The student is a graduate of Santo Tomas, an old and prestigious university. In five years of studies, she has not felt or experienced discrimination. On social media, she writes that the world needs to look at similarities rather than differences.
Manila (AsiaNews) – A Muslim woman who just graduated from a Catholic university said that the world needs to look at similarities rather than differences. She shared her inspiring graduation story online taking social media by storm.
Jomana Lomangco (pictured), 21, graduated cum laude with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
In a post published after the graduation ceremony, she wrote that in her five years studying in the predominantly Christian campus, she never felt discriminated or treated “less” by others just because she is Muslim.
Jomana was not upset by those who criticised her for going to a Catholic university despite her faith. "I did not mind what other people said," she said. "I found out that UST was one of the best accountancy schools in the Philippines. There was no reason to let it go."
"Never did they leave me out just because of my faith," she added. “I have learned many things throughout my stay, but this I will remember in my whole life”.
“To be of a certain faith, may it be Christianity or Islam, is to be HUMAN. And to be human is to respect and accept each other in spite of the differences in our beliefs,” she noted.
“As a Muslim who took up a few Theology courses, I’ve learned to look at our similarities rather than our differences. And I think that’s exactly what this world needs,” she explained.
At the end, Lomangco expressed her gratitude to her alma mater for making her feel some sense of belonging during her studies.
“Maraming salamat, UST! Thank you for making me feel that I belong. Alhamdulillah for everything!” she added.