Joselito Padilla lives in an island that has not seen any kind of light–electricity has not come to the remote island of Silaki in Pangasinan.
A child laborer since 5 years old, Joselito dives for sea urchins everyday so he can send himself to school. Joselito and his sister Kristine were featured in the Iwitness documentary “Laman Dagat ng Silaki” way back June 2009. Their determination to finish education despite extreme poverty was highlighted in the said documentary piece.
Joselito and Kristine were both taken in as scholars of Project Malasakit in 2009.
Joselito excelled in the sciences. He once represented his school in the province-wide Electronics Competition. Joselito won 2nd place. The poor former child laborer who has never seen electricity…amazingly bested students coming from rich schools.
Who would have thought that a child from a remote island that hasn’t seen any light/electricity could win in an electronics competition? Joselito graduated with a degree in BS Marine Transport in PIMSAT College Batangas and is now a licensed seafarer.
- Scholar since 2009
- BS Marine Transport
- PIMSAT Colleges Dagupan Campus, Pangasinan
