Keona, (he)art in progress

In 2024, my niece Keona took the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts Talent Determination Test (TDT) for admission into the Associate in Arts Visual Communication program. The AA is a two-year certificate program that can be bridged to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.

Keona hadn't passed the UPCAT, but she had already fallen in love with UP. The College of Fine Arts, specifically. 

Below is a picture of her on her way to take her "last" shot to enter UP CFA via the TDT.

I remember feeling sad for her when she shared with us the UPCAT news. I also felt a bit guilty, because as soon as she was born, we'd been telling her to go to UP--part joke, part dream, largely an assumption that of course she would go to her parents' and uncles' and aunties' alma mater.

Having entered UP as a transferee, however, I also knew that the UPCAT isn't the only way to get in.

I remember telling her to take the TDT because even if she did pass the UPCAT, she would need to take it anyway, stressing, perhaps a little too much, hoping it offered some consolation, that passing the UPCAT doesn't determine your acceptance into CFA.

I remember remembering a UP Quill orgmate who once shared his AA to BFA journey in the 1990s and telling Keona his story.

I also remember telling her that UP was also my dream school, but I was forced to go to DLSU (and not UP Baguio, where I had secured a slot) and that I transferred to Diliman in my second year.

My sister Kai and I looked up the AA programs, took note of the deadlines, and considered what the possibilities were. 

Then Kai handed the reins over to her daughter to pursue her dream school--after paying UST a not-so-small amount as a reservation fee.

And take the reins, Keona did. She did everything. She made Plans B and C (taking the TDT for Fine Arts in UP Baguio, which was still an option then, because it was scheduled on a later date) and D (transferring from another school). She curated her projects in senior high school, ensuring that her works showed diversity in technique. She also painted a self-portrait with a ton of cats to beef up her portfolio. 

She tracked deadlines and requirements and showed up for all that was required of her to enter the college of her dreams.

I was in complete awe, thinking that, if I had been her, I would have most likely gone to the school that wanted me.

But Keona focused on what she wanted. And she did the work to get it. And she got accepted into the AA VisComm program with no difficulty at all.

Some time last year, the family was out for dinner somewhere in Molito, Alabang. Keona followed from Diliman. She was still wearing her UP ID with a UP lanyard. Someone teased her about it, and she replied, beaming, "I will wear this everywhere because I worked so hard for this!" 

Yes, she did!

Keona got accepted into the BFA degree program today.