Congratulations, Inquirer! The front-page special report on Charls Bryan Katipunan (“Tale of poor cabbie’s son moves principal to action,” Inquirer, 6/5/13) is truly inspiring and is a clear testimony that one can excel even amid adversity and poverty.
The son of a taxi driver graduated valedictorian of Batasan Hills National High School in Quezon City, despite financial and personal hardships. Charls shows us that the lack of material resources is not an obstacle to academic excellence and success; and that trials can, in fact, make a person stronger and better. His story also strikes a chord with those of more comfortable means: No matter how little or how abundant our talents and resources in life, it is necessary that we maximize them in order to help ourselves and those around us.
Kudos to Charls’ parents for raising a son like him! We certainly need more young people like Charls, who are not afraid to sacrifice themselves and forge through life’s difficulties in order to achieve their dreams. Let’s take our cue from this young graduate and let our personal struggles and limitations be the spur for us to strive, achieve, and succeed.
We hope to see the Inquirer continue to feature more inspiring articles because good news is a great read!
—STEPHANIE C. OLIVARES,
tippieolivares@yahoo.com