Long before the sun breaks over the upland community of Barangay Magaud, Loreto, Agusan del Sur the exhausting race begins for a 14-year-old girl from Agusan del Sur.

Her daily warm-up is not a typical routine of stretches and light jogs. By 5 in the morning, she has hauled water from a deep well, fed the family chickens, and finished washing the dishes.

And with a worn backpack on her shoulders, she begins a nearly four-kilometer trek across steep, unpaved, and often muddy terrain just to reach her classroom.

This relentless daily grind has forged an incredible stamina that recently translated into a podium finish on the national stage.

Gia Tuga-on, an eighth grader from Sitio Tag-aso in Barangay Magaud, Loreto, Agusan del Sur recently captured a bronze medal in the grueling 1,500-meter run at the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, specifically the Palaro Tu AgSur held in Patin-ay.

Competing under the Caraga Region, the young athlete outpaced a highly competitive field of 18 runners from all over the country.

Gia’s victory on the track is a powerful reflection of her survival off it, proving that sheer talent and relentless hard work can defy the heavy weight of poverty.

Hardships as part of training

Behind the medals and certificates is a reality fraught with hardship. Gia is the second of four children living in a small, weathered wooden house where the roof leaks heavily during downpours.

Gia’s father, Julius, is a small-scale farmer who takes on irregular labor jobs just to earn Php350 a day. Crop yields are constantly threatened by erratic weather and pests, making it incredibly difficult to support four children in school.

The exhausting daily commute would drain most students, but Gia uses it to fuel her endurance and propel her to become a formidable athlete, racking up numerous medals and incentives across various running events.

Gia’s most notable performances have been at the Palarong Pambansa, where she consistently secured podium finishes against top-tier runners from all over the country. But her speed on the track is matched only by her sharpness in the classroom.

Defying the physical toll of her daily routine, she remains a consistent honor student and a model of good conduct, proving that her mind is just as sharp as her legs are fast.

Steady stride forward

Everything began to shift when her mother, Jenelyn, became a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The monthly cash grants lifted a massive burden off the family’s shoulders, providing a dedicated budget for school expenses and daily needs.

The program not only kept the children in school but also empowered the mother, who is now a parent-leader actively participating in community volunteer work.

“Dako ang tabang sa 4Ps sa among pamilya pinaagi sa grants na among nadawat (Malaki ang naging tulong ng 4Ps sa aming pamilya sa pamamagitan ng mga grants na aming natanggap),” Gia shared.

Running toward a brighter future

This recent bronze medal is just one of many awards in an already shining athletic career.

The teenage sensation is no stranger to the intense pressure of the national games. She previously claimed a silver medal in the 1,500-meter event during the Palarong Pambansa in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and a bronze in the 4×400-meter relay at the 2024 games in Cebu City.

Her dominance was also on full display at the 2025 Caraga Regional Athletic Games in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, where she swept four gold medals.

Her excellence is not confined to sports alone. Last year, she was hailed as the 2025 4Ps Exemplary Child Winner of Agusan del Sur, ultimately securing the second overall spot in the Regional Search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya and Exemplary Child.

Gia’s journey is a testament to the resilience of the Filipino spirit. Poverty could easily have been a wall that stopped her from dreaming. But with the right support, it became her strength to hurdle obstacles.

Her quiet strength and unwavering focus serve as an inspiration to her fellow youth, proving that circumstances do not dictate one’s destination and that hard work eventually pays off.

“Daghan ko ug nakatunan isip miyembro sa 4Ps sama sa importansya sa pag eskwela, disiplina ug pagpaningkamot sa kinabuhi ug tanantabang mga nadawat nato usa ka opportunity para mas mapanindot ang atong kinabuhi (marami akong natutunan bilang miyembro ng 4Ps tulad ng kahalagahan ng pag-aaral, disiplina, at pagsisikap sa buhay, at ang lahat ng tulong na natanggap natin ay isang pagkakataon para mas mapaganda ang ating buhay),” Gia pointed out.

Every time Gia steps onto the track, she carries a story of resilience that inspires everyone watching. The young runner from Loreto proves that an indomitable spirit, coupled with the right support, can turn the longest, muddiest roads into a clear path toward victory. (KI)