In 2018, Mailyn Esquelito Akoy made the rounds on social media after speaking proudly about her inspirational feat in life — having graduated from college through the hard work of her father who works as a “kargador” or porter.

Akoy’s graduation photos inspired netizens last year and instantly became an online hit, garnering more than 200,000 reactions and almost a hundred thousand shares.

Now a teacher, Akoy is making waves online anew, after she gifted with portraits all her 50 students in her advisory class; they are all set to graduate from senior high school with flying colors.

“I could still remember na chinallege ko sila. ‘Mag-aral kayong mabuti at kapag makapasok lahat sa honors, may matatanggap kayo mula sa akin,’” said the Notre Dame of Tacurong College teacher from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat in a Facebook post last Thursday.

(Just study well and should all of you earn honors, you will receive something from me.)

Akoy said her students rose to the challenge, noting that of the 50 students in her advisory class, 43 are set to graduate with honors while the remaining seven are about to take high honors awards.

“Kahit mas mahaba pa ang oras na kasama ko sila sa isang araw kaysa sa mga magulang, isang malaking pagkakataon ang maging bahagi sa sandaling panahon at pangarap ng mga kabataang ito,” she added.

(Even as the time they spend with me is longer than the time they spend with their parents in a day, it is a huge opportunity to be a part of their dreams, even for a short while.)

Hesitant at first with tons of school work in mind, Akoy still managed to finish all 59 portraits — 50 for her advisory students and the nine for her students on other sections — as graduation gifts.

“Sa totoo lang, nag alangan ako. Hindi ko alam kung paano [pagsabayin] ang lahat, [ang] paggawa ng ilelecture ko, paggawa ng learning plan tuwing linggo, at siputin ang bawat schedule ko na klase,” Akoy said. “Sa loob ng isang buwan natapos ko lahat ang 50 sa Advisory ko at 9 naman mula sa ibang section at Strand.”

(The truth is, I had apprehensions. I did not know how to do everything all at the same time: to prepare my lecture, to make my learning plan every week, and to show up in my every class schedule.)

Akoy said she wishes her students will carry with them the values they learned in school, as they continue with their academic endeavors.

Meanwhile, her new post is starting to go viral again, as it already amassed hundreds of reactions and shares on Facebook, as of this writing. JB

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