Elijah Vera Nesta Barro

Elijah Vera Nesta Barro is a 1st Year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Financial and Investments Management. She describes herself as driven, warm, and endlessly passionate—a young woman whose presence carries both confidence and sincerity. Her journey, marked by determination and heart, reflects a story of grit, growth, and purpose.

Vera’s love for business began early. In third grade, she was already selling snacks and drinks at school, not simply to earn, but because she enjoyed creating something of her own. Growing up with financial challenges strengthened her desire to build a better future. It taught her resilience and shaped her into someone who views success not as a privilege, but as something built through hard work, patience, and courage. Inspired by her father’s guidance and her own experiences, she chose the business path—a field where she could turn her ideas into opportunities.

Now in college, Vera continues to nurture her entrepreneurial spirit. She runs small ventures such as an online reselling shop and a home-based nail service. Alongside her business efforts, she is deeply involved in the school’s student life. She serves as President of the First Year Council and is an active member of five organizations: the First Year Council, Sanggunian ng Mag-aaral ng Miriam under the Social Involvement Committee, Talitha Cumi, JFINEX, and IBA. Her dedication and consistent participation led her to receive the “Bida Kapamilya Award” from IBA, recognizing her as one of its most active members. These roles have strengthened her leadership, communication skills, and commitment to service.

One of the highlights of her journey is her role in the First Year Council. Leading fellow students taught her responsibility, teamwork, and the importance of showing up with intention. She learned that leadership is not about position—it is about serving with empathy and creating a space where others feel seen and supported. Her involvement in these organizations continues to shape her into a more grounded and confident young leader.

Vera is also a proud Merit Scholar. This scholarship, she shares, is both a blessing and a responsibility. Traveling daily from Novaliches makes school expenses heavy, and her scholarship helps lighten that load. It motivates her to stay committed, to keep pushing herself, and to use every opportunity wisely. Behind her perseverance is the unwavering encouragement of her mother, whose words—“Kaya mo ’yan, ikaw pa ba?”—remain her source of strength and comfort.

Behind Vera’s achievements is a story of personal growth. She has learned to embrace her journey with patience, to honor progress over perfection, and to accept that setbacks are part of becoming stronger. Each challenge became a lesson, teaching her that life moves forward, and so must she—with grace, courage, and steady determination.

Her dreams mirror her heart. Vera hopes to become a successful businesswoman and eventually pursue a master’s degree. More importantly, she aims to give back by helping children from low-income communities gain better access to education. For her, success is most meaningful when shared—when it uplifts the people who need it most.

Her guiding principle reflects the resilience she carries: “It will take thousands of failures to get one breakthrough.” This belief keeps her grounded and brave. It reminds her that growth requires patience, courage, and the willingness to try again.

This mantra reflects her courage, persistence, and belief in herself. She knows that failure is not the end, but a part of learning and growing. From her high school years—when she ran for student council multiple times and did not win—to her early business ventures that didn’t succeed,  Vera faced setbacks again and again. Yet she never gave up.

Her journey shows that success comes from trying, failing, learning, and trying again. She believes that embarrassment, mistakes, and fear are part of the process, and that each challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger and wiser. Vera’s story reminds others that perseverance, patience, and self-trust are keys to breakthroughs, and that with determination, even repeated failures can lead to meaningful success.