The question, she said, comes back almost every day.
Kaya ko pa ba?
Can she still do it?
For Dr. Enya Marie D. Apostol, Mindoro State University’s first woman president, the answer has remained the same.
“Sa totoong buhay po, araw-araw kong tinatanong kung kaya ko pa ba, at araw-araw sinasagot ako ng sarili ko na kaya ko,” she said.
It was one of the more personal moments during “Talk with Pres. Enj,” a special episode held on July 17 as part of PAGTANAW 2026: University President Address, which marked Apostol’s second year as president of MinSU.
The conversation was not simply a recounting of awards, rankings and institutional accomplishments. It was, in many ways, a conversation about the person behind the presidency - and the people who have been part of her journey.
For Pres. Enj, the achievements of the past two years do not belong to her alone.
“Kung ano man po ang tagumpay na meron tayo sa loob ng dalawang taon, ito po ay hindi lang dahil sa akin, kundi dahil po sa sama-sama nating paggawa, paglilingkod at pagmamahal sa Mindoro State University,” she said.
That idea ran through the conversation as students, faculty members, non-teaching personnel, alumni and representatives from the University's campuses asked questions during “The MinSU Community Asks.”
The questions were varied. Some dealt with leadership and professional growth. Others touched on student welfare, alumni engagement, recognition for non-teaching personnel and the University's plans for the future.
But together, they offered a glimpse of a university community trying to understand not only where MinSU is going, but also the person helping lead it there.
Healing old wounds
Pres. Enj said one of the most difficult challenges she has faced as president has been healing what she called “the wounds of division.”
“Ang pinakamatinding challenge po is to heal the wounds of division,” she said.
It is not something she believes she can accomplish by herself.
“Hindi ko po kaya yan mag-isa,” she added.
The statement was perhaps one of the clearest reflections of the kind of leadership Pres. Apostol hopes to practice - one that recognizes both the responsibility of the leader and the role of the community.
For her, leadership is not merely about occupying a position or making decisions. It also requires presence.
“We have to lead by example,” she said. A leader, she added, must show up.
“Kahit gaano po kahirap, kahit gaano kadami yung pinagdadaanan, kahit gaano kakapagod, ang isang leader, ang mahalaga, you show up.”
For aspiring student leaders, Pres. Enj offered three words: selflessness, direction and sacrifice.
“If you want to be a leader, you have to be selfless. Uunahin mo ang iba kaysa sa'yo,” she said. A leader, she added, must know where to go and be willing to make sacrifices along the way.
More than a slogan
The same philosophy shapes LIFTMINSU, the University's development goal.
Pres. Enj said the phrase was never intended to be merely a slogan or acronym.
“Hindi ito slogan, hindi ito acronym. Ito ay isang dedikasyon na lahat ng gagawin ng isang Minsuan ay para umangat ang MinSU,” she said.
The idea, she explained, is rooted in bayanihan.
“Hindi po natin kayang iangat ang isang bagay kundi tayo magtutulong-tulong.”
For Pres. Enj, progress is meaningful only when it brings others along.
“Habang tayo'y tumataas, let's pull people up. Hilahin natin ang iba rin pataas,” she said.
It is a view of upward mobility that goes beyond individual success. In the context of the University, moving upward also means making sure that others are given the opportunity to move forward.
The person behind the presidency
For all the discussion about leadership and the University's direction, the conversation also allowed the MinSU community to see a more personal side of Pres. Enj.
Through lighter questions about the people and things that inspire her, the hobbies she hopes to pursue and how she finds time to recharge after demanding days, the community was given a glimpse of the woman behind the title.
For a moment, Pres. Enj was not only the University president speaking about the future of MinSU. She was also a person sharing a part of herself with the community she leads.
She spoke candidly about the personal struggles that come with leadership—the exhaustion, doubt and frustration that can accompany the position.
The image of a university president can often appear distant, framed by formal meetings, official ceremonies and institutional decisions.
But during the conversation, Pres. Enj spoke about the ordinary realities behind the position.
She acknowledged that she is not perfect.
“Hindi po ako perfect. I'm as fluid as water,” she said, describing how her emotions can show when she is happy, sad or angry.
Yet she also spoke about the importance of remaining grounded.
As president, she may be expected to lead and make difficult decisions. But at home, she is still a mother, a wife and a daughter.
“Pagdating ko sa bahay, nanay ako, asawa ko, anak ako,” she said.
For Pres. Enj, separating these roles is part of maintaining balance.
The work ahead
For all the discussion about leadership and the University's direction, the conversation also allowed the MinSU community to see a more personal side of Pres. Enj.
Through lighter questions about the people and things that inspire her, the hobbies she hopes to pursue and how she finds time to recharge after demanding days, the community was given a glimpse of the woman behind the title.
For a moment, Pres. Enj was not only the University president speaking about the future of MinSU. She was also a person sharing a part of herself with the community she leads.
She spoke candidly about the personal struggles that come with leadership—the exhaustion, doubt and frustration that can accompany the position.
The image of a university president can often appear distant, framed by formal meetings, official ceremonies and institutional decisions.
But during the conversation, Pres. Enj spoke about the ordinary realities behind the position.
She acknowledged that she is not perfect.
“Hindi po ako perfect. I'm as fluid as water,” she said, describing how her emotions can show when she is happy, sad or angry.
Yet she also spoke about the importance of remaining grounded.
As president, she may be expected to lead and make difficult decisions. But at home, she is still a mother, a wife and a daughter.
“Pagdating ko sa bahay, nanay ako, asawa ko, anak ako,” she said.
For Pres. Enj, separating these roles is part of maintaining balance. (jdtdc)
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