Four Generations of Iskolars ng Bayan

FOUR GENERATIONS OF ISKOLARS NG BAYAN

by Antonio C. Antonio

May 2, 2014

A 3^rd Generation Antonio (Anneka Marie A. Antonio) will be graduating tomorrow at UP Los Banos and a 4^th Generation Antonio (Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez) has just been accepted to the University of the Philippines (UP).  Why is this such a big deal?  To the Antonio Tribe of Tarlac, this is a matter of perpetuating a tradition.

Most, if not all, graduating high school students entertain thoughts of entering the University of the Philippines for their college education.  The UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) is one of the most challenging tests that a majority of highschool graduates swing through.  Students who make it to UP are called “Iskolars ng Bayan”.  Why?... because they pay minimal tuition and matriculation fees on account of government subsidies and scholarship.  This, however, does not mean inferior education.  The University of the Philippines (UP) was ranked among the best university in the South East Asian region in 2013, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asian University Rankings showed.  UP, the country’s premiere university was ranked 9^th and the lone Philippine university in the top 10 best SEA universities.

The Antonio Tribe of Tarlac are descendants of the family matriarch Eugenia Dancel Antonio.  She had two sons:

• Marcos who married Dalmacia Driza had the following children:  Maximo, Manuel, Fructuosa, Gregoria, Marcelino, Maria, Francisco, Mariano and Clarita; and,
• Julio who married Petra Pangalangan had the following children: Gliceria, Cosmo, Felix and Eligia.

“Iskolars ng Bayan” is a loved moniker by the Antonio Tribe of Tarlac and the clan’s pride and blooming tradition.  It all started when Cosmo P. Antonio became the Antonio family’s first “Iskolar ng Bayan”.  Lately, a 4^th Generation Antonio also made it to UP… the great granddaughter of Cosmo, Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez.  With this, Four Generations of Antonios managed to walk through the gates of UP as “Iskolars ng Bayan”.  They are:

1.     Cosmo P. Antonio – Civil Engineering (1^st Generation)

2.     Aleta C. Antonio-Lozada – Business Administration (2^nd Generation)

3.     Antonio C. Antonio – Environment and Natural Resources Management (2^nd Generation)

4.     Emmanuel D. Antonio – Economics (2^nd Generation)

5.     Francisco D. Antonio, Jr. – Fisheries (2^nd Generation)

6.     Ramon D. Antonio – Mining Engineering (2^nd Generation)

7.     Anneka Marie A. Antonio – Associate in Arts (3^rd Generation)

8.     April Marie A. Antonio-Perez – Sociology (3^rd Generation)

9.     Jo Rachelle Antonio Baula-Gonzales – Veterinary Medicine (3^rd Generation)

10.  Martin Lloyd U. Antonio – Exercise and Sports Sciences (3^rd Generation)

11.  Regatta Marie A. Antonio – Philippine Arts (3^rd Generation)

12.  Rodolfo Enrico Antonio Lozada – Tourism (3^rd Generation)

13.  Roeanne Marie A. Antonio – Communication Arts (3^rd Generation)

14.  Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez – Sociology (4^th Generation)

I took the liberty of arranging the names according to (a) generation and (b) alphabetically… lest someone complains.  “Iskolars ng Bayan” possess the smarts and ability to make issues even out of seemingly insignificant things.  Hahaha!  Joke lang, mga ka-tribo!

Just my little thoughts…