With Faith and Grace, Loreyly Salac Found Her Place, A Heart that Leads

For more than just a decade, Siquijor State College (SSC) has served as a nurturing ground for students with the potential to lead and inspire, embodying the true essence of leadership rooted in moral character, purpose, and learning through experience. Among those students is Loreyly Mancao Salac, whose deep sense of responsibility helped shape her into a confident, grounded, and dependable leader well-prepared for the road ahead, both within and beyond campus life.

Loreyly recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Financial Management. She was born on January 26, 2003, in Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental. She is fondly known to many as “Lalay”, a simple, approachable girl who finds joy in social gatherings. For her, these moments are not merely for fun, but for forming lasting connections. She grew up in a home where service and dedication were valued. She was raised by a hardworking housewife and a fisherman who also serves as a barangay councilor. A heart for public service is part of who she is.

Her leadership journey began at Tambisan National High School, where she served as a Grade 11 representative and later as SSG President in Grade 12. She also became President of Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan, a youth organization under The Jesus Is Lord Church. These formative experiences shaped her practical, people-first leadership style always grounded in simplicity and effectiveness.

On campus, Loreyly may seem like any other student laughing in corners, sparking spontaneous conversations, or inviting friends out for a meal. But beneath that cheerful presence lies a strong and sincere spirit of leadership. As President of the SSC Student Government for 2024–2025, Loreyly prioritized collaboration and open communication. She avoided unnecessary conflict and approached issues head-on, always striving to protect the team’s purpose from being lost in pressure or noise.

She believed that true leadership is about reliability, humility, and the strength to keep the team anchored during challenging times. Through this experience, Loreyly honed essential skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving and faced real-world challenges with grace and maturity. Over time, she came to embrace the weight of responsibility and even found joy in carrying it.

But these rewarding lessons came not without difficulty. One of the biggest challenges she faced was managing internal pressure, especially the pressure to appear fine, even when she wasn’t. Balancing academic demands with leadership responsibilities required quiet strength and courage. There were sleepless nights, missed breaks, and moments of deep self-doubt. Yet, from those trials, Loreyly emerged with better time management, stronger boundaries, and a greater sense of self-worth.

“As a student leader, there were times I felt I had to hide my own stress or struggles just to keep the team moving and to meet everyone’s expectations. I used to think showing vulnerability was a weakness, but over time, I realized that acknowledging my limits and asking for help actually made me stronger,” she reflected.

Loreyly had received the award of recognition- Leadership Awardee during the 92nd Commencement Exercises on June 19, 2025 for her exceptional leadership, dedicated service, and remarkable contributions as the outgoing SG President and Student Trustee of SSC. This award only proves her legacy of student empowerment in the campus. During that momentous event, SUC President II, Dr. Steven J. Sumaylo also made a surprising announcement, as per Board Resolution VIII, in the 2nd quarter of board meeting that Ms. Salac will be given a job position in Siquijor State College effective on the first working day of July 2025. She will be assigned to the accounting section.

For Loreyly, leadership was a calling. She firmly believes she was placed on this path for a purpose far greater than positions or titles. Everything the people she met, the struggles she faced, the opportunities she embraced happened for a reason. To her, nothing in life is accidental. Every moment shaped her into who she is becoming. Above all, she lives by a principle that continues to guide her thoughts and actions, “Live for the audience of One, GOD.” It’s a phrase that reminds her to seek not the applause of others, but the approval of the one who knows her heart.

With gratitude and hope, Loreyly leaves this message for fellow SSC students:

“Step out of your comfort zone growth often comes in unexpected moments. Don’t compare your journey. We all move at our own pace. Show up, stay true to yourself, lead with kindness, and trust that every step, even the uncertain ones, is shaping who you’re meant to be.”