Epi's early life
Epifanio is based in Adlas, Cavite and is the second of five children. His early life was very content but when he was seven his father deserted the family, dying shortly after. With no way to provide for her children his mother remarried.
Epi’s stepfather was violent and abusive. Epi describes how his mother endured the beatings of his stepfather so that he would continue to provide for the care of her children. When she discovered that her children were also being beaten she sought the help of her neighbours and the authorities to remove the man and protect her family.
To help his mother with the burden of caring for the family alone, Epi took himself to live with his aunt so that she could take care of him but he says “it was not different to my stepfather. My aunt and uncle forced to me to wake at dawn and stay late into the evening to work in the market as a vendor – all my salary, my aunt was the one getting it and I endure all the hardships, especially the hunger and the tiredness of my body”.
Eventually Epi returned to his mother so that he could go to primary school during the day and he would work during the weekends to help her sustain the basic needs for her young family.
A new start
When Epi was 11 years old his mother approached the Sisters whose boys’ school is near to their home in Adlas, seeking a place for her son. “We both knew about the school because it is only very near to our house and I saw some students from the school, my mother knew that it would be a very safe place for me, where nobody would abuse or hurt me” – Epifanio.
The Sisters met Epi and his mother and were touched by the difficulties of their life. With the support of our friends and donors, urgent funding was provided for a place at the school and Epi joined in May 2025.
“I went to the Sisters of Mary School having my mother and siblings as my inspiration to study diligently. When my dormmates welcomed me, I was so touched by them and felt really that I was loved by the people around me. I welcomed each day with a heart full of gratitude. I was so happy every day because everything was organized from the moment I woke up until I lay my head again at night.”
Tragically two months after arriving at the school Epi’s mother died. But with the love and support of the Sisters Epi is coming to terms with this terrible loss and studying hard so that he can help to support and protect his sisters and brothers.
A day in my education
“What I like here the most is the silence. Because of the silence I was able to think well and attained peace of mind. Because my life outside was very noisy. Shouting here and there. And even cursing one another.
When I arrived in the Sisters of Mary, I already started to have a change of life. I also learned that this program was founded by Fr. Al and was supported by those people who generously shared their blessings to the poor and unprivileged like me.
I’m so grateful for all their unending support. And to show my gratitude to all of them I will not only give my best in my studies but also I will also include them in my daily prayers.
I will never lose this great opportunity because I know that it will only come once into my life. Once again thank you so much to all those people behind this institution.”