Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas

Photos courtesy of Mae Amanda S. Apioten

For Mae Amanda Simongo Apioten, the journey to becoming a licensed midwife—and ranking Top 3 in the 2025 Midwifery Licensure Exam—began with a simple announcement posted by her hometown’s local government of Tadian, Mountain Province inviting students to apply for a scholarship at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila School of Health Sciences (SHS). For Apioten, it was an opportunity she knew she could not let slip away.

Yet the path to SHS was far from easy. The application process tested her patience and perseverance, especially the requirement of securing a barangay endorsement signed by at least 75% of household heads.

“I felt relief when the email was sent to me confirming my admission at UPM-SHS Baler campus,” she shared. Her family, whose quiet sacrifices and support carried her through, celebrated the good news. Though some financial worries remained, relatives extended help, and she stepped into a new chapter of her life determined and grateful.

Guided by SHS Core Values

Life at the SHS Baler Campus brought a mixture of sadness and excitement. “It was the first time I was away from my family,” she recalled, battling homesickness while embracing the once-in-a-lifetime chance to grow. Each day was a whirlwind—learning, unlearning, and confronting realities beyond the textbooks.

“My life as a midwifery student at UPM-SHS Baler Campus was a rollercoaster. Each day you experience something new and learn things that have shaped me and open my eyes on the reality of life,” she said. 

Community exposures in particular left deep impressions. During her service work, Apioten witnessed firsthand how the lack of healthcare services deeply impacted families and entire communities. “There are things that you would learn in the community that you cannot learn in the four corners of the room,” she emphasized.

These encounters revealed painful truths—maternal health often took a backseat in local priorities, and many health centers lacked personnel and equipment. Teenage pregnancies, often stemming from inadequate sex education, became another painful reality she could not ignore.

One valuable lesson she learned from her community work was adaptability. “I have learned during our community duties that there is no solution that fits all. To solve a problem, you need to adjust the strategies in order for it to fit in the community based on its acceptance and capability of the community to apply the strategies. It is also important to build a strong rapport with the community starting from the key leaders within the community,” she asserted, believing that successful healthcare strategies had to be shaped by the community’s realities and capacities, always starting with building trust among key leaders.

Throughout her SHS journey, Apioten found mentors and a nurturing academic environment that championed three core values: Heroism, Service Excellence, and Social Accountability. “These core values of UPM-SHS have always reminded me of why I continued to pursue this path.”

Looking Ahead: A Life Committed to Service

The news of her top 3 ranking came as a shock. Friends delivered the news before she even saw the results herself. Overwhelmed and grateful, she credited her success to the rigorous training she received in the Baler campus, and the experience she has gained during her community service, clinical duties and service leave.

Now a licensed midwife, Apioten envisions continuing her journey of service in her community while setting her sights higher. She plans to pursue nursing next in the SHS ladder, determined to broaden her capacity to help.

To young dreamers from rural and underserved areas who aspire to walk the same path, Apioten offers this heartfelt advice: “In times when you want to back out and give up, always look back on your reason why you enrolled in the school and you will be reminded of why you decided to pursue health service as a career.”

Mae Amanda Simongo Apioten’s story goes beyond academic success. It is a reminder that with resilience, community support, and a heart for service, dreams can be within reach. Her journey serves as an inspiration for future students—especially those from underserved areas—who aspire to make a difference through health service.#

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