An ordinary student with a crazy heart.
That’s how Indiana “Ingga” Michelle Castro Esmeralda describes herself. Albeit recognitions from here and there, Ingga maintains that she is still a plain student who just loves going beyond other’s expectations of her and deviating from the nonsensical fad of today’s youngsters. But how could a simple young woman courageously traverse a road less traveled?
    Coming from a model family awarded as a Regional Finalist of the Gawad Eugenio Lopez in 2005, Ingga is the 6th among 8 children of retired Gen. Jose A. Esmeralda III and Wendeliza Castro. With her roots, she surely has inherited her father’s leadership skills and learned well from her mother’s being a disciplinarian. Both her parents are actively involved in the parish and the community, thus giving Ingga, along with her siblings, the early exposure to such activities like catechism and leading the Parish Youth Council members.  
    The family’s religiosity extends from the nightly praying of the Rosary at home to all Esmeralda children attending a Catholic school from grade school onwards.
    A true blooded Cordian, she has been with Sacred Heart College in Lucena City from her basic education years up until now that she is in her last year in college taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing, following the footsteps of her siblings who are trekking the medical field as a neurologist at Medical City in Manila (her Ate Kharen), occupational therapists in the U.S. (her Ate Kharol) and at Harvest of Hope Foundation Inc. in Lucena City (her Ate Khay), registered nurses at Mt. Carmel General Hospital also in Lucena City (her Kuya Joewen and Ate Joewena), and future psychologist (her younger sister Imerald).
As the College of Nursing incumbent student president and a COMELEC official for the school government, Ingga was invited to apply for the 11th Ayala Young Leaders Congress. From the 540 applicants trimmed to only 73 deserving students, she was very fortunate to be given the opportunity as a delegate in the said 3-day congress at San Miguel Corporation Management Training Center in Alfonso, Cavite last February.
    The Ayala Young Leaders Congress is said to be a concrete expression of the Ayala group’s commitment to national development. The Congress is the keystone of “Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders,” a program launched in 1998 by the Ayala group of companies as a strategic investment in the youth and, ultimately, in the future of the country.
    This congress aimed to empower the youth with this year’s theme, “Conviction in Action”.
    Ingga said it was a once in a lifetime experience for her. As such, she wants to impart her learning. First, she values God in everything she does, even if she fails. When people pull her down, she looks at things with optimism. At the end of the congress, she wants to move forward, thinking that this is the reason why God sent her there, to give better meaning to her community and eventually to everybody.

You’re one of the few students chosen to be in the AYLC, how does it feel to be recognized and be given an opportunity like this?
I felt challenged because before me, it was Kuya Paul Mercado, the summa cum laude of his batch, who was SHC’s delegate to AYLC in 2007. Jokingly, I said if I will be a summa cum laude like him, “summa”-langit na ako!
    But seriously, I doubted myself at first. There came a time when I said ‘Lord, Your will be done‘ (Lord, ikaw na bahala) and He provided, He really helped me. I believe that God is our only refuge.
Of course I felt so happy also because people say that the success of parenthood can be magnified on the child and I know my parents guided me well which proves who I am today.
    I was raised by my parents not to be boastful or proud, so I’m really not into the recognition that AYLC brings"the certificates, trophies, medals, tarpaulins can be burned and tarnished. What’s more important are the people around me. So instead of putting a tarpaulin with my picture or name on it, I’d rather choose to have inspirational quotes written on a katsa (flour cloth bag) posted along corridors to uplift the students’ spirit.
Lastly, I still feel so blessed because AYLC is more than just a congress. More than the training, the incomparable feeling it gave me was all worth it. I never went there for the following reasons: to add in my resume, the “ice cream”, to boast about my school. I went there to find myself and I fortunately did.

Did you feel any insecurity during the congress?
A bit because I didn’t know that other people there have so many things to share, and that they came from big and well-known colleges and universities. Though I believe I was able to share my values as a Cordian in the congress.

What are your plans after the congress?
I have many plans in mind but still I’m trying to process them. Some plans might not be suitable for everybody due to time constraints. Though the general objective is to further nourish and encourage the youth to build their true identity thus promoting a better “we”.
To be specific though, it’s now my turn to echo what I’ve learned from AYLC, together with my co-AYLC Alumni from Lucena City, Joshua Tan of Enverga University, through the AYLC School Caravan of Quezon (school campaign), AYLC X-CALABARZON 2009 (mini-AYLC eXpanded to the regional level), and Y-Vote Philippines Quezon Chapter (election awareness for the Youth).
    Personally, my plan is to stay as “me” because this is me. Akala kasi nila after the congress eh magiging mahinhin ako . . . hehehe . . . Well, I am still the same ordinary, crazy, kalog (good humored) Indiana"but a more inspired one.

You’re busy with your studies as a Nursing student and being an active student leader, how do you balance everything?
That is a tough question that many people have asked me. I’m not alone in balancing everything. Other people help me do it"my friends, my mentors, my family and God. He makes me stop or go like He is my traffic light. But He lets us decide, even if He already knows what is best for us.
    Also, I do things in school with love and I hope others do so, too. If you love the things that you do, you surely have greater will than your capacity, you can beat the odds.

What is your advice to present and potential student leaders?
Being a leader is not only to inspire, but to perspire too. Do what you say and keep your feet on the ground. Remember that you are where you are right now not because of yourself alone but because of those students who are timid, quiet, and who needsyour voice, need your empowerment. Those students that are often taken for granted are the majority of the population. Appreciate everyone.
    Don’t let your personal goals be the deciding point of an issue. It is biased and you will be unfair. Being a leader is not to dictate what to do. Give your colleagues the pros and cons and later on you might see they have better ideas than what you originally thought of.
Be open to criticisms because they can open your eyes to what you haven’t realized yet. But don’t dwell on them too much, just listen and take them positively.
    Look in the mirror and tell yourself “you are not alone.” There is always someone who believes in you and that is God. Because God gave you a gift that later on, you’ll soon discover. It’s not lost, it’s within you.
If you have plans in life, pray first. God knows what is best for us. He never promised a smooth road, but a safe arrival.
If you fall, do not dig for yourself. Instead, rest, reflect, stand up and get your swords back, then fight again.
Finally, REST. Don’t deprive yourself of relaxation and recreational activities.

A short interview with Ingga is not enough. She has lots of insights to share. For her, it is in telling stories that make a legacy live. That even when her name is already forgotten, what matters most are her shared reflections.


I will tell you a bedtime story. This story was shared to us during the Congress and it really captured my heart.
    There was turmoil in the animal kingdom. That the heaven will soon fall and it will be the earth’s doomsday. Most animals started to evacuate and transfer to other places, a very wise decision indeed. Some started to follow and others prayed. While some of them just sat and waited to let the heavens fall down thinking they will all die later anyway.
But there were these animals, the name I can’t recall, a flock of birds whose motherly love for their kids was enormous. They flew up the highest mountain and tried to look at the sky while lying on the top of the mountain. The wise animals laughed and said those will be the first ones to die when the heavens fall. Some were in despair and asked this group of birds to go down and evacuate, if they wanted to live.
The birds just said, “We want to save our children and the only thing we can do is to stop the heavens from falling by pushing it back and it can help even an inch. That is the only thing we can do.”
    Conclusion: we can help even in a very small way.
    By doing things in simple ways but with extraordinary will, we can make things better. If we have greater will, it can surpass our capacity.
If we would like something to be done, there are lots of ways to really do it. So if we really would like to help, we can always do it. Let us put ourselves in the shoes of others then somehow we will realize the essence of empathy. Remember, one act of random kindness can make the world a better place to live in.
    Trust in yourselves. Because I firmly believe that anyone can help regardless of status, popularity, money or intelligence. I trust in us . . . the YOUth!
    We are not the future of the Philippines BUT we are the NOW of the Philippines. When will we stand up and help strengthen “ang ating Inang Bayan”? When regrets are the only sufficient resort? No. Why should we wait, if we can do it NOW?
    I still believe that the Filipinos are worth living for and by living in the NOW and doing it NOW.  That will make us live our lives worth living. Kung kaya nila . . . kaya ko . . . kaya mo . . . kaya natin!