The Ripple Effect of a Scholarship: Engil Bert Potente’s Story

               What you are about to read is the testimonial of Engil Bert C. Potente, a former Palo scholar whose life was transformed through our scholarship program. Education remains one of the most powerful — yet often under-utilized — tools in the Philippines. While a 2024 nationwide study by the Philippine Statistics Authority reports that 93.1% of Filipinos aged 10–64 are “basically literate,” functional literacy drops sharply to 70.8%, revealing that millions still struggle to comprehend and apply information in ways that truly change their lives. ​

Scholarship initiatives like the Palo Scholars Program are vital: they do not simply fund education; they bridge opportunity, restore dignity, and open doors for talented youth who might otherwise be left behind. For decades, Neighbors Abroad has supported students from Palo who could not afford books or basic expenses, many of whom now serve their communities as teachers, engineers, auditors, and social workers. Stories like Engil’s remind us of what can happen when financial support becomes empowerment, how a small stipend, a single act of belief, can spark a lifetime of impact and become a ripple of change for generations to come.

ENGIL BERT C. POTENTE
Former Scholar of the GIANTS Club and Neighbors Abroad Association
​SY 2004 – 2009

Esteemed delegates of the Neighbors Abroad Association, officers and members of the Giants Club, scholars, our dedicated librarian, and guests, good morning!

I am Engil Bert Potente, former scholar and works as a state auditor in the Commission on Audit (COA). Currently, I am the Audit Team Lead of 2 presidential arms of the government, the Presidential Management Staff and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. Both Agencies are essential in the delivery of key results area of the President.
I stand before you today not only as a proud product of this scholarship program, but as a living testament of what genuine support and shared advocacy can do for someone who once had no clear path forward. I come from a humble background – a son of a skilled heavy equipment operator and a devoted housewife, raised among eight siblings, six of whom were still in school at the time. Like many families in similar situations, we knew what it meant to stretch every peso. My dreams were big, but our resources were small, and at one point, there was no certainty what the future would hold for me.
I was a consistent scholarship grantee throughout my studies, from elementary to college. All of which we didn’t know existed and possible. I had not even heard of the Giants Club and the Neighbors Abroad Association or this scholarship program until my mother – through a conversation with a friend – learned of an opportunity that would eventually change my life. With a semestral stipend of ₱5,000, it may not have been much for someone enrolled in a private school, let alone someone dreaming to take a licensure examination after graduation.

There were days I would go to school unsure of how I would afford the ride home. Sometimes, I had to choose between fare and food – and went without the latter. And there were times I was tested academically. There were even many moments I doubted my choice of study – thinking perhaps if I had taken a less expensive course, life could have been easier. And yet, I kept going. I even swallowed my pride, sweeping the floors and grounds of the library to give back in my own little way. And in those humble acts, I found a sense of dignity and purpose.
What stands out the most during my time in the program was the unique initiative called “First Giants’ Time with the Scholars.” It wasn’t just a meeting – it was a space where we were seen, heard, and uplifted. The First Giants, at that time, made sure to know how each scholar was doing – not just academically but emotionally and mentally. He encouraged us to read, to dream bigger, to grow in knowledge and values. One particular story he shared has never left me. It was about a shoe shinerwho received an unexpected act of kindness from a gentleman, a monetary donation. That small ripple of generosity allowed him to finish his studies and later, change the lives of others.

The message was clear: Let one good deed ripple into many.
Today, I am proud to say I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy and passed the Board Examination on my first attempt. I began auditing for several private firms – many of them Japanese-owned – and later served as a state auditor, assigned to several agencies under the Executive Branch of government. I’ve had the rare opportunity to visit different countries and almost all of the regions within the Philippines, using my skills as an auditor. And perhaps what gives me the greatest joy – beyond the professional success – is that I’ve been able to send some of my own family members and relatives to school.
This program gave me not only the means to succeed – but the purpose to uplift others.

Moving forward, I remain committed to the very advocacy that helped me rise. As a way of paying it forward, I am pledging to sponsor one scholarship slot under this program, in hopes that another deserving student can experience what I was fortunate to receive. This is my way of saying thank you – not only in words, but in action.
Let me end by acknowledging the sacrifices made, not just by me, but by many of us in this room:
I sacrificed comfort for the chance to pursue an education.
I sacrificed pride for the humility of sweeping floors in exchange for opportunity.
I sacrificed certainty for the hope that faith and hard work would lead somewhere meaningful.
Truly, Glory Is Achieved Nobly Through Sacrifice.
The GIANTS and the Neighbors Abroad Association didn’t just fund my education – they built my future.
Thank you for being the ripple that changed my life. I pray that we all become ripples to others.
Mabuhay po kayo, and thank you very much.

ENGIL BERT C. POTENTE
Former Scholar