July 10, 2026
Tzu Chi Davao scholar is built to break barriers
By Thania Florendo
"I was mixing cement when my phone suddenly rang, and I knew it was Tzu Chi," Mariel Gencianos recalled.
The call came while she was working as a mason's helper—a job she had taken to keep herself in school. Long before she became a Tzu Chi scholar, Gencianos had already learned that she had to share the same responsibilities among her siblings.
At six years old, Gencianos accompanied her father and older siblings to their farm to plant vegetables and corn, spread fertilizers, and harvest crops. Her father worked tirelessly in the fields while her mother stayed home to care for Mariel's younger sibling.
In 2008, her mother gave birth to her fifth child, who they later found out to have Down syndrome and a congenital heart condition. Her mother almost lived in the hospital just to accompany the baby. In and out of the hospital, they racked up a huge bill, depleting their resources so they had nothing left to eat at the table.
As the third of the five children, Gencianos understood that survival depended on everyone’s effort. In elementary school, she would wake up at 4 am to sell suman, a rice delicacy often eaten for breakfast, which her older sister made, just so she could have an allowance for that day.
Her father continued farming just to keep the family afloat, but it came to the point that they were losing hope in their youngest sibling’s condition.
“Our youngest sibling fought her way to survival. When I moved into grade six, my sibling’s condition stabilized, and my parents stopped going to the hospital. We finally had food on our table,” she said.
By high school, she searched for part-time work. A neighbor introduced her to construction work as a mason's helper. She carried sacks of cement, hauled sand and gravel, mixed concrete, and performed physically demanding tasks. The work was irregular but the pay sent her to school. When construction work was unavailable, she accepted classmates' school projects to earn additional income.
People questioned why a young woman chose construction, but she paid little attention to stereotypes. What mattered most was that honest work allowed her to continue studying.
In senior high school, she enrolled in the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track, specializing in Shielded Metal Arc Welding.
“I studied really hard until I was chosen to take an assessment. I was able to earn my NC II certificate,” she said. The certification was offered only to selected students, which made the achievement meaningful when she graduated from Bernardo D. Carpio National High School in Davao City.
In college, she took advantage of the free higher education at the University of Southeastern Philippines, pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in Filipino. She supported herself while studying.
She described her first year as “one of the hardest parts of her life” as she managed her time in work and studies.
“There were times when I had thought of stopping my studies. Construction work was physically demanding. At first, I enjoyed it, but over time, I felt exhausted. Instead of only focusing on my studies, I still had to think of earning,” she said.
Not until her second year in college did friends encourage her to apply for Tzu Chi's scholarship. It happened to be the last day of applications, so they rushed to complete every requirement and arrived at the scholarship office that afternoon, only to learn that all available slots had already been filled. Still, they pleaded to be considered. She held on to a prayer while waiting.
While working at her former senior high school, repairing facilities, she didn’t notice the numerous missed calls on her phone. She prayed they would contact her again and waited with her phone close by.
A phone interview was followed by a home visit from Tzu Chi staff and volunteers before she was invited for a final interview at the Tzu Chi office in Davao City. Receiving the scholarship became one of the happiest moments of her life.
Now only a year away from graduation, Gencianos dreams of securing stable employment and lifting her family out of poverty. Her youngest sister continues to live with a heart condition, and one of Gencianos’s greatest hopes is to help her parents pay for the operation her sister still needs.
Now, at the age of 22, she has a powerful realization: the years spent carrying cement, gravel, and heavy loads have proven to her that her body will eventually grow tired and weak; it will wear out and tap out from exhaustion. With pure grit and determination, she is headed on to get her diploma for more opportunities and a better future with her family.
Although few female students choose the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Mariel Gencianos embraced the challenge with bravery and toughness, using her skills to secure part-time jobs that helped fund her education.
Mariel Gencianos’s childhood was spent working beside her father and older siblings on the farm, where perseverance became a way of life.
Despite the many struggles her family endured, Mariel Gencianos firmly believes that success is not measured by how easy life is, but by how people overcome the challenges that come their way.
Mariel Gencianos has developed practical skills in welding, repairs, and facility maintenance, proving herself capable in every task she takes on.
Mariel Gencianos has developed practical skills in welding, repairs, and facility maintenance, proving herself capable in every task she takes on.
Mariel Gencianos dedicated herself to mastering every lesson in welding, earning a spot among the selected students who took the assessment and successfully obtained a National Certificate II.
Mariel Gencianos gives back to Tzu Chi through community service, but she hopes that one day she will also be able to extend financial assistance to others, just as she once received. For her, the greatest lesson she has learned as a Tzu Chi scholar is simple yet profound: “Always choose to be a good person. Don’t hesitate to help those in need.”
After her exemplary senior high journey, Mariel Gencianos is now an upcoming fourth-year college student pursuing an education course. “I want to be a role model to my siblings who are also set to enter college soon.”
Together with her fellow Tzu Chi Davao scholars, Mariel Gencianos (third from left) gives back through community service, but she hopes someday to donate financially to reciprocate the generosity she experienced.
Life has never been easy, but Mariel Gencianos continues to pursue the things she enjoys, staying active through running and basketball.
Life has never been easy, but Mariel Gencianos continues to pursue the things she enjoys, staying active through running and basketball.
Mariel Gencianos (second from left) cherished every moment of the 2026 Scholars Camp, where she built friendships with fellow scholars and deepened her understanding of Tzu Chi's mission and values.
Together with 20 Davao scholars, she attended the 2026 Scholars Camp in Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus, Sta. Mesa, Manila on July 3-5. “I am very thankful to Tzu Chi. I wouldn’t know where I am today if Tzu Chi did not come to my rescue. It became a turning point, carrying hope in my life.”