When the rest of the campus is still asleep, he is already awake.

Every morning, long before the first classroom lights flicker on and before the campus fills with the faint murmur of voices, one man has already completed his first round.

On holidays. During class suspensions. Even when the grounds fall silent, he is still there, walking the familiar paths of Davao de Oro State College–Montevista Branch, quietly keeping watch.

To many, he is simply the watchman who faithfully guards the campus. But behind the uniform is a father whose greatest achievement has never been measured by his job title, but by the dreams he made possible for his children.

That man is Edgardo L. Saberon, a watchman at DdOSC–Montevista Branch whose years of unassuming service have been matched only by his selfless devotion as a father.

Holding on through hardship

Before becoming a watchman in 2020, he spent two years serving Davao de Oro State College–Montevista Branch as a utility and grounds maintenance personnel. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing uncertainty and freezing hiring opportunities almost everywhere. For many, it was a time to put dreams on hold. He, however, held on to hope, believing that an opportunity would eventually come. When it finally did, he embraced the position with gratitude, treating it not merely as a job but as another chance to build a better future for his family.

Life was never easy. There were days when his salary was only ₱317 a day. Barely enough to meet the family’s everyday needs. However, for those with dreams for their family, giving up is never an option. Together with his wife, he found ways to earn extra income. She would prepare cassava delicacies while he sold suman, puto, and other homemade snacks, ensuring they could provide for their children’s school projects, allowances, and other educational expenses.

Lessons harvested from life

Long before he wore the uniform of a college watchman, Sir Edgardo toiled under the scorching sun as a rice harvester. Those difficult years became the very lessons he passed on to his children.

“Ako gyud giingon saila nga pait jud kaayo kung wa tay mahuman. Nasinati jud nako na. Mao nga ginapahinumdoman gyud nako sila nga mohuman sa pageskwela.”, he shared.

(I told them how difficult life is when you don’t finish your studies. I experienced that myself. That’s why I kept reminding them to complete their education.)

His message was simple but profound: education opens doors that hardship alone cannot.

Time eventually rewarded the sacrifices he and his wife had quietly made. The dreams they had carried through years of struggle became reality.

Last 2024, his eldest son graduated Cum Laude from Davao de Oro State College–Montevista Branch, earning the distinction of being the lone Latin Honor graduate from the Entrepreneurship department. Today, he serves as a non-teaching staff member in the very same campus where his father continues to faithfully keep watch. His younger son is also on track to graduate next year, proving that the greatest legacy a father can leave is not measured by what he earns, but by the future he makes possible for his children.

The greatest reward

His smile grows even brighter whenever he remembers the day he learned about his eldest son’s academic distinction.

“Gi-surprise ko niya. Nakaingon ko nga ‘Uy, naa diay koy anak nga bright diay.’

Sa among pagpaningkamot kauban akong asawa, gisuklian nila og ing-ana ba. Dako kaayo nga sukli.”

(He surprised me. I said, ‘I didn’t know I had such a brilliant son.’ All the sacrifices my wife and I made were rewarded in that moment. It was one of the greatest returns we could ever receive.)

Today, father and son walk the same halls that have witnessed their separate journeys, not as parent and student, but as colleagues bound by the same institution.

One keeps watch over the campus grounds. The other is now a young public servant for the very institution his father has faithfully protected for years.

Every working day is a quiet reminder that the dreams once carried through years of sacrifice have become his reality. For Sir Edgardo, there is no greater reward than seeing the son he worked so hard to send to school now standing beside him as a colleague serving the very institution that became part of their family’s journey.

“Malipayon ko nga nakita nako akong anak nga ang iyang trabaho naa sa opisina.”

(I’m happy because I get to see my son working in an office. It brings me joy every day.)

The bridge that changed everything

When asked what helped his children succeed, Sir Edgardo did not hesitate to recognize the institution that changed their lives.

“Para sa akoa ma’am kani jud DdOSC…naabot ang skwelahan nga DdOSC kay nahimo ni siyang tulay naka-graduate akong anak sa college kay libre baya ni diri. Mao nga I love DdOSC Montevista Branch.”

(For me, DdOSC became the bridge that allowed my son to finish college because education here is free. I love DdOSC Montevista Branch.)

For him, the College is more than a workplace. It is a blessing that transformed his family’s future.

“Nahimong panalangin ang DdOSC sa akoa, dako kaayo nga hinungdan [sa among kinabuhi].”

(DdOSC has been a great blessing to me. It has played significantly [in our lives].)

Sir Edgardo’s story is a reminder that behind every diploma is often a parent whose name is never called to the stage. While children receive medals and applause, fathers and mothers quietly carry the weight of the sacrifices that made those moments possible.

Today, the watchman who faithfully guards the gates of Davao de Oro State College has also protected something far more enduring: a future built on perseverance, dignity, and the unwavering belief that education can change the course of a family’s life.

And perhaps that is his greatest legacy.

This feature is part of the #BulawanongSugilanon series, which highlights the stories of DdOSCians that truly deserve to be told. Stay tuned for more inspiring narratives from the DdOSC community.