September 10, 2026
His path to a degree, against all odds
By Nicole Fetalcorin
When does education stop being a daily struggle for basic survival, and finally become a reality where no student's dream is deferred by poverty?
Kenneth Baluyut, a Tzu Chi scholar from Pampanga, always knew that his deferred dreams did not mean a denied future. For many, the pandemic has not only claimed lives but also crushed the dreams and ambitions of students striving to finish their education on time. Baluyut knew first-hand how devastating those years were for his family. With a mother working as an on-call housekeeper and a father earning a living as a jeepney driver, the loss of income took a heavy toll on their survival.
“My father lost his job during the pandemic because jeepney drivers were among the first to be severely affected,” Baluyut recalled. “We were able to survive through relief goods and by piling up debts left and right.”
Understanding the weight of their financial situation, Baluyut had no choice but to pause his education after graduating from senior high school to work and save for college. He worked as an outsole maker in a shoe factory and later as a call center agent in the BPO industry. Through hard work, he managed to save ₱20,000–funds he used to sustain his first year of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Science at Pampanga State Agricultural University.
As the second youngest of six siblings, with older brothers and sisters supporting families of their own, Baluyut was determined to graduate. He paid his own way through his freshman year. Yet, as the financial demands of his teaching degree grew, those hard-earned savings quickly vanished. With an empty wallet came a haunting, familiar question: drop out again, or step back into the workforce?
“My parents didn't want me to stop my education. I was the one who decided to pause because we didn't even have money for a school uniform,” Baluyut recalled of the moment before he made the decision. “At that time, I envied my classmates and batchmates who got to continue through college and enroll in their universities, while I didn’t know where to go because we were really struggling financially.”
When the time came for him to pursue college again, he debated which program to take. Realizing that more scholarship slots were open for education students, he chose the path of becoming a teacher. Unfortunately, that road was far from easy. He applied for several scholarship programs, but none called him back.
Just as hope seemed to fade, the Tzu Chi Foundation opened its doors to him. “I told myself, finally, after waiting for so long. I was at that point of giving up and taking on jobs again. When I learned that I was accepted, it felt like a thorn had been pulled out of my heart—okay, I can continue.”
However, just as things seemed to smooth out, his family faced another tragic blow in 2025. His father, their primary provider, suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his head. Baluyut described it as a painful ordeal that tested their family to the limit.
"We knocked on the doors of relatives and government offices to ask for assistance. My dad was in critical condition, and it was so hard to see him in that state. I thought to myself, what if we lose dad? I'd have to stop my studies again, even with a scholarship, because my mother wouldn't be able to afford sending us to school."
As his father began a slow recovery with no steady income coming in, Baluyut’s younger sibling was also forced to drop out of school. “We were really struggling, and just this February, my father’s eyes were affected and he came close to losing his sight. We were in so much debt that until now, we are still paying it off.” Baluyut even recalls moments when they had nothing left to eat.
Despite the relentless wave of trials, Baluyut refused to let despair consume him. Instead, he channeled every hardship into his studies, leaning on the warmth and support he found within the Tzu Chi community. Through the help of Tzu Chi’s scholarship program, Baluyut was able to save his family from additional expenses, and contribute to their basic necessities through the grocery and rice subsidies he received as a scholar. He also reflected on how the foundation’s Humanities classes reshaped his character–transforming him from an easily agitated and argumentative child into a calm, understanding, and filial son.
“Thank you so much, Tzu Chi. I am so grateful that you saw potential in me and made me your scholar. Thank you for helping not just with my education, but also with my personal growth. The lessons you’ve taught us are such a big help.”
Baluyut’s story inspires students never to take for granted the things that may seem small or ordinary to others. While an education might come easily to some, for scholars like Baluyut, it represents a precious chance to transform the entire course of his life and his family's future.
Even in a landscape where higher education is made tuition-free, the hidden costs of living, family emergencies, and daily survival still demand extraordinary sacrifice. Kenneth’s journey proves that while a deferred dream is never a denied future, earning a degree should never have to be this hard.
With graduation finally within reach, Kenneth Baluyut proves that unwavering faith and hard work can turn deferred dreams into reality.
The pillar of his strength: Kenneth Baluyut (far left) shares a portrait together with his family.
Kenneth Baluyut (wearing a red backpack) actively participates during an outreach program at Villa Maria Integrated School in Porac, Pampanga.
Kenneth Baluyut (center) carefully sorts out bags to be used during an outreach program at Villa Maria Integrated School in Porac, Pampanga.
With Tzu Chi’s support by his side, Kenneth Baluyut pours every effort into securing a brighter future for himself and his family.
After surviving a ruptured blood vessel in his head, Kenneth Baluyut’s father is now recovering and slowly returning to work to help his children finish their studies.
Kenneth Baluyut (back row, second from left) shares his enthusiasm during the 2026 Scholars' Camp, highlighting the strong bonds he built with fellow scholars from different provinces.
Supported by Tzu Chi’s generosity and compassion, Kenneth Baluyut (sixth from right) no longer has to put his dreams on hold as he continues his journey toward a degree in education.