Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-VUA
Guest author:
- LAILA ARIFIN, Bangsamoro Information Office, BARMM
COTABATO CITY — They say we can soar high by spreading our wings, guided by the winds of our parents’ love. Parents are often our shields that protects, grounds, and gives us strength through life’s trials. But what happens when those guiding winds are gone?
This is the story of resilience and faith of Dewirahna A. Pansalang, a native of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, an orphan who rose above life’s hardships and recently passed the November 2025 Nursing Licensure Examination, earning the title of Registered Nurse.
At a very young age, Dewirahna lost her father. “I was around seven years old when my father died. At that time, I did not fully understand that I no longer had a father,” she recalled.
Her mother became her family’s sole provider and source of strength. Hope seemed within reach when her mother secured a permanent job at Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO). However, tragedy struck once again.
“Before we could fully enjoy that stability, we lost our mother, too,” she shared, her voice heavy with emotion. “My siblings and I became completely orphans.”
When her mother fell seriously ill, she was brought to Zamboanga City for further treatment. Dewirahna was not there when her mother passed away.
During her third year in high school, grief consumed her. “Having no parents left me with so many questions,” she said.
‘Teingga na kami ti mag danankan danakan? Maha na luun parents kami?’
[What will happen to us siblings? Both our parents are gone.]
Night after night, she cried and prayed, asking Allah for guidance and strength, uncertain of what the future held.
The following school year, she returned to Simunul to stay close to her siblings and complete her senior high school education. Despite being orphaned, she found refuge in the kindness of her extended family. Her aunts opened their homes to the siblings, while relatives pooled resources to support their daily needs.
Surrounded by care and compassion, Dewirahna persevered in her studies and graduated as one of the top students in her class.
Her dream of becoming a nurse was inspired by her cousin, who worked at the Rural Health Center in Simunul.
“I saw how people in our community depended on her for health advice and care,” she said. “I dreamed of becoming a nurse, but I also knew nursing education was expensive. Even students with parents struggle to afford it.”
Before graduating from senior high school, her cousin asked what course she wanted to take in college.“I excitedly said ‘Nursing’,” she recalled. “I expected her to say, ‘Hindi kaya, mahal ang tuition’ [It’s not possible, tuition is expensive.]”
“But instead, she asked, ‘Kaya mo ang Nursing?’ [Can you handle Nursing?],” she added.
Power of faith, family, and opportunity
That moment changed everything.
Determined to pursue her dream without burdening her cousin, Dewirahna actively searched for scholarships. Her perseverance paid off when she qualified as a scholar under the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education – Access to Higher and Modern Education (MBHTE–AHME) Scholarship Program, part of the second cohort.
Also known as the Bangsamoro IQ Scholars, AHME is a flagship initiative of the Bangsamoro Government that prioritizes indigent students, orphans, persons with disability, indigenous people, internally displaced persons, and qualified combatants and their families, providing Php30,000 financial aid per semester. Applicants should be incoming freshmen taking up four- or five-year undergraduate degrees.
“Bey pag tasayu ku lai na pasod scholarship ku AHME, 90k, lai toongan aku sigak,” she said.
[When I found out that Php90,000 (3 sems worth) from AHME was credited to my account, I was so happy.]
She immediately paid her tuition at Mahardika Institute of Technology, Inc. (MITI)and returned to her dormitory, calling home to share the good news with her cousin.
“For the first time in my life, I had my own money,” she said. “For the first time, I was able to buy a sack of rice and groceries for my siblings.”
Being an AHME scholar did not only change her life, it uplifted her entire family. She was able to support her younger siblings’ needs and allowances. During her third year in college, she received another blessing after qualifying for the CHED (Commission on Higher Education) Tulong Dunong Program (TDP).
After graduating, Dewirahna went to Zamboanga City for six months to review for the Nursing Licensure Examination. Once again, an aunt stepped in to provide financial support. Throughout the review period, her faith never wavered.
“I never missed praying,” she shared. “I kept asking Allah for His miracles, not just to pass the exam, but to not fail all those who believed in me.”
Her prayers were answered.
Reflecting on her journey, she often reminds herself of a Qur’an verse she holds close to her heart: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”
“Sangpu maka limma tahun maniya mag mmah, siyam tahun maniya pag inah. Alhamdulillah lae graduate, lae ghi Board Passer misan anak iluh,” she said.
[Fifteen years without a father, nine years without a mother. Alhamdulillah an orphan, a college graduate, and now a board passer.]
From orphanhood to professional licensure, Dewirahna ‘s journey reflects the power of faith, family, and opportunity. As a Registered Nurse and an AHME Scholar, she now aspires to serve the Bangsamoro community and inspire other orphans to believe that their circumstances do not define their future. (/)