Ruffa Gutierrez, two other Filipino moms are proof it's never too late to get a degree—here's how they did it
Motherhood takes time, sacrifice, and devotion—for some, it requires having to put some of their own dreams on hold.
Due to certain circumstances, some often find themselves putting their ambitions in the backburner to focus on raising their children and making sure that they grow up to be good adults. But that doesn't mean you have to forget about your own goals along the way.
In celebration of Mother's Day, PhilSTAR L!fe had an insightful talk with moms who are living proof that it’s still possible to reach for the sky and grab your star no matter your age. Here, they look back on their educational achievements and share some inspiring words that other parents may want to take to heart.
Ruffa Gutierrez — College graduate at 47
Ruffa Gutierrez is an actress, model, TV host, beauty queen, and soon, a master’s degree holder.
The local star became an inspiration to many when she earned her bachelor's degree in communication arts back in 2022 at 47 years old. Now, she has moved on to graduate school and remains hard at work to get her master’s.
The Philippine Women's University graduate spoke with L!fe as she delved into details on why she decided to continue her education despite her age and commitments both as a celebrity and as a mother to her daughters Lorin and Venice Bektas.
Gutierrez’s interest to go after her diploma was ignited during the pandemic, which left her with much time on her hands.
“We were stuck in our homes like prisoners for about two years, and even if I was working, there was a lot of free time for me so I decided to further my education and go back to school,” she shared.
“Like most artistas, we start working at an early age. As for me, it was 13 years old,” she continued. “Because I was very busy with my career, after high school, I decided to stop and it was not only until my late 40s that I made the decision to get a college degree.”
Going back to school proved much harder than she thought it was, however, and something as simple as working on a computer posed a bit of a challenge for her.
“I haven't opened my computer in a long time, so I had Lorin and Venice help me work on Microsoft, Google Drive, as basic as that. I had to have them help me,” Gutierrez said. “Another challenge would be not using your brain academically for the longest time and suddenly there's a lot of tasks that I have to submit.”
Nevertheless, the Can’t Buy Me Love star enjoyed her educational journey, highlighting, “At this age, when you want to pursue a college degree, no one is forcing you, so you really want to learn and you really want to get the job done.”
Despite having to juggle her studies with motherhood and her work as an actress, Gutierrez said that she was able to find her footing thanks to a remote setup with her classes. “Time management is key. It's really the commitment to finish my studies and continue where I started. Everyone's always inviting me for dinners, events, going out, so you really have to prioritize,” she said.
Gutierrez expressed pride in herself for finally finishing her studies that was several decades in the making. More than proving that to herself that she can surpass every setback, she also wanted to set a good example to her daughters.
“Kung kaya ng nanay niyo, dapat kayanin niyo rin. Kung ako nga, wala akong asawa, ako ang naghahanap buhay para sa inyong dalawa, nagtatrabaho ako all day and all night para mabigyan kayo ng magandang kinabukasan,” she said. “Ngayon, nakatapos ako ng college at hindi pa ako natapos doon, nagmamaster’s pa ako. Hindi sila pwede mag-inarte sa’kin kasi kung nagawa ko, kaya rin nilang gawin.”
The actress hopes to get her master’s by December this year, which she’ll use to pursue behind-the-scenes work with regards to communication and accelerate herself further in her career.
“It’s never too late to start anything, to launch your own career, to start your life again,” Gutierrez said.
Maria Merlie Vitto Soberano-Selda — Bar exam passer at 68
Maria Merlie Vitto Soberano-Selda almost buried her longtime dream of becoming a lawyer after being a mom and later being diagnosed with end-stage renal disease—a condition when your kidneys can no longer support your body's needs. But her passion was fueled when she learned on television that someone managed to pass the Bar in London at 64 years old.
“I was able to have a kidney transplant in 2011,” she recounted. “And then I saw the news that somebody had become a lawyer at the time and that rekindled my desire to be a lawyer because I had almost given up. Imagine being strapped to a dialysis machine and having a transplant, so when I saw that, I immediately decided that I would study law.”
She decided to pursue law five months after her surgery, so her doctor initially advised her to wait one more year so she could fully recover. But Soberano-Selda, who was 58 then, maintained it was the perfect time. “I said, ‘If you will ask me to do it next year, it is on you because I will not take it anymore. I am getting old, my chances are less, so he begrudgingly approved and gave me a clearance.”
She recalled starting to study law in 2012 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, noting how hard the course was as her mind “was no longer as sharp as it used to be.”
“Sobrang challenging. Medyo nagfa-fail na ‘yung memory ng lola mo, but I have to do it and I had to really study hard,” she noted. “At the same time, I was still working and up to now I'm working in our business that we have established with my partner, so talagang 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. nasa office ako, tapos I’ll drive to PUP, and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., nag-aaral ako, and after that, I’ll go home and arrive at 10 or 11.”
She would make the most out of her time by squeezing in some reading and reviewing whenever she was free. “Kahit traffic, nagbabasa ka kasi talagang masyadong demanding siya. Sometimes you will be given 50 cases to read and that is just for one subject.”
Despite her hard work, Soberano-Selda didn’t make it to the list of passers when she took her first Bar exam in 2018. She, however, didn't take it as a sign that it wasn't meant to be. “It never crossed my mind to give up. ‘Yung giving up siguro is not one of my traits as a person.”
When it was time for her to prepare for her second attempt at the exams, she was unfortunately hit with COVID-19. “I thought I would die, really, because it came to a point na sobrang baba ng oxygen ko.”
But Soberano-Selda was a tough nut to crack. Thanks to continuous exercise, she was back to being healthy once again and managed to ace her second attempt at the 2020-2021 Bar exams at 68 years old. “It was really a relief. Kumbaga ang feeling ay 'At last, I made it.' So happy because it’s really my dream eh kahit anong mangyari.”
With this achievement, most would think that Soberano-Selda can finally close this chapter in her life and take it easy. But the now 70-year-old lawyer still has something else up her sleeve as she revealed to L!fe that she has taken up real estate management at the Gardner College Diliman and is on her way to take the licensure test next year.
“I don’t think I will stop. Basta gagawin ko ‘yung sa tingin ko ay will be or service to others and at the same time will make me happy,” she said.
Josephine Villatema — ALS graduate at 62
Josephine Villatema is another proof that education has no age limit. She touched the hearts of many when she graduated junior high school from the Alternative Learning System at the age of 62.
She told L!fe that she resumed her studies at Timoteo Policarpio Memorial School in Norzagaray, Bulacan after having to put it on pause at first year high school for the family she started.
It was her promise to her late father that she was going to get a diploma that pushed her to put on a school uniform again despite her age.
“Noong bata pa kasi ako, nakapag-asawa na ako tapos hindi ako nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Sinabihan ako ng papa ko na mag-aral ako, eh hindi ko naman natapos. Sabi ko sa kanya, hangga’t buhay naman ako, kapag nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon, tatapusin ko ‘yung pag-aaral ko. Pangako ko ‘yun sa papa ko,” Villatema shared.
Despite her classmates being much younger than her, Villatema didn't feel like she is out of place. She even praised them for assisting her whenever she needed help to go up the stairs and showing a respectful attitude towards her.
Much like Soberano-Selda, Villatema’s age posed a challenge in her studies as it meant that her mental capabilities weren't as sharp as they used to be, especially when it came to math. But all it took was perseverance to keep on reading.
“Nagbabasa ako, kailangan basa nang basa para maintindihan ko ‘yung mga lecture ng teacher ko sa akin. Kailangan marunong ka talaga magbasa eh, kaya nagbabasa ako kagaya ng mga libro ng Grade Six, binabasa ko rin ‘yun eh,” she said. “Nakayanan ko naman kasi may tatlong anak naman ako na tapos na sa college at lahat, kapag mayroon akong hindi naiintindihan, tinatanong ko sila at tinuturo naman nila sa’kin.”
When she finally graduated from the ALS, Villatema initially thought that her educational journey was going to stop there. But she had the opportunity to take up Bachelor of Elementary Education at the Colegio de San Gabriel Arcangel and is now in her second year.
“Akala ko hanggang doon na lang din ako sa ALS, na tapos na ako, hindi na ako makapagpatuloy, pero hindi naman pala. May awa ang Diyos, nakatuloy pa rin ako,” she said. “Dream ko rin kasi na makatapos ako ng college kasi achievement ko na ‘yun sa buhay ko. Hindi man ako makapag-turo, at least, tapos ako sa degree ko na pinangako ko sa aking ama. Kung buhay ‘yan siya ngayon, nakikita niya ako, matutuwa ‘yun. Nakikita niya ako sa Heaven na tinuloy ko talaga ‘yung pangarap ko.”
Because of her achievements, the now 65-year-old was over the moon when she learned that she became an inspiration for many Filipinos both young and old.
“Nakikita nila ako nag-aaral ako, sasabihin nila, ‘Si nanay nga nag-aaral ang tanda tanda na, kami pa kaya?’ Kaya kapag dumadaan ako tuwing pumapasok ako araw-araw, maraming nakakakita sa’kin, natutuwa sila,” Villatema said. “Marami pa rin palang tao na gustong makakita ng tulad ko na nag-aaral.”
She advised her fellow moms who still want to continue their education to just go for it. “Hindi pa naman huli ang lahat. Para sa’kin, huli na nga ‘yan dahil ‘yung aking kurso na kinukuha ko, sa edad ko ngayon na 65, hanggang doon lang pala, retirement na pala ng mga teacher ‘yun. Okay lang sa’kin kasi pwede pa naman ako mag-tutor,” she said.
Villatema hopes to graduate by 2026 at the age of 67. Aside from her studies, she also does zumba dancing and pageantry on the side, making her a power mom and granny through and through.