Samuel Ferrer Adelan, the sole benefactor of the Samuel F. Adelan Foundation stands as a testimony that great heights can be achieved through hard work, determination and perseverance. Coming from a simple family in the town of Tumauini, he devoted his time in education and in sports. During his high school days at Isabela National High School in Ilagan, Isabela he was nailed as one of the region’s finest baseball players. He was a consistent part of the team representing the region in various athletic meets. It was his training in baseball where he developed the values of discipline, commitment and resilience. His character was further shaped by the teachings of the Dominican friar in the Royal and Pontifical University of Sto. Tomas where he pursued his college education until life brought him to the United States of America.
In the United States, he worked at Los Angeles Police Department. Moreover, he also became a top insurance agent in the West Coast. All throughout his stay in America, he has never forgotten helping the marginalized. He supported several foundations in the United States and in other countries in Central America.
In 2009, during his visit to Isabela, he founded the Samuel F. Adelan Foundation. Since its inception, the foundation placed education as the centerpiece of its mission. Samuel F. Adelan built a learning center that houses the Isabela National High School Library, a state of the art theater and a computer laboratory to cater the needs of Isabelenos. The Samuel F. Adelan Foundation has become instrumental in completion of college education of hundreds of scholars. As of today, it has more than a hundred scholars who are studying in different universities in the region and in Metro Manila. It also provides dormitories for scholars who can hardly afford to rent a boarding house in the city of Ilagan, that comes with free allowances, rice, light and water. It also provides support to farmers by giving them financial assistance through their cooperatives. It also promotes the preservation of local culture, one of which is the holding of the annual Samuel F. Adelan Folk Song Choral Competition. It also holds annual Adelan Journalism Award (AJA) )for budding young writers and artists. It also supports the Department of Education’s Sports Program by sponsoring the prizes in Baseball Game of the Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Meet (CAVRAA).
Indeed Samuel F. Adelan exemplifies a selfless persona. A man of good soul, a man for others and a man always ready to reach out, inspire others and make a difference.