How a family’s seeds of knowledge nurtured four children to flourish as UPLB and DOST scholars 

Althea Collantes, Soraine Noel, and G.H. Villagracia

Like the century-old trees that stand across the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), witnessing generations of students come and go, the Marquez family’s dream has remained deeply rooted through the years. Despite life’s storms and challenges, their shared values and unwavering determination kept that dream alive. 

It all began with Engr. Arnolfo “Noli” Marquez and Salvacion “Sally” Marquez, who planted a simple yet powerful dream of education for their children. Nurtured by perseverance and sacrifices, that dream has flourished into a remarkable legacy — four children who are now UPLB students and DOST scholars. 

The first sprout

Every towering tree begins as a tiny sprout.

For the Marquez family, that first sprout was Juan Carlos “Yuan” Marquez, the first to take the leap and the first sign that the dream their parents had carefully nurtured was beginning to take root. 

As the eldest among the siblings, Yuan carried a responsibility that many firstborn children know all too well. He was the first to navigate unfamiliar paths, the first to face the uncertainties of university life, and the first to show his younger siblings that the seemingly impossible could, in fact, be achieved.

For Yuan, entering UPLB and becoming a DOST scholar was never solely about personal achievement. More than anything, it was an opportunity to make his parents proud and become an example for the siblings looking up to him.

“Proud na proud ako bilang ehemplo sa aking mga nakababatang kapatid na walang imposible basta’t malaki ang tiwala sa sarili at syempre, sa Diyos na Siyang gumagabay sa tahak ng ating buhay,” he shared.

His response reflects a sense of pride not only in his own accomplishments but also in the opportunity to inspire those who would follow after him. What began as a personal milestone gradually became a path that his siblings would one day walk as well.

One by one, they followed.

What started as a single achievement slowly grew into something larger, a shared dream nurtured by an entire family.

However, when asked what makes him most proud, Yuan’s answer does not revolve around scholarships or academic success. Instead, it centers on the people his siblings have become.

“I am really proud of the achievements of my siblings, not just the academic excellence na kanilang ipinamalas, bagkus ang mas ikinatuwa ko ang mga naging pagkatao nila along the way,” he shared.

Perhaps that is what makes the Marquez family’s story so meaningful.

Their success cannot simply be measured by acceptance letters, scholarships, or diplomas. It is measured by the values that carried them there — humility, perseverance, faith, and a willingness to lift one another along the way.

Like the first sprout breaking through the soil, Yuan’s achievement showed that the dream their parents nurtured was possible.

And from that first sprout, something much greater began to grow.

Branching out

From the same roots, the Marquez siblings began to grow in different directions, each one carving a path shaped by both passion and purpose.

Yuana Mei Marquez chose BS Biology, stepping away from her initial plan of engineering to follow a field that felt more aligned with her interest.

Through this decision, she showed that honoring one’s own calling is also part of building a dream. For her, the family became her strongest motivation, especially during moments of doubt and difficulty.

Her brother, Yuen Vincent Marquez pursued BS Material Engineering, guided by both passion and practicality. With the help of DOST scholarship, he was able to ease financial challenges at home while focusing on his studies. For him, success was not only personal achievement but also a shared victory with his family.

Though their courses differed, both middle children carried the same foundation — support from their parents and inspiration from one another. 

In their own ways, they proved that while branches may grow in different directions, they are still connected to the same root.

A tree in a storm

Trees are often admired when the skies are clear. Their leaves appear greener and their branches seem stronger. Growth comes naturally beneath the warmth of the sun.

Yet a tree’s true strength is not revealed during fair weather, but is shown during a storm. And for the Marquez family, that storm arrived in 2022.

After battling glioblastoma, a form of brain tumor, Engr. Arnolfo Marquez passed away. What was once a family of six suddenly became a family learning to navigate life without one of its pillars.

Behind every achievement the family celebrates today is the absence of someone who should have been there to witness it.

A father who encouraged his children to dream, a father who believed in the power of education, and a father who helped plant the very seeds that would later grow into success.

But he would not live to see every branch flourish.

His passing left not only an emotional void but also new responsibilities for the family he left behind. For his wife, Sally Marquez, it meant carrying the weight of parenthood alone.

“Mula nang pumanaw ang aking asawa, ako na lamang ang natirang matanda sa aming pamilya at naging isang solo parent nalang ako,” she stated.

The years that followed were not easy. There were moments of uncertainty and financial struggles.

There were sacrifices that had to be made and challenges that seemed impossible to overcome. But despite the hardships, the family refused to let the storm uproot them.

Instead, they held onto the values their parents had spent years nurturing within them: perseverance, discipline, faith in God, and the belief that education could change their lives.

These values became their roots.

And roots, though often unseen, are what allow a tree to withstand even the strongest winds.

As the years passed, the siblings continued pursuing the dreams that both of their parents had worked so hard to support. Every examination passed, every scholarship earned, and every milestone achieved became more than a personal accomplishment.

They became a testament to sacrifices made, to lessons remembered and to a dream that refused to die.

The storm changed the Marquez family forever, because some wounds never fully heal and some absences stop being felt. But through grief and uncertainty, they continued moving forward — one step, one semester, and one achievement at a time.

Like a tree weathering fierce winds, the Marquez family bent but never broke. And although one of the hands that helped plant the seed was no longer there to watch it grow, the tree continued reaching toward the light.

Last stretch

No tree reaches its full height overnight.

Some branches grow earlier than others. Some stretch toward the light at different times. But eventually, all become part of the same canopy.

For Yunissa Len “Yulen” Marquez, growing up meant watching her older siblings accomplish milestones she once thought were far beyond her reach. By the time she was preparing for college, three branches of the family tree had already reached UPLB and earned the distinction of becoming DOST scholars.

To some, being the youngest came with pressure. But to Yulen, it came with proof that dreams could be achieved, sacrifices could bear fruit, and that the seeds their parents planted years ago are still growing.

And with her admission to UPLB and qualifying for the DOST scholarship, the dream that began with her parents had finally come into full bloom.

As the fourth Marquez sibling becomes both an Iskolar ng Bayan and Iskolar ng Agham, Yulen completed a journey that started long before any of them stepped inside the university gates.

Four children and four scholars, but all are rooted in one dream that was nurtured through the years, withstanding life’s challenges, and is now shared by an entire family.