. As part of earning the said recognition, she undertook her project, “Coastal Care: A Mangrove Planting Initiative,” as a Senior Girl Scout of CPU Junior High School Troop 312.

“As someone who grew up in a well-known family, one of the things I’ve struggled with the most as a person and as a Girl Scout was identity issues,” she shared. Scouting runs deep in her family. Her mother, Dr. Hermely A. Jalando-on, was a frequent camper during her scouting days, while her father, Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, earned the Citizen Awardee Rizal Eagle Scout. Her brother, Kairos Rye Agriam Jalando-on, was a Boy Scout during his elementary years, and her grandfather, Hernando Agriam, was a Woodbadger and long-time Scout Master at CPU. Her Aunt Rosette Joy Jalando-on Dumdum also achieved the Chief Girl Scout Medal, and even her other aunts and grandmother were Girl Scouts in their time.

This long family history brought both pride and pressure. “With this history, you could say that scouting really runs in my blood. And because of this history, I am afraid of the expectations people have for me,” she said. Even with years of active involvement in scouting, she sometimes felt overshadowed by the legacy she inherited. “A part of me will always fear that I’m not worthy or deserving of my awards, that I’m not fit to be here and was just lucky to have been given the opportunity. But now I believe that these doors of opportunities wouldn’t have opened if I wasn’t capable.”

(From left to right) Joy Lyn F. Visto, CPU JHS faculty member; Ghia Joy B. Bermejo, Senior Scout Coordinator; Francheska MJ A. Jalando-on, Chief Girl Scout Awardee; and her proud parents, Dr. Hermely A. Jalando-on and Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, pose for a photo opportunity during the awarding of the Chief Girl Scout Medal on November 27, 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall in Pasay City.

This struggle with expectations intensified as she began her Chief Medalist journey. “One of the biggest struggles I faced was living up to the expectations I had for myself. No one pressured me, but I thought I had to live up to a name I was struggling to maintain,” she recalled. But as she moved through the year-long process, she learned to embrace her own strengths and define her identity beyond her family’s achievements. “Even though I worry, struggle, and fear, it doesn’t erase the hard work and dedication I put into making a name for myself,” she affirmed.

Encouraged by mentors, leaders, and fellow scouts within the Centralian community, Francheska’s confidence grew. “Before me, there was Princess Allea Alvarez, Lemniel Gift Gardose, Marrian Lourdes Salazar, Danielle Bautista, Sheriemei Hojilla, Ianah Marie Basug, and many more. These women are one of the many that have shown me what being a true girl scout is like-bold, confident, smart, and beautiful inside and out,” she said.

Reflecting on the courage it took to pursue the Chief Girl Scout Medal, she shared, “Before officially applying, I attended two orientations. I was scared of the ‘what ifs,’ scared of my possible failure, and scared of the future. But I realized that as humans, it is in our nature to be afraid. To jump in the water without looking isn’t careless, it’s trusting in your ability to rise. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it.”

Today, earning the Chief Girl Scout Medal stands as a powerful testament to her perseverance and authenticity. “I am proud to say that I earned this project not through connections or fake involvement, but with my own blood, sweat, and tears. It is an honor to bring pride to both my family and university,” she added. Her story now serves as an inspiration to other Centralians, a proof that true leadership is not inherited but built through courage, grit, and a willingness to grow.

Through achievements like Francheska’s, CPU shows that true Centralian excellence shines brightest when passion meets purpose and when students commit themselves to serve the community.