TACLOBAN CITY – While most graduates walk away from the stage with medals, flowers, or money bouquets, 28-year-old Kobe Brian Garcia received something far more unexpected — a carabao.
The gift wasn’t random. It was a long-standing promise from his grandfather, Marcial Costin Jr., who vowed years ago that if Kobe ever finished college, he’d get a carabao — not just for fun, but as a symbol of hard work and commitment.
Kobe, the eldest of five children and son of two high school teachers, was one of the 845 graduates of Abuyog Community College (ACC) in Leyte this year. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship after a decade-long, stop-and-start academic journey shaped by disaster, doubt, and ultimately, determination.
“Others have to struggle so much just to go to school. In my case, everything was provided by my family,” Kobe shared. “I didn’t want to waste that anymore. I owed it to them to finish.”
His journey began in 2013 as a Computer Engineering student at AMA Computer College in Palo, Leyte. But just months in, Super Typhoon Yolanda struck, derailing classes — and Kobe’s direction. Though he returned to school when classes resumed, he admitted he lacked interest in the course and eventually dropped out.
He shifted to Visayas State University in Tolosa, Leyte as a Fisheries student but again struggled to find motivation and left. It wasn’t until 2019, after enrolling in ACC’s BS Entrepreneurship program, that he began to feel he was on the right track. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing another pause in his studies.
Kobe thought of quitting entirely — until his mother fell ill and his aging parents reminded him how much they had sacrificed. “Even if I didn’t get to pursue my dream course, which was veterinary medicine, I realized I couldn’t let the years go to waste,” he said.
His grandfather’s earlier joke — “When this one finally graduates, I’ll give him a carabao!” — became a quiet motivation. And true to his word, just days before Kobe’s graduation on July 30, Marcial, a retired medical technologist from Chicago, bought the carabao as a surprise.
“It wasn’t a bouquet of cash or flowers,” said ACC president Clemelle Montallana. “It was a living, breathing symbol of resilience — standing at the entrance of the venue like it knew what Kobe had been through.”
The carabao wasn’t just a conversation piece — it was part of the graduation celebration. Kobe plans to butcher the animal for a family and class reunion feast on August 2, honoring both his achievement and the loved ones who helped him along the way.
To make the moment even sweeter, Kobe’s younger brother also graduated from VSU Tolosa days later.
For now, Kobe plans to find work in the Visayas and hopefully go abroad next year. “This is all for my family — for my parents who are getting older, and for my grandfather who never stopped believing in me,” he said.
From delays and detours to diplomas and a carabao, Kobe’s story is a reminder that the road to success isn’t always fast — but it’s worth the wait.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
