These Zamboanga Del Norte triplets pursued the same degree, graduated magna cum laude together

What makes the feat so sweet for the Dangaton triplets is that they're the first in the family to finish their college education.

"We are proud and overwhelmed at the same time," they said in an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe.

"'Di lang ito ang pangarap namin. Pangarap din ito ng pamilya namin," Eva said of their father, an electrician, and mother, a housekeeper.

Born hours apart, the Dangatons are also kindred spirits when it comes to clothes, accessories, hairstyle, hobbies, circle of friends, interests, and even the things they dislike.

But Eva, Lorie, and Xennia still have their respective unique traits.

Eva is the tallest sister, followed by Xennia and Lorie, much to their amusement.

They also took note of their facial shapes, as people tend to get confused between Eva and Xennia when they were younger. Later on, it's Lorie and Xennia who seemed spitting images of each other.

In terms of personalities, Eva serves as the group leader who guides everybody, initiating what to do and where to go.

Lorie, meanwhile, is the outspoken sister who's ever-confident in speaking her mind.

"(Kaya) madalas akong mapagkamalang maldita," she said, drawing laughter from her sisters. "Sinasabi ko ang gusto kong sabihin, gusto kong ineexpress ang sarili ko."

As for Xennia, she acknowledged being the silent type among the trio. Instead, she puts in the work without a word, being attentive to details.

"Mas preferred ko ang mag-observe lang at go with the flow sa kanilang dalawa," she said.

Why business administration

The triplets said they decided to take up the same college program since they came from the ABM (Accountancy, Business, and Management) strand in senior high.

More importantly, Eva noted it was a practical and purposive choice, especially since they started college during the COVID-19 pandemic: Their hometown's JRMSU is nearby.

"It was the perfect program for us," she said. "We know that we'll be taking different paths and having different careers soon, so we agreed to take the program altogether... Moment namin ang college na magkasama-sama. We grabbed it."

(Moreover, they're well aware that financial companies tend to have policies that prevent relatives from working together amid conflict of interest and nepotism concerns.)

Lorie, meanwhile, noted that they were supposed to take accountancy, but they had to take into considereation the travel restrictions during the pandemic. JRMSU, a state university, having free tuition also cemented their choice.

For Xennia, aside from the convenience of still being altogether, they're playing the long game of having a better financial situation.

"Since bata pa kami, gets na namin ang financial situation namin," she said. "We did research on business management. Mas convenient if same program ang kukunin para less gastos."

Xennia noted that living expenses for them always have to be thrice as much and that they also have a younger brother to keep in mind.

Almost inseparable

The Dangaton triplets took pride of being almost inseparable, especially when they were studying. It's in their DNA to review altogether. When one of them has a different schedule, they'd wait for each other before going into business.

"Sabay-sabay kami mag-aral, magpuyat," Eva said.

Still, they have respective strengths to showcase. Eva is a night owl who's more efficient past 2 a.m. But like everyone else, she admitted to having cramming tendencies.

Lorie, meanwhile, is a master of the Feynman Technique, a learning method of simplifying complex concepts as if teaching them to a child. She also teaches the technique to her sisters.

For Xennia's part, she prefers longhand when it comes to processing information.

"Whatever points I missed, I will go back to my notes and study them. I also lend my notes to my sisters," she said. "Chinecheck namin ang progress ng isa't isa. Kung nahihirapan ang isa, nagtutulungan kami para walang maiwan."

Aside from leading to a collaborative and conducive studying environment, the Dangaton triplets believe their sisterhood is an advantage as they have "built-in" camaraderie.

"We are not alone. We don't need to look for friendships anymore, not in the sense that we wouldn't befriend anyone, but having someone there since the start, 'yung masasabihan mo ng problema and all," Lorie said.

It's also virtually impossible for them to have no company when celebrating birthdays and attending social gatherings together.

Disadvantages

But nothing is ever perfect, as there's a certain point that which their being triplets leads to unfair judgments. Lorie noted that there are tendencies for people to compare them and pit them against each other. Worse, when one has a certain achievement, there are preconceived notions of the other two siblings having achievements only by association.

"(Para sa ibang tao), naawa at triplets (kami). They do not see our individual efforts and hardwork," Eva said, with Xennia adding that there are also penchants for getting generalized.

"People tend to criticize us because when we achieve things together, it's only because of our shared genes," she said.

Lorie, meanwhile, said that there's a double-edged sword when it comes to privacy.

"Since magkakasama kami palagi, 'di kami nakakapagtago ng secrets sa isa't isa. Kung may times na gusto mong mapag-isa, you cannot be alone," she said.

"Kahit 'di magsalita ang isa, nalalaman namin lahat ang nasa isipan niya," Eva added.

Of course, disagreements among siblings are also completely normal, and the Dangaton triplets would draw the ire of each other, especially when pressured or stressed at school, according to Xennia.

"Wala naman sabunutan," Eva said, much to everyone's laughter. "Meron din kaming nagiging disagreements, away, tampuhan... but it doesn't last long. Simple lang, mga five minutes lang, ok na, 'Tara guys, ice cream tayo.'"

Next steps

A month after graduating from college, the Dangaton sisters said they're working on their civil service eligibility and have been undergoing assessments and taking job interviews.

For Lorie, the likelihood of taking a master's degree—even a doctorate afterward—altogether again isn't far-fetched.

"We would like to continue our studies again," she said, with Eva adding, "Gusto pa rin sana namin na together pa."

At the same time, Lorie said they are striving to land jobs as soon as possible to provide for their family—times three.

For students striving to achieve excellence in their academics, the triplets shared some pieces of advice.

"Ang success ay hindi lang isang solo act. In our case, success is reached because we have each other. Find your people. Find someone na mananatili sa tabi mo: parents, loved ones, friends. Anyone who can help you reach our goals," Xennia said.

Laurie, for her part, shares that you shouldn't compare yourself to others. "The tendency nowadays is to pressure one's self and compare oneself to others. Always remember that diamonds are made under pressure. Do not be afraid of rejection and failure. You still put up an effort, and your efforts will count in the future."

Meanwhile, Eva emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself. "Take a breather when needed. If you're lucky enough to have someone with you, treasure it. 'Di kayo magkakasama habambuhay. The connections must remain. Padayon lang."