November 27, 2025
Beyond knowledge and skills, Tzu Chi Tech-Voc scholar learned kindness
By Joy Rojas
If any of the newly awarded scholars of Tzu Chi Foundation’s Technical-Vocational Program had second thoughts about undergoing formal training for their respective courses, a talk by Tech-Voc graduate Monrick Cagulada offered a comforting reassurance.
Speaking before the eight scholars of Tzu Chi’s Refrigerator and Air-conditioner (RAC) course and 21 scholars of the program’s Caregiving course on November 21 at Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus (BTCC) in Sta. Mesa, Manila, the 34-year-old father of three confessed that his once biggest challenge as an air-conditioner serviceman was not having an NC II.
Issued by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA, a National Certificate II is a mandatory requirement of many skills-based jobs as it signifies an applicant’s competency in a particular field. Cagulada, a graduate of the Alternative Learning System (ALS), was often glossed over by clients who put a premium on servicemen with an NC II.
“Sometimes, I would lose hope that I couldn’t get work because I didn’t have a certificate,” he said.
That’s when he remembered Tzu Chi, a name he first heard from his ALS teacher. “When my teacher told me about Tzu Chi’s RAC scholarship, I didn’t pay much attention to it,” he said. Cagulada remained half-hearted even as he and some friends inquired about the course and handed in their applications.
“To be honest, I didn’t want to go back. But when the Tzu Chi staff explained the benefits of studying RAC, I thought about my family.”
Indeed, it was his wife and children that motivated him to stick with his studies. When the going got tough—and it often did—he reminded himself that it was worse seeing his family go hungry if he didn’t put food on the table.
So, he persisted, working and studying in the day then side-hustling at night. Before he knew it, he had completed his RAC course, secured his NC II in September, and now works as an independent serviceman, an arrangement that allows him to accept jobs from various contacts.
But he earned more than the marketable skills needed for his profession. Through monthly Humanity classes, he adopted Tzu Chi’s culture of kindness, became good-mannered and disciplined, and practices filial piety or respect for one’s elders. Lessons from Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s “Master’s Talk” have also made him grateful for everything in his life, whether big or small. “I may not be rich in material things, but because of what I learned at Tzu Chi, I feel that I am already very rich.”
This is likely not the last that Tzu Chi will see of Cagulada. Like many of those before him, scholars are drawn to return to BTCC to repay the foundation for helping them turn their life around.
Serving as a resource person in scholar-related activities, Tzu Chi scholar alumnus Johniel Tuando considers Tzu Chi “my second home. Every time I come here, I feel like I’m home.” Once on the receiving end of the foundation’s generosity, Tuando, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in IT from Access Computer College in 2016, now finds himself on the giving side of help. He’s a program coordinator for the non-profit Lao Foundation, a longtime partner of Tzu Chi that regularly sponsors the studies of many Tech-Voc scholars, including the latest batch of Caregiving scholars.
Giving back is something Cagulada also plans to do, and in the way he knows best.
“I would like to volunteer to clean the air-conditioners of Tzu Chi,” he declared before Tzu Chi volunteers and scholars. “We don’t need material things or money in return. We can just give our time. So, come on! Let’s volunteer!”
Monrick Cagulada’s original goal as a scholar of Tzu Chi Tech-Voc’s RAC course was to earn his TESDA certification. In the end, he got more than a piece of paper. “I learned good manners and love for my family. I learned to be thankful for everything I have, whether small or big,” said the Batch 8 RAC graduate. “Thank you very much, Master Cheng Yen, for all the good lessons you shared with our Tech-Voc scholars and for establishing this program. Thank you to the donors, volunteers, and staff who were instruments in guiding and sharing all your lessons and missions.”
After graduating from his IT course in 2016, Tzu Chi scholar Johnniel Tuando continues to volunteer with Tzu Chi, particularly in scholar-related activities. Now a program coordinator with the non-profit Lao Foundation, which sponsored the latest scholars of the Caregiving course, he reminded them to “recognize the tremendous value of the opportunity given to you. May you hold it close to your heart, use it with purpose, and allow it to become a stepping stone towards a brighter future, not only for yourselves, but also for your families and communities.”
Tzu Chi volunteer James Cheng, Tzu Chi scholar alumnus Johniel Tuando, and Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines Education Committee Head Rosa So (fifth, sixth, and seventh from left) pose with Batch 9 scholars of Tech-Voc’s RAC course.
Scholars under Batch 12 of Tech-Voc’s Caregiving course pose with Tzu Chi volunteer James Cheng, Tzu Chi scholar alumnus Johniel Tuando, and Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines Education Committee Head Rosa So (front row, fifth, sixth, and seventh from left).
“As Tzu Chi welcomes you to our family, we will cheer you on not to merely settle for completing the course or finding stable work,” said Dolly Alegado Cruz, head of Tzu Chi’s Technical-Vocational Scholarship Program, in her welcome remarks. “Please aim to constantly seek self-improvement, and to deepen your understanding of what kindness and compassion truly mean.”
Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines Education Committee Head Rosa So (right) looks on as volunteer James Cheng and Tzu Chi scholar alumnus Johniel Tuando exchange pleasantries. “In Tzu Chi, I attend panel interviews with Technical-Vocational scholars and college scholars and I always cry when I hear their stories,” she said. “It inspires me to be here in Tzu Chi, to do more and help more.”