10/12/2025
This reminded me of a former classmate who once told me when we were about 24 years old that we were old to take another course to study in college. I was convinced at that time to have the same thought which now I think otherwise. It was far from what this man had stood and believed.
Salute to you, sir!
LOOK: 72-YEAR-OLD NEGROS FARMER PROVES ITāS NEVER TOO LATE TO EARN A DEGREE
Born on September 18, 1953, at Hda. Ipil in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Tatay Diosdado Evangelista has lived a life marked by hard work and resilience. In 1959, his family moved to Candoni, a community that would shape both his personal life and education. He finished Candoni Central Elementary School in 1966 and completed high school at Our Lady of Lourdes High School Inc. in 1970. By 1972, he pursued a 2-year Auto Diesel Mechanic vocational course at Justiniani Motor Institute, building skills that helped him sustain his livelihood.
He married Ofelia Garcia in 1974 and later raised four children, all of whom are now professionals. Driven by responsibility, he continued working ā completing Free Licensing Training for Private Security Guards in 1977 and later serving as a company guard at Sipalay Marinduque Mining Industrial Corporation from his entrance exam in 1981 until his resignation in 1984.
From 1985 to the present, Tatay Diosdado focused entirely on farming, relying on it to support and educate his four children. But in 2016, with his children already successful, he decided to pursue a long-delayed dream: earning a college degree. A painful incident involving deception during a wood delivery, made easier because he lacked formal credentials, pushed him to return to school.
He enrolled at the CPSUāCandoni Campus in 2018 under the BSED (Science) program before shifting to BS Agribusiness (BSAB). In 2023, at 69 years old, he proudly graduated ā a milestone he once thought unreachable. Today, at 72, he stands as a Registered Agriculturist, a testament to determination and patience.
His path to licensure was not easy. He took the Civil Service Exam once but did not pass, and he also failed his first Agriculturist Licensure Examination (ALE). Yet he refused to give up, trying again until he finally passed this year.
He shares wisdom that has guided his journey:
āAng pagtuon wala sa hubin ukon bata, kung pursigido ka nga malab-ot ang imo handom, tingwaon mo gid.ā
He encourages students to value time and stay committed to their studies, reminding them that education is free and every minute spent learning matters:
āIndi gid sila magpabaya sang ila pagtuonā¦ ang oras indi na mabalik.ā
Today, Tatay Diosdado is not only a graduate and a licensed agriculturist ā he is living proof that dreams wait patiently for courage, no matter oneās age.
This story originally appeared on the CPSUāCandoni Publication page. Graphics and edits by Destination PH.
