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CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
New college students each year enters the university not focusing on their social class;
instead, their social class remains a great part of their identity, experiences, and interactions in
their campus (Barratt, 2011; Mullen, 2010). Hurst (2010) explained that working-class students
might experience a culture shock as they enter a middle-class type of education. In relation to
this situation, Borrego (2001) stated that “students who came from working-class or poor
background are often have a sense of confusion when it comes to education, most specifically in
social codes and norms rather than the actual coursework”. Working-class students have a high
risk possibility of attrition and non-completion of their college degrees (Braxton, 2000; Soria,
2012, Stebleton & Huesman, 2013-2014).
Working-class students have different socioeconomic status, race, culture, gender, and
place; they developed a very unique perspectives to mold their expectations and experiences in
pursuing higher education (Longwell-Grice & Longwell-Grice, 2007). The working-class
students are not easily identified by their income or even their parent’s income (Zweig, 2000);
instead, they are characterized by these several factors, the workplace power dynamics,
conception of position in society, family values, cultural values, history, ancestral work history,
and cultural narratives.
There is no executed research or theories about the experiences of the working-class
students in a university (Hurst, 2010). Working-class students seldom have great experience in
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studying in a university due to the execution of social classes; socioeconomic status or the firstgeneration status, even though they are not pointing directly towards the working-class, they still
manage to classify the student as a working-class; therefore, we need to do more research about
the working-class students; to shed some light on how social class affects their experiences
inside the campus (Soria, 2012; Soria, Stebleton & Huesman, 2013-2014).
This same research also shown how working-class students encounter great barriers when
it comes earning a degree in college, barriers that begin with our society. As the former U.S.
Labor Secretary Robert Reich (2000) said, “there were only less than 30% of the children who
came from the families who earn the lowest income have the capability to enrol for a higher
education, and that percentage is still degrading since 1993”.
Substantial barriers are not the only problem facing by the working-class because once
they enter the university, there were more enormous challenge and that is to conform or jive
themselves to the world of the middle-class students; they are called the “middle-class
impersonators” (Langston, 1993, p. 69). Money has a greater role in the society that’s why,
children from the upper and middle class has a better access to higher education and do better
result in school (Lareau, 1987). Working-class students cross the boundaries of the social class
that can lead them to the negative consequences which is being alienated (Beeghley, 2005;
Ostrove, 2003), and separation (Goldthorpe, Llewellyn, & Payne, 1987) to the middle-class
culture of higher education (Hurst, 2010). If the working-class intervenes towards the culture of
higher education of the middle-class, it might lead them to the feeling of being in shame,
embarrassment, and humiliation when they are with the middle-class students (Hurst, 2010,
p.215).
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Chickering and Reisser (1993) said that numerous numbers of college students tend to
pursue studying just to have a secure job, not to help them master their skills that are applicable
to their experiences: they envision it to ensure a comfortable life-style; not to enhance their
knowledge, find a philosophy of life, or becoming a lifelong learner; they study to earn (p. 50).
Some researchers said that the greatest challenge that a working student could face is the
immediate result of their social class and cultural backgrounds and that includes weak academic
preparation, personal values, and behaviors that affects their ability in a positive and negative
way in navigating educational institutions, achieve as learners, and perseverance in pursuing
their education (Kohn, 1977; Lareau, 2003).
Therefore, the greater goal of this research is to learn more about the experiences
of working-class students at a university. We aim to investigate the reasons why they are
working, the advantages and disadvantages of working-class students, and the struggles they are
experiencing.
Statement of the Problem
This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of working college students of
Trinity University of Asia and specifically sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the lived experiences of working students in Trinity University of Asia?
2. What insights may be derived from the experiences of the students?
3. What are the implications of the study for the:
a) Teachers
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b) Students
c) Future readers
d) Society
Significance of the Study
There are situations in life that one must work to achieve their dreams or even help their
families; most specifically dealing with financial difficulties therefore there is a need to work and
study at the same time. They also need to deal with their everyday busy schedules. This paper
aimed to help understanding and discuss the issues and concerns of the employed students to
benefit the following:
Teachers. The teachers shall understand the unsaid absences of a working-class student;
moreover, teachers will also understand why working-students won’t be able to attend some
school activities most especially during their working hours. Teachers will therefore understand
the financial difficulties of the working-class students; specifically when they’re asking for
classroom contributions.
Students. Students shall have a broader understanding about the situation of a working-student,
appreciation of what resources they have, and motivation to strive more and pursue their studies.
Parents. Parents shall have a great understanding on what a working-student feel when they are
pursuing education and studying at the same time. It will affect them as parents to work hard for
their children to study. Parents will value education more.
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Scope and Delimitation
The study focused on the working students in Trinity University of Asia. It explored their
experiences while working and type of work includes their schedule. This was limited to the
stories on their experiences as they work and study at the same time. The working students at
Trinity University of Asia were the sources of the data. There were six co-researchers who
imparted their stories.
Definition of Terms
The following terms used in thestudy were developed operationally and conceptually.
Academic performance. This pertains to the final grade of the students in the subject.
Baccalaureate degree. This pertains to the college days that the students spent studying in a
university.
Economic stressors. This pertains to the conditions that a working-class live; they are being
dictated by the income and wealth which sometimes divert the attention of the parents from
educational attainment to survival and safety.
Educational environment. This refers to the environment of the students, the university
itself.
Income. This will dictate the family if the student will be enrolled or not. This is the source
of the family’s survival and safety.
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Lived experience. This refers to the stories of the working-class students while they are
pursuing their education.
Parents’ orientation toward education. This pertains to the parents, on how they value
education which sometimes affect the fate of their children; because sometimes not oriented
parents towards education have the perspective that their child doesn’t need to be educated
because they will only be married after all.
Relationship. This pertains to the understanding between the parents and their child, teachers
to their students, or to the opposite sex while studying.
Social culture and values. This pertains to the background of the student; on how they are
being oriented since birth. The character that the student plays towards his/her family,
friends, and teachers.
Social interaction. This pertains to the ability of the working-class students to have friends
and be understood by the society.
Working-class Students. This pertains to the class which has an extra challenge in pursuing
their goals in life because they need to work hard in order for them to be educated.
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is a review of relevant literatures focusing on working students’ education.
The review was organized as follows: (a) Batas Pambansa Blg. 232- Education Act (b)
Importance of Higher Education (c) Discovering Working Class Culture (d) Their Income,
Wealth and Health (e) Communication Styles (f) Types of Codes (g) Codes and Class (h) Friends
and Family (i) Expectations for education (j) Parenting styles (k) Parent’s interaction with
schools (l) Summary. The chapter concludes with a synthesis of the existing research that
attempts to provide suggestions for applying the results to current research practice. The purpose
of this literature review is to examine the lived experiences of a working-class student in a
university using phenomenology and to make recommendations for which areas others might
benefit most from this methodology in the future.
Related Literature
Batas Pambansa Blg. 232- Education Act
Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 is an act known as the “Education Act of 1982”; this act should
be apply and govern by both formal and non-formal systems in public or even in private schools
in all levels of the entire educational system (Bilbao et al., 2012). Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 is a
policy of the State that needs to establish and maintain a complete, adequate and integrated
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system of education patterned to the goals of the national development (Bilbao et al., 2012).
According Bilbao et al., (2012), “the government shall ensure a free and democratic system;
achieve and maintain the rising rate of the economic development and social progress; assure the
maximum participation of all the people in the attainment and enjoyment of the benefits of the
growth; achieve and strengthen the national unity, being conscious, preserve, develop and
promote desirable cultural, moral, and spiritual values in a vast changing world”.
Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 states that the state shall promote the right of each individual to
have a quality education, regardless of sex, age, creed, socio-economic status, physical and
mental conditions, racial or ethnic origin, political or other affiliation. The State shall therefore
promote and maintain equality in accessing education and might as well with the enjoyment of
the benefits of education in all the citizens; this law also said that the state shall promote the right
of exercising their right to develop themselves when it comes to cultures, customs, traditions,
interest and belief, and to recognize that education is their instrument for a maximum
involvement in achieving national unity; this law’s objectives is to provide a broad education that
will assist each individual in the peculiar ecology of their own society, to attain their potential as
a human being; enhance the quality or each individual in group participation to the basic
functions of society; and to acquire the important educational foundation of their development
into a productive and versatile citizen. Another objective is that is to train the nation’s manpower
in the middle-level skills required for the national development; develop the professions that will
provide leadership among the nation in the advancement of knowledge to improve the quality of
human life; and to respond effectively to the needs and conditions of the nation through a system
of educational planning and evaluation; the law’s objectives aims to inculcate love of the
country, teach duties of citizenship, and develop moral character, personal discipline, and
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scientific, technological and vocational efficiency. Moreover, the educational system shall reach
out the educationally deprived communities, in order for them to give a meaningful reality to
their membership in the national society, to enrich their participation in the community and
national life, and to unify all Filipinos into a free and just nation. This law clearly shows that
each individual has the right to be educated and be just; being poor or not having enough money
can hinder you to be educated; if you are really into your goals and dreams, you will pursue it no
matter what happens; you will enter everything even working while studying.
Importance of Higher Education
Higher education is extremely important; most of the people, College education become
their admission ticket to get better jobs and attain a middle-class lifestyle. Parents give more
importance to college education; African American and Hispanic parents prioritize college even
more than white parents. They do believe that the country should ensure that qualified and
motivated students not to stop pursuing higher education just because of its cost (Finding, n.d.).
Several groups reflected on the difference of having a college education to the ones who lack it;
they said that having a college education made their own lives, while others said that the impact
of higher education is on the lives of their children (Finding, n.d.). When it comes to the career
benefits, the weekly earnings of high school graduates aged 25 and older were $651; while the
individuals aged 25 and older and have bachelor’s degrees were $1,108 (United States Bureu of
Labor Statistics [BLS] in “What is”, 2013). Being unemployed are also affected by higher
education; BLS reported that 7.5% of individuals attained high school diplomas were
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unemployed while those who attained their bachelor’s degrees were only 4% (United States
Bureu of Labor Statistics [BLS] in “What is”, 2013). Not only employment but also having more
career choices will probably benefit the individuals who attained their bachelor’s degrees (“What
is”, n.d.)
Since the statistics shown that having bachelor’s degrees won’t lead you much to poverty,
the social benefits of it is that you’ll probably be able to spend money to stimulate the economy;
be a volunteer and help community (Illinois State Board of Higher Education [IBHE] in “What
is”, n.d.). In attaining higher education help you become more sensitive to cultural differences
and able to respect the beliefs of others. Your personal benefits of it is that you will have broader
set of career options that lead to increase your personal choice, freedom and even being healthier
too; some reports show that the portion of lowest prevalence of cigarette smoking was the
portion who attained highest level of education (Centers for Disease Control [CDC] in “What
is”, 2009).
Discovering Working Class Culture
In this section we consider some characteristics, beliefs, values, and behaviors of the
working class culture. As Kohn (1977) emphasizes that social class affects the personal values
and behaviour; Kohn shows that relationship between the class and the value; branch out from
the differences in life situations most specifically from the occupational and work conditions of
the individuals from different class locations experience. The Marxist theorist said that working
class culture is shaped by the human struggle that they need to endure and reshape the condition
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of being exploited in the capitalist society (Eyerman, 1981, p.54). Knowing the characteristics,
beliefs, values and behaviours will give us knowledge to know working class’ identities and the
worldviews; this cultural elements will open our minds to their educational experiences. To
begin this discovery, I start with two major reasons of the social stratification, income and
wealth.
Income and Wealth
United States has the highest level of inequality in living standards among its citizens
(Gangl in European Union [EU], 2005). United States has greater income mobility but that
doesn’t result of high level income stability. As Keller (2005) assert that income levels and social
mobility in American society brought deterioration in the working class living standards.
Different income patterns of individual’s life cycles were noted in United States; Europe’s
disposable incomes of most workers decline in their 30s and increase in their 40s and 50s while
in United States are reversed, increasing in their 30 and 40s and decline in their 50s (Klose,
2011).
Gangl (2005) discuss that these patterns reflect the institutions and free markets that
determine the value of the workers; American workers economic value downgrade as they age.
Income stability is highest for the individuals in the lower classes while the upper classes are
enjoying long-term greater income stability (Gangl, 2005). Gangl (2005) stated that high levels
of income instability in United States make it difficult for the low-income individuals to manage
income and consumption who have unstable income levels.
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On the other hand, employment income plays an important role in identifying
socioeconomic status, wealth, form of capital assets (investments, real estate, etc.) counts
significantly; middle and upper class families owns wealth which helps them secure their social
position (Grint, 2005). Middle and upper class families also benefit from tax policies that made
them wealthy; the said policies play a role that increases the divide between the classes (Grint,
2005).
Health
Social class affects health and longevity of individuals in the United States (Scott, 2005).
The author states that “Upper-middle class Americans live longer and in better health than...
those who are at the bottom” (p.1); individuals from lower socioeconomic groups definitely have
low access to the educational information and services that help them avoid chronic diseases
such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes and many types of cancer. Because of the lack of
education and resources, economic and social, greater individuals from lower classes die because
of these diseases. Grint (2005) supports the idea that higher incidents of breathing, digestive,
circulatory, arthritis, terminal cancers are from lower and working classes. When it comes to
hospitalization, people from low-income groups wait longer for treatment and often receive
lower quality care than those who are in the middle and upper classes (Scott, 2005).
As a result, Scott (2005) concludes that the stress involvement in so-called high demand,
low-control jobs is more harmful compared to the stress experiencing by the professional jobs
which have greater autonomy and control. (p.1) Argyle (2007) also said that working class
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experience higher rates of serious health problems regarding to their occupations and experience
more cases of mental illness compared to the middle class peers’ experience. Herbert and
Landrigan (2000) discuss that United States have high rates of work-related deaths, citing “180
work-related deaths each day” (p.541). Common industries have the greatest number of deaths
were construction, transportation, utilities, and manufacturing, all of which that most lower and
working classes are hired; males which are manual laborers, old workers, and minority workers
are at greater risk than females; the authors also identified the factors that increased risk for these
“vulnerable populations” (Herbert & Landrigan, 2000, p.542) as stratification in hiring,
commonly types of work are language barriers, and safety issues (With smaller firms placing
more workers at risk). Your occupation and social class will speak your health and mortality.
Communications Style
Bernstein theorizes that there are two types of code employed in communication which
are elaborated and restricted; he argues that by employing the forms of communication is to
transmit dominant and dominated codes (1964, p. 13), relationship between the social groups are
established within their members. Bernstein defines the code that stated that a rule governing
what to say it in a particular context (Philipsen, 1992, p. 101). Codes transmit meaning, establish
context, and inform understanding. Recognition rules determines what meanings are relevant,
while the realization rules guide how meanings are related to create content, or what Bernstein
calls, “legitimate text” (Leow, Macdonald, & Hay, p. 2). Bernstein states that the forms of
spoken language in the process of their learning initiate, generalize, and reinforce some special
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types of relationships to the environment and creates for the individual particular forms of
significance (1971, p.76).
Types of codes
Defining the forms of language code, Bernstein discuss that the elaborated code includes
more details and have more complex sentence structure and sophisticated and descriptive
vocabulary. Executing elaborated code requires more planning by the speaker because the goal is
to make clarity to anyone who receives communication. Bernstein explains that as much at the
other person’s intent may not be taken for granted, then the speaker is forced to expand and
elaborate his/her meanings, with the awareness that he chooses carefully among the syntactic and
vocabulary options (1964, p.63). The elaborated code is all about the speaker expect that the
listener to be different from him/herself, most specially from a different social and psychological
orientation; the speaker expects that he/she will fully develop and provide detailed
communication, and plans are in advance. In order for a speaker to become accomplished, he/she
must develop discernment and ability to edit oneself (Bernstein, 1964) and be prepared to
conduct communication.
Individuals who use the restricted code often suppose that those with whom they are
communicating share background or intellect similar to their own; the structure of the
communication is less formal and shorten. Those individuals who use the restricted code to have
a conversation with someone might feel like entering the exchange “mid-thought or mid-stream”;
they may feel that they did not know the story behind or even the significant details. Having a
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conversation using the restricted code, the social relations are relevant, and information is often
communicated by nonverbal means, containing vocalizations, gestures, facial expressions, and
conforming questions.
Codes and class
The social position that they are going to use depends on what social position rather than
with his/her intelligence. Restricted code is commonly used by the working-class individuals,
while middle-class individuals employ both elaborated and restricted codes because of their
advantages of geographic, social and cultural mobility that is exposed in both forms (Bernstein,
1971). Bernstein argues that neither code is superior, because the forms of code develop from
different social role requirements the ability to master one owns code and switch codes is
important. Every form comes from a particular social background or place, it is fitted for a
purpose, and brings with specific objectives and constraints. For example, the production
environment, this is where the speaker is part of a simple labor structure, and is close to his/her
work, the greater the like hood of a restricted background to coding (Bernstein, 1990). When the
speaker is part of a broad labor structure, and removed from the work, but part of the total local
division of labor, more likely the elaborated code.
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Friends and Family
Working class individuals have lesser friends than those who are in the middle-class, but
they are closer to their friends and see them much more often (Argyle, 1994). Argyle also
stresses that the characteristics depends on the types of neighbourhoods or social class group
lives. Working class in the industrial cities showed more homogenous neighborhoods marked
with solidarity, gossip, mutual help, and reciprocity (Arygle, 1994, p. 71). Middle class
neighborhoods were less populated and showed greater formality among the residents and
stronger desire for privacy.
Working class couples more likely have independent social circles (Argyle, 2007, p. 68),
while the middle class couples have the same set of friends. Both classes showed different
preference for selecting friends from the same social class as their own. Aryglye’s findings
showed that working class families depend more on their family rather than their friends (2007,
p. 78).
Expectations for Education
Kohn (1977) and Lareau (2003) discuss working class expectations for education and its
effect on life’s chances. Krauss (1964) theorized that working class children either their mothers
are employed before marriage, or who do non-manual labor jobs, are more likely than their peers
to have college ambition; working class children have greater ambitions for college if the family
has other family members or friends who attended college (Krauss, 1964). Lareau (2003) states
that two-thirds of the members of the society reproduce their parents’ level of educational
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attainment (Lareau, 2003, p.8). Sacks reports that recent analyses of family taxable income views
father-son income in relation of 0.6, indicated that a society is far more bound by the social class
rather than most dare to think (2007, p. 292).
Parenting Styles
Middle class parents are practicing “concerted cultivation” (Lareau, 2003, p. 2), where
parents view their children as their projects and it is their responsibility to practice or cultivate
their children’s talents. Summarizing her findings, the upper and middle class households have a
great deal of the ongoing open discussion between the parents and their children; the children
question and communicate the adults as equals, and children use their reasoning as a form of
social control.
The parenting style of the lower and working classes describes as the accomplishment by
natural growth (Lareau, 2003, p. 3). Reviewing her observations, lower and working class
households, parents are struggling economically; families often live in unsecured neighborhoods;
families are extensively involved with their extended families; and the children are greatly aware
of the family difficulties. Due to economic challenges of simply getting by, lower and working
class parents enforce clearer boundary between the adults and the children; they also use basic
direct instruction; using language more functionally; and can at times react physically most
specifically when their children violate the rules. Children develop a sense of constraint and
accept the actions of the authority.
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Lareau tries not to favour one parenting method over the other but, however, concerted
cultivation is demanding on parents and children and may develop a strong sense of
individualism. Constraint in the working class families prevent them from getting the help they
need in academic and social settings; some adults view working class children as uncooperative
when they show constraint.
Parents’ interaction with schools
Working class parents often feel ill in preparing to help their children in their educational
pursuits, they expect schools and teachers to play very active roles in helping their children
achieve academic success. Schools and teachers, however, often feel that working class parents
are no longer involve enough in their children’s education. These perspectives create an ongoing
tension between the parents and schools, as both parties view each other as not helping enough.
Working class mothers are also interested in seeing their children succeed in all different aspects,
but they are way more cautious in their own involvement and interaction with the educational
environment. Showing the qualities of restraint, conformity, and respect for authority that they
desire for their children, working class parents are more respectful of teachers, and generally
seek their input and guidance, instead of offering criticism and advice (Lareau, 2003). Instead of
being demanding and acting with a sense of entitlement, working class parents are often more
respectful to educators, and more willing to leave their children’s schooling to the experts.
Working class parents may not always be satisfied with the school situations, moreover, and may
actually resent specific curriculum content, disciplinary practices, and power structures in
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schools; instead of enraging in direct self-advocacy of the middle and upper class parents, they
hold back and vent their frustrations with education in family discussions at home (Lareau,
2003).
Summary
Education is for all just like what the Batas Pambansa Blg 232 said that everybody
deserves to be educated; the cost won’t hinder them to attain their studies. Being a working
student is not easy because they have several responsibilities not only for themselves, but also for
their family, work, and university. The study shows the different characteristics, traits, family,
responsibilities, and attitude of the working students when it comes to attaining their success.
Not all working students are supported by their parents; they tend to stand alone most
specifically with their decisions. Their parents are not participating with the schools because they
believe that the teachers are already the ones who’s responsible for their children. They are
overjoyed to see their children achieve something but they are not part of achieving those.
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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses the research design of this study, population, and collection of
experiences.
Research Design
The qualitative method, Phenomenology was used to explore the lived experiences of the
working class students in the university. Phenomenology can be a philosophy and a research
method; philosophy because it is a particular way to approach the world and apprehend the lived
experience. While as a research method, phenomenology is a very strict process of re-examining
what Husserl (1962) defined as “the things themselves.” Phenomenology is an another way to
think about what life experiences are like for people (Powers & Knapp,1995) and its primarily
concern is to interpret the meaning of the experiences. Some also said that Phenomenological
research explores the humanness of a being in the world (Bergum in Morse, (Ed.), 1991, p. 55).
The researchers used semi-structured interview with guide questions to direct the co-researchers.
The researchers gathered data through interviews to complete the study.
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Selection of co-researchers
The six co-researchers were selected using purposive sampling technique. The criteria for
selecting the co-researchers of the study were based on the following:
1. The co-researchers must be working and studying at the same time.
2. The co-researchers must be studying at Trinity University of Asia.
3. The co-researchers must be a working student for at least a year.
4. The co-researchers must be willing and available to share their experiences.
Collection of Stories
The researchers looked for working students in Trinity University of Asia to gather
interviews. Then the researchers sent a request to the co-researchers to conduct the study. After
their approval, the researchers conducted the interview on the appointed date and time. The
researchers built a rapport with the co-researchers. After that, the researchers made use of the
semi-structured interview with guide questions as their means to get the data needed for the
study. The interviews were documented using a tape recorder then were transcribed and encoded
by the researchers then after that, the researchers validated it to the co-researchers. After they
approved the authenticity of their stories, the researchers gathered the common themes and had
the first and second reflection. The researchers also produced the Eidetic insights and
symbolism. The researchers also constructed implications and possibilities for the future readers
of this paper.
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Reflection with Narratives
First, the researchers transcribed the interview from the working students by recording
their experiences and writing it after the interviews. Then, the researchers rewrote the interviews
and read their stories. Then after reading it, the researchers reflected their own stories based on
their experiences as a working student.
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CHAPTER 4
NARRATIVES AND REFLECTIONS
This chapter presents the narratives and analyses of the data gathered.
Narratives
Co-researcher #1
Patrice: The Combative Student
Our co-researcher Patrice is a third year student taking a Bachelor’s Degree of Secondary
Education major in English here in Trinity University of Asia. She’s already twenty one years
old and the eldest daughter of Carmen and Eugene; her father is a tricycle driver while her
mother is a secretary in a health care but resigned last January 2016. Since she’s the eldest
among her siblings, she has two sisters and a brother; her two sisters named Ryl Joy, nineteen
years old and also a third year student of Bachelor’s Degree of Radiologic Technology and Loisa
Marie, seventeen years old, second year college student of Bachelor’s Degree of Secondary
Education major in English. While her only brother named Gene who is a fifteen years old, grade
ten student in Longos. Despite of her studies, she’s also working for almost three years now as a
part time Study Coordinator Assistant. She’s staying with her aunties in Quezon City; while
she’s visiting her parents in Malabon city for at least once or twice a week.
I am Patrice and I am proud to say that I am blessed to have a
chance to work and study at the same time; honestly, my work is my way to
make my dream come true. Two years ago, I am a transferee student from
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Caloocan and taking BS Information Technology; I wasn’t able to continue
this course because it was never be my choice and never be my passion. I
took it once because of my parents; they wanted me to take IT as my course;
since I can’t decide what course am I going to take that time for the reason
that I am a fresh graduate of high school, I followed them and gave it a try
but after one and a half years, I decided that this course was not really for
me and I’m not enjoying in studying it. Teaching is what I really love so I
stopped and talked to my aunt who’s financing my studies. We had an
agreement that since I made my decision to shift and transfer to another
school, she said that she will be no longer give anything for my fees. So,
despite of the difficulties, I’m more willing to pursue my dream career and
agreed to her consequences. God is really good to me to the fact that my
other auntie volunteered to help me and said that she will support me in my
studies and my school fees. She also introduced a work for me which is
being a Study Coordinator assistant; she asked me, “Gusto mo bang mag
part time? Ganito yung kita tapos sobrang free naman, maluwag yung sched
at makakapagstudy ka.” (Do you wanted to take a part time job? This will
be the amount of your salary, the schedule will not hinder you so you can
have your studies). I got hired and after a year, I’m enjoying it so I continue
working while studying. My life doesn’t end there; despite of the difficulties,
I’m more willing to pursue my dream career and agreed to her
consequences. That time, I’m really desperate to fulfil my dreams and being
an IT student is not part of it; I cannot see myself typing multiple and
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difficult codes; I was thinking about my future at that time and I evaluate
myself that I really can’t excel with this because I only depend on my
classmate who is good with it. There comes a situation that my friends asked
me, “Uy tara! Wag na tayong pumasok.” (Come! Let’s skip the class), I’m
easy to be influenced by them because for me it’s okay to skip class. When I
shifted my course and left that college, we had a misunderstanding of my
father that lasted for one and a half years. My parents thought that
everything about me is just fine but they don’t know that I’m having a hard
time taking my IT course because when I’m at our house, it seems that I’m
just fine; not until they knew that I stopped and wanted to transfer. From
that, my father was always saying, “Ayan, ako may mga nakakasabay akong
mga teachers. Mga teachers, kuripot. Panong di magiging kuripot eh wala
namang kinikita. Tapos sa news makikita teachers ganito ganyan. Gusto mo
pa bang mag ganyan?” (I always have passengers which are teachers.
Teachers are stingy. How they will not be stingy? They don’t have enough
salary. Most especially to the news, they show teachers like this and like
that. Do you still wanted to be one of them?). They’re always implying that,
yes you have work but don’t have any profit. But for me, money is not a big
deal even though we really need money; being happy is what really matters
for me.
I’m staying at my aunt’s house here in Quezon City. As a help for her,
I’m doing household chores, babysitting my cousins from my other auntie,
and my grandmother; we’re all living together at that house. My parents are
26
in Malabon City; I was also staying there before but because of my early
schedule at school and work, I’m staying with my auntie’s house in order
for me not to be late because we all know that Philippines is known for
traffic jam but sometimes, still; I arrive late. Our house in Malabon is just a
bus away and you’re already in Kamias. I visit my family there in Malabon
once or twice a week; seldom because I’m also saving money for my
transportation, the tuition fee of my sister, and helping my auntie with some
bills. Life is not an easy road for me since I need to manage time for my
family, school and of course work. Since I am the eldest among the four, I
became a role model for my third sibling, Loisa. She idolizes me, every
passion that I take, she also wanted to be pursue it. She always wanted to be
the same as mine; among my three siblings, she’s the closest to me. I mean,
all of us are close to each other but she’s the closest to me so she’s also
taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English in Malabon.
In her first year studying, she told me that she can’t make it to be an English
teacher but as now, we sometimes have the same subjects and I can see that
she’s enjoying it so I saw that she’s improving. I asked her once, “Ano
gusto mo pa rin bang mag English Teacher? Ngayon palang pagisipan mo
na kung English talaga yan kasi mahirap kapag magbabago isip tulad ng
sakin. (Do you wanted to be an English Teacher? You need to figure it out
now because it’s really hard to change your mind in the end like what
happened to me.)” My family is not that poor; we can survive with our
everyday needs but sometimes my parents tend to joke around and telling
27
my siblings to work also just like what I am doing but I told them that no
matter what happens, don’t work I’m begging you that when someone is
supporting your studies, just focus on your studies because it’s really hard.
They don’t have any clue that you’re having a hard time because all they
can see is that you’re relaxed and at the same time earning and studying so
they see that you’re okay but honestly, you’re not. One of my greatest
blessing is that our English professors here in our university is very
supportive and not hassle to cope up with; unlike those other professors
which are very strict. They knew the situation and they care about you that’s
why I won’t regret shifting my course. Since I am an irregular student, I
cannot have the chance to be a dean’s Lister because you need to have a full
unit in order to avail that and I’m also not expecting to be one. I am happy
and contented that my grades are good. Sometimes I’m bothered with my
Mathematics grade and my Biblical Studies grade now because he’s strict
but it’s okay; I’m learning but I often arrive late to his class. He has that
policy that when you’re late you’re considered absent. I’m hoping to
graduate soon even though I have numerous back subjects on my second
and third year and I’m looking forward to graduate next next year. We’re
also looking forward in preparing money for my brother who’s already
grade 10 now; we’re already preparing for his college education. After
college, I’m planned to teach in my former school at Malabon City because
back then, when I’m was a high school student, I enjoyed everything and I
really wanted to teach there. I wanted to go back and see if my former
28
teachers are still there because I wanted to be part of the faculty there
because they served as my inspiration to be a teacher someday. I choose to
be an English Teacher because when I was in high school, I excelled in this
subject unlike Mathematics, we’re enemies until now. And that’s one of the
major reason why I shifted. When I was taking IT and saw the subjects
which are like Calculus, the codes which are plain numbers; at first I can
endure it because it’s only Basic English, Basic Math so I said I can surpass
it not until the next semester, “Hala anong nangyare sa grade ko?
Bumababa na; may tres na ko (What happened to my grades? I got low
grades and unfortunately, a tres)”. Until I decided, “Tama na. Hindi na
pwedeng pinagaaral ako tapos ganito yung grade ko. Ipapakita ko may
singko.” (This is enough. I cannot allow this because they are supporting my
studies and my grades are failed). I failed in that subject where we need to
connect a circuit and let it work; as the time goes by, “Hala pabongga siya
ng pabongga” (Oh no! the circuit is getting broader and uneasy) so I
decided talked to my auntie at those times and we had that agreement. I’m
very blessed to have aunties like them which are very supportive. Like now,
we’re going to have a Scouting retreat on Laguna, I’ll just tell her that I
don’t have my salary yet and we’ll share in paying it. My aunt in the
medical center is very supportive; I don’t know why she decided not to have
her own family; maybe because she is just thinking for our mother and for
our grandmother because our grandmother doesn’t have a partner already
so there’s no one who will take good care for her so she decided not to get
29
married nor have her own family; instead, she support her nieces and
nephews to their studies.
When it comes to my work, I am working as a part time Study
Coordinator Assistant. My work is not easy; there comes numerous times
that I cried and attempted to submit resignation letter to my boss because of
the effect of my work to my studies. So I thank God because they allowed me
to report at least two days regarding with my patients. Every day, from six
to twelve in the afternoon, I’ll go home and prepare my things for school.
It’s okay, I can manage but sometimes you cannot reject the fact that your
work is very toxic and tiring; super tiring. My work is to assist cancer
patients. We have specific study that the patients are enrolled to and our
study today is about breast cancer, we have four patients there now, the two
were disease progressed meaning they already stop studying and all but
they still need to continue the medications; but different medicine will be
given to them and it’s not from the company anymore. Sometimes they’re
asking me to be a nurse or a medical technology student instead but I told
them that I can’t make it also. Most specifically my auntie; she’s pushing me
to be a medical student but it’s really not my passion. She’s also working
there as a medical secretary and her doctor is also our doctor to our breast
cancer patients. Working in a hospital plus studying is a total work out of
my body because there comes a time that I’m very tired with my work; to the
point that I have a mischievous patient; there comes a time that they did not
arrive to the time that we agreed upon. The only thing I can say is that,
30
“May pasok pa ko!!!” (I still have class!!) Despite of that, you need to
choose between your class and your work. There’s a point that you really
need to sacrifice your class at school because you cannot left them so all I
can say is that, “Sige okay lang wag na muna akong pumasok, unahin ko na
nga muna sila.” (Okay I won’t enter class instead I will put them first).
There’s also a time that I have exam and I did not manage to review yet; I
have work in the morning, so I will bring the reviewer and then they will ask
you, “Patrice punta ka muna dito sa building na to. Tapos punta ka don.
Tapos punta ka… Nako bagsak nanaman ako sa quiz.” (Patrice go to that
building first then go there and there… Oh no! I will failed my quiz again).
There’s really a time that you cannot balance it. It’s not really easy. So I’ve
learned my lesson so next time, I won’t cram anymore and I will study at
night. Now, I only have one day for work which is Wednesdays. So after
this, I’ll go to my work and check if they left a note for me so that on
Monday, I won’t encounter problems like I did not able to do this or that.
Actually now I should stop working but my boss did not allow me to resign.
Most specially boss actually he’s my study every meeting and also where I
get my salary. I am his personal assistant; my work is what he’s going to
ask me to do. For example, “O sa Wednesday wala kang pasok di ba?
Punta ka sakin.” (Oh you have a light schedule this Wednesday, go to my
office). The good thing with that is, he will not lessen my salary that’s why I
don’t reject his offer. I’m also thinking for my aunt; even though she’s the
one who’s responsible for my tuition fee, that doesn’t mean that I will gave
31
all the responsibility to her; I’m also thinking about my transportation of
course because if I asked them for my transportation, that is way too much
for them. The other reason why I cannot stop working is that my mom
resigned to her work. That is where she get the tuition fee of my siblings so
it’s really hard. I can’t blame my parents for resigning because I know how
hard to earn money. So now, I’m giving a share to my aunt regarding with
the bills. Since I’m not that costly person. Sometimes I secretly give money
to my sister Loisa who’s taking the same course as mine. We had an
agreement that I’m going to pay for her tuition fee but we won’t tell it to my
parents because they might put all the responsibility to my shoulders which
is a great burden for me. I told her to save the money that I sent her because
when the time comes that my salary will be lessened, we have something to
use in to. I gain five thousand pesos minimum from my boss and every study
I take, for example, leukaemia, cancer, and any other types of diseases I
gain additional three thousand pesos. It’s easy to say that you can have a lot
of studies and gain three thousand pesos but in reality, you need to work
hard finding those studies; most specially that I am only a backup, meaning
they will just call me if there’s a doctor’s offer in clinical trial or anything.
In my work, when you say study, that means it’s the subject of their disease.
For example cancer, they will enrol to the study and we’re going to check
the patient if there’s progress. And when that progress happened, they will
call it a graduate; meaning they’re already free from the disease but they’re
still under medications. That’s one of my main problems that’s why I asked
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my sister, Loisa to save the money that I usually send her because patients
to one of my studies are decreasing and if that happens, my salary will be
lessen from eight thousand pesos to five thousand pesos only.
After college, our doctor is asking me to be a full time coordinator. My
boss doesn’t really wanted to let me go because they’re really motivated to
make me stay to do the job. Sometimes I felt irritated in my work because my
workmates are always telling me that, “Sus magti’teacher ka magkano lang
naman kinikita ng teacher tapos paguwi pa sa bahay trabaho ka pa. pagod
na pagod ka na.” (You’re going to be a teacher? There’s no profit to gain
when you pursue teaching then when you got home, you’re going to
continue working. It’s a very tiring job). Of course at first I got hurt but I
will just understand that they’re older than me so I cannot disrespect them.
There comes a time that I really wanted to give up because I really can’t
imagine myself working in a hospital; at the same time, it’s really hard
because you’re building a relationship with them so you cannot resist that
you’re going to be close to each other. They’re very kind and sweet so it’s
really hard to forget them. There’s this situation that they are asking me,
“Ma’am Patrice, kamusta po yung result ng test ko? Okay naman po ba
ako?” (Ma’am Patrice, how’s the result of my test? Is it all fine?). And then
after that you over heard from the doctor that, that this patient will progress
therefore the patient will be removed to the study. Sometimes you got used
to them texting you, how will you reply to them? It’s very heart breaking
right? Most commonly our patients are aged so they are very sweet;
33
sometimes they bring some delicacies for you. They are glad to know that
I’m still studying and sometimes they’re shocked to see me in my university
uniform. And then the next day they brought something for you to bring for
school. Those are the priceless moments to ponder despite of the difficulties
of everything.
I admit that the biggest fear in my life is to become a failure; if I failed
in my studies, I also failed in my life and all the decisions I made like
shifting my course and all will just a waste. But I really don’t know why my
faith still wants me to aim and work hard. Sometimes, I tend to ask God
regarding on what is really my purpose in this world; should I give up and
stick to the other plan or what? Should I choose my work and give up my
studies just like what my co-workers said then after that, what would be my
goal? For me, finishing a course is a significant one because you can
proudly say that I finished something. I can proudly say that I’m blessed to
have a very loving and supportive family. To my parents who are doing
their best to help us; even though my mother doesn’t have a job and my
father is earning enough for a day. Two years ago, I met Haries Eredan, my
boyfriend and we’ve been together for a year and four months, he did not
became a hindrance for me because he made me feel that no matter how
hard life is, there is someone who will not get tired to listen and comfort
you. I remember someone who asked me, “How can you manage this kind of
life? How possible it is that you can balance everything like my job, school,
family, friends, and at the same time having a boyfriend; do you still have
34
time for yourself?” Then I answered her, if it’s not because of them, I will
never make it because they are the reason why I have goals in life and why I
am working and why I am full of love each and every day.
35
Co-researcher #2
Enrique: The Mind Reader
Enrique is a second year College student with a course of BS Psychology. He is twenty
five years of age. He lived at Marikina City. He doesn’t have a province so he’s just visiting
China, Singapore, California, back and forth. He’s a marketing head to his work. He’s still single
and studying while working for five years. His parents’ name are Cielo and Emmanuel. He came
from a broken family that’s why he encountered many struggles in life emotionally and
financially. His father is an Oversees Filipino Worker who used to sell cars while his mother is a
call center agent after they got separated. His mother is half Spanish and half Chinese. He’s the
eldest child among the four. His sister is studying a medical course while his two youngest
sisters are autistic or a special child which fascinates him to take Psychology.
I am Enrique, a working second year college student with a course
of BS Psychology. My father is an alumnus in the university which I studied
from kinder to high school that’s why he brought me there. I am twenty five
years old and I live at the city of Marikina. My mother is half Spanish and
half Chinese while my father is a pure Filipino. I considered myself as a
pure Filipino too because I didn’t live with their customs. My grandfather
escaped China because the Japanese came to China and Chinese were
escaping to Hongkong and then to Philippines. Before, that was the start of
Chinese business here in the Philippines. My grandfather worked at PLDT.
He’s the one arranging telephone lines and that’s the time he met a Spanish
girl which is my grandmother and they got married. That’s what happened
to the love story of my grandfather and grandmother. I’m the eldest among
us four and I have two autistic younger sisters who fascinates me to take
36
Psychology. I came from a wealthy but broken family because my father left
us hanging. He is an OFW at USA and had an affair with a new woman so
he has a new family there. From there, my mother was forced to work as a
call center agent to supply all our needs. But that’s not enough since my
younger sister is still studying in a costly university that ranging from one
hundred twenty seven thousand pesos to one hundred thirty thousand pesos
per semester. So, as a young man, I want to help my mother for supplying
our daily needs. Before, we are quite wealthy but when my father had an
affair, all our wealth were gone. Now, I’m just renting an apartment here at
Tuazon, Marikina City. So I decided to stop in my studies and work for my
family at a very young age. I worked for one year to sell condominiums; I’m
distributing fliers and I experienced how to starve and eat just Sky flakes
biscuit and Fruit Soda soft drink. I’m too thin at that time. But when I sold a
lot of condominiums, I got my commission and from there, I already bought
my own car. So I enjoyed working because of the profit I can get and stop
studying. After that, I leave selling in a field because it’s uncomfortable. I
said to myself, “Shocks! Parang gusto ko na magwork sa office” (Shocks! I
think I want to work at office). So I look for a local company which is
looking for an employee who has a background on sales. Then I was hired
as a marketing head. I was the one who is assessing the customers on giving
them health cards. The customers will pay for that card in exchange for
health benefits and less payment. My basic salary in this work is good
enough to supply our needs but I realized one thing. I can’t be a manager in
37
our department because I don’t have a diploma yet. Since I stopped
studying, I want to go back with the course of BS Psychology. Before when I
stopped, my course is nursing. Nursing is not my forte. I don’t like it. It’s
really hard for me to study nursing because it’s just what my mother wants
me to take. Then I stopped studying and started to work. After a year, I
shifted from nursing to Psychology. And honestly, psychology is perfect for
me. I love it! Actually, my subjects are irregular. I have subjects for second
and third year students. I pay for my own tuition fee. I don’t want to think of
another course like education because I’m beginning to like psychology. I
also wanted to teach grade school students. I love children but I’ll stick to
psychology. Anyway, I experienced how to have nothing. So when I reached
here, I don’t want to go back again. I’m steady and can say that I’m a little
bit wealthy. Among my sacrifices, I really thank God for where I am right
now. Even though I can’t buy a house and lot yet, I’m now satisfied with my
life. So, my only goal for now is to graduate, have a diploma for me to be
promoted and have a bigger salary; also, I can demand on what salary I
wanted coz I already have a lot of working experience plus a diploma. I also
have struggles negotiating with people especially to my boss because if you
can’t reach your quota, of course, your boss will be mad. That’s actually the
life of a marketing employee. I don’t have the right to be mad back to my
boss. I’m a kind of person that’s jolly, noisy, and friendly, so I don’t really
know how to be angry. I believe that people will be inspired if you know
how to treat them well. Moreover, I also have struggles at school. Most
38
probably, assignments, quizzes, and examinations due to my work so my
solution to this is, I waste my time at the library with my classmate to fill my
losses in studies. Of course, I still do my best to study. I don’t want them to
think that I’m different since I’m a working student. I don’t want the
professors to give me special treatment. I want to be fair. In terms of my
expenses at school, I’m pretty much shock on the price of the books. The
tuition fee is expensive too. I’ll down ranging six thousand to seven
thousand or even eleven to twelve thousand. I’m still blessed because
honestly, I never had a problem during enrolment. If you have money,
everything will be fine. As I have said a while ago, since I’m a marketing
head now of such company, I got enough savings for my school expenses. I
save a lot because I don’t want to experience again what I was before when
my father left us. So I’m working and studying hard for my future especially
when I become old and can’t work already. When it comes to managing
stress and struggles, I don’t bring my school problems at work and at home.
I admire my sister for doing what I’m telling now. Even though she also has
struggles at school, I never heard her complaining from her studies. From
the fact that I also knew what medical courses students face; I know she’s
also facing so much stress even though she’s not a working student. My
motto is that, your problem at school must stay at school. Your problem at
work must stay at work. And your problem inside your home must stay at
your home. Everything must be balanced. Anyway, I got used to have girls
in my company since I’m the only boy in the family. I love working with girls
39
not to flirt with them but to be encouraged by them. Girls are more
responsible than boys. Girls are quite different from boys especially on
budgeting. If you’ll differentiate girls from boys in terms of a monthly
budget, boys do actually give money to a girl then the girl will balance
everything. So I admire girls for doing those things. It’s hard to be a
woman. Actually I have a friend who is a working student also and at the
same time, she already have a child but she can balance everything. I don’t
know to the younger generations. They lack on balancing everything. They
only know how to manage their schedule. Everyone knows how to schedule
their time. Even me, I can do it. At morning, I’m working. At the afternoon,
I’m at school every day except Wednesday and Saturday. Then, Sunday is
my only rest day. Before, I tried to balance my schedule from Monday to
Friday, always at work and school and think I’m going to be crazy at that
schedule. But now, Saturday, I’ll rest and hang up with friends. And Sunday,
I’ll go to church because I’m a Christian too. I came from a Christian
family so I know how to be disciplined. I don’t have any vices. I don’t even
know how to play billiards since I was high school. But when I turned to
college, I got involved to it. Before, I’m attending at the Victory church
every Sunday. But now, I don’t have much time even to my love life. Even
though you admire someone, since you don’t have time, I’ll just forget about
it. And honestly, love life is a distraction for me. Anyway, everything must
be in order. Everything must be disciplined. Especially in the case of money.
As a Christian, it’s automatic for us to give the ten percent of your salary to
40
bring it back for the Lord. It is the tithes that you give back to God. You
know, if you don’t bring an offering to God, your life will be chaotic or
miserable. Whenever you’re down, God is always there to help and guide
you. He will lift you up and provide all your needs. God is maybe slow in
answering our prayers sometimes but He was never been late. Sometimes,
I’m just amazed that, “Where will I get money for my expenses?” then
suddenly, there comes a check that will be issued for that particular
expenses. There was a time that I also experienced to have so much money.
Instead of wasting my money on something, especially on making my car
more adorable because that’s my vice before, I bought a new car that is
more economic friendly and that’s it. Before, I was too much confident that
my money will last forever so I wasted my money to friends, I’m going to
bars and so on. I spend twenty thousand for that happiness for only a day.
It’s good to experience those things but don’t forget your limitations. Since
that time, I got a maximum of two hundred thousand pesos commission a
month for selling a condo unit. Every month, that company’s sales has a
minimum of one million and the three percent of it was mine but when I
graduated, I will also be promoted and my salary will be doubled. When I
look at it, I remember my past life and I can now say, “Anong nangyari sa
buhay ko ngayon?” (What happened to my life now?). I was really blessed.
After six to eight months, I realized that selling condominium unit for now is
quite difficult. Before, I met a networker, he has a friend that’s buying a
condo unit so I grabbed that opportunity. Anyway, my goal for now is to
41
graduate so that I can buy a new house and lot. When it comes to education,
everyone needs it. Education gives you right discipline. Never stop learning
because the only thing that we can be proud of. Life without education is
chaotic. Honestly, if I became a politician, I will offer free education for all
students. For me, uneducated people are more sensitive and experiencing a
lot of depression because that’s what I learned in psychology. This is the
end of my story.
42
Co-researcher #3
Kenji: The Energetic Student
Introducing our co-researcher, Kenji, a third year college student having fourth year subjects
in Marketing. He was born in the twentieth of May so he’s now twenty two years old. He lived at
Quezon City, Philippines. The province of his parents is Tarlac but they are now living here in
Quezon City. They are four children of his parents and he’s the third one. His siblings are all
ladies with the age of twenty five, twenty four, and eighteen, respectively. He is working as a
call center agent in a technical support. While his sisters are working in New Zealand, fifth year
college with the course of Engineering, and a senior high school, respectively. His eldest sister,
the one who is working at New Zealand, she’s an online English teacher now. It’s just her
temporary work here in the Philippines for two to three months.
I am Kenji, a third year college student having fourth year subjects in
Marketing. I choose the course marketing because I’m a talkative person
and I know how to socialize with other people. I’m not a handsome or good
looking man but I know, I have a charisma to entice people on buying my
product. Anyway, before that, I was born on May twenty nineteen ninety
three. Before, I was living at Tarlac with my parents but since my parents
bought a lot at Quezon City, they decided to transfer there. We are just an
average family and still surviving. Since my parents are old enough, I
decided to work while studying as a call center agent. At first, it is hard to
cope up with this job because it has many struggles like you can’t sleep at
the right sleeping hours. I need to do some vices like smoking to stay still
and be awake. I drink more coffee and pinching myself whenever I’m
snoring. Being a working student is really hard but I’m trying to do my best
43
not to stress out myself because I’m doing this for my parents and for my
future. But later on, I was able to enjoy it even though it’s hard. Anyway, if
you’re thinking on how can I work while studying? The answer is this. I ask
my boss or our team leader to give a nice slot or time for me since I’m still
studying. So they’re giving me a night shift like nine o’ clock in the evening
to six o’ clock in the morning and after that, I’ll go directly to school
because last semester, my school hours are from seven thirty in the morning
to twelve o’ clock in the afternoon. I really don’t have time to sleep. I was
already in school uniform in my work and it’s fine because I’m still taking a
bath so there’s nothing wrong with that. Anyway, I’m not that outstanding
in school. In fact, I also have struggles in studying. Struggles in a way, you
wanted to be hyper or active but you don’t have enough energy to socialize
with your classmates. You feel much drained. But the good thing there, you
can focus on listening to your professor. For me, listening is not enough but
I have no choice so I only recite whenever I have called. I thank God
because my professors are kind and understanding but actually, I don’t use
my work as an excuse to them like, “Sorry po Ma’am may trabaho po kasi
ako” (I’m sorry Ma’am because I have a work). No…I hate saying that. It’s
not their fault for me to reason out those things. I am just a normal student
but as much as possible, I don’t want to be absent. By the way, I got a
perfect attendance last semester same goes in my work; I didn’t usually
commit absences and that’s the best thing I can be proud of. Since my work
needs a perfect attendance also, that’s why I adopted that kind of attitude at
44
school. I became an inspiration to my friends. In spite of my work, I can still
do my assignments well and excel in my studies because it’s just a matter of
time management. What’s the sense of working when you don’t study well?
What’s the sense of paying my own tuition fee if I can’t make better in
school? My goal is to finish my course and not to work only. It’s important
to finish your studies to be called an achiever. When you had that title, you
can’t be fooled by anyone. Sometimes, I’m sit in to my important subjects
because I really wanted to learn for my future. So, for now, I limit my time
on friends. Whenever my friends are celebrating their birthdays, I wasn’t
able to come. Sometimes, I still workout for my fitness and in terms of my
family, of course I’m inspired by them. In fact, they are really proud of me.
When I have no classes, they really spend time with me so well. They
prepare special foods for me and treat me wherever I want. Anyway, if
you’re wandering on why I’m still studying…it’s because I shifted a course.
Before, when I was still young, I took education for granted. I devalue
education so I took BS Math and shifted during my first year of college. If
only I value education early, maybe I’m not suffering that much. Now that I
knew the best course for me, I am really working hard to prosper. I’m
planning to have a business after I graduate. I don’t want to be an employee
anymore because I knew and experienced how to be one. Being an employee
means being under on the rules and regulations of your employer especially
in my work right now. If I am in duty, of course, sleeping is really forbidden.
And if you are late or absent, the responsibilities apted to you will be passed
45
to your team members. For example, if you are ten members in a team and
you are absent, the works to be done supposedly by ten members, will be
done only by nine members so the burden will be theirs. During the call
hours, sometimes there are Spanish who are calling so I will shift it into
Spanish queue but most of the time, it is ninety nine percent English people
are calling. Even though we can’t understand the others, we are forbidden
to hang up the call. We are going to ask them, “Do you speak sa ganong
language?” (Do you speak with this language?) And if they answered “no”,
we call a friend who knows that language and translate it for us. By the
way, I’m working in Ortigas. Moving forward, I don’t have much problem
on paying my tuition fee but if there’s such, I will borrow money from my
friends. I’ll tell them, “oy, uutang ako sayo…bayaran kita sa pagsweldo ko”
(Hey, I’ll borrow a money from you…I’ll pay you when I got my salary). I
don’t want to borrow a money from my parents because I am shy. But
sometimes, I borrow an average of twenty pesos. To be honest, I am a costly
person. Aside from buying so much foods, after I get my salary, I’ll spend it
right away for my clothes, shoes and anything I want to buy. I can’t reach
those kind of habit without a dream. My plan after college is to have a
business about pest control just like our family business. All you have to do
is to seat back and relax. You just need a telephone and wait for a
customer’s call. They don’t need to walk in to purchase my product. That’s
how convenient it was. Most likely, advertisements in the internet usually
help and just like us, they will just call and inquire. In terms of the
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pesticides, we already have suppliers so everything is settled. Our family
business was established nationwide last year and now, it will be having an
anniversary. That how effective it was. But before handling a business, I
should learn first how to manage money properly. As I have said a while
ago, I’m a costly person. And not all the time, your parents will be there to
support you so we must learn to be dependent. Even though I’m a costly
person, I’m trying to overcome it. From now on, I will pursue the “Less
Wants” goal.
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Co-researcher#4
Yuan: The Independent Working Student
Yuan is a second year Medical Technology student in Trinity University of Asia;
irregular student, twenty years old. He is living in Novaliches Quezon City. He was born in Las
Pinas City on August twenty eight nineteen ninety five. They lived in different places in the
Philippines like Baguio, Davao, Laguna, Cavite, Bicol, Marinduque, Bacolod, Nueva Ecija,
Metro Manila and many more. He is a son of a missionary pastor that’s why they lived in
different places. And each and every one of his siblings were born in different places. They were
six children of his mother Eve and father David; the eldest whom graduated and a registered
nurse already was born in Bicol; The second is his brother whose working and went to abroad
last March was born here at St. Lukes; The fourth is his sibling whose taking Fine Arts was born
in Muntinlupa; And his last two sisters whose at their high school year; the one is grade eleven
whom was born in Baguio and the last one is grade nine whom was born in Davao. His dad is a
missionary pastor, graduate of Theology and currently studying Masters of Divinity (MDIV)
while his mom is a Ministry worker and a former staff of Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) and
a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Accounting and Partners in Ministries
(PIM); they are both pasturing in House Church Movement-Philippines under First Born
Equippers for Everlasting Dominion International (FEED.Int) that is under of Philippine Council
of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) and his dad is the founder. He’s born in a Christian family;
raise by his parents in rules and restrictions and most of all, fear of God.
I am Yuan, I started working when I was sixteen or seventeen years
old and I take college until eighteen years old which was being supported by
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my parents, but when I turned eighteen years old which is a legal age I
decided to work for myself. At that time, I started working in bars as a
musician with my band or I’m being hired to play an instrument in bars and
restaurants located in Nueva Ecija; teaching guitar, and networking as my
part time job when I was eighteen to nineteen years old; all at once. Until
we moved here in Manila, I worked at SM Supermarket as a customer
assistant; I am directly hired by SM (Shoe-mart) so my task is to lead the
merchants or tenants in selling at the market place; merchants and tenants
are the ones who are renting a selling stall or some area for their product at
SM Supermarket. I am handling foods and beverages on the fresh goods and
sometimes we used to clean at the same time supervising them. I can also be
a bagger, selling clerk, however, merchants cannot command me what to
do, because we tend to supervise them and we’re also being supervised by
our supervisors and they are the ones who can command us because they
are superior from us. So after working in a very tiring market, I had the
courage to study again and back to teaching guitar and playing an
instrument in bars as my part time job again. After working at SM while
studying, I hunt for a better job and found a job in a company as a full time
customer service representative. I chose to be a customer service
representative for me to be able to work at night time and study at day time.
Since I’m living in a secluded place of an international community that
we’re surrounded by different nationalities, like Koreans, Nigerians, Sri
Lankans, Americans, Indians, etc., so we need to speak a language that all
49
can understand which is English even in our house or else they won’t
understand us. And I think that is one of the reasons why I became a
customer service representative. For that, I need to report for work nine
hours a day and five days a week; tiring right? to work nine hours a night
while studying in the day is kind of challenging, however I did manage it at
the same time, for in fact I received some awards and one of the highlights
is being a “Top Performing Agent of the Year” that’s why I gained higher
allowance than the other agents and the secret is having a good relation to
customers and to the co-workers as well as your boss and also being on
time. I also discipline myself not to take absences nor late or tardiness; my
customers are also commend me to my manager which is also subjected for
awards. So when I enter this company until these consecutive months of
January, they’re giving me multiple awards which only just two or three of
us receive from the whole bank. I worked under pressure in that bank which
is located on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City; as you can see, it’s not really
connected to my course, but I chose it; I do have a background in
Mathematics when I was in high school because I became top in our Math
subject. So they were asking why I did not follow the path of my mother,
which is a graduate of accountancy; why not engineering which is more
about Math? Because for me, I don’t want to focus on something that I
excelled already instead focus on my weakness and strengthen it. Some even
say that they can’t believe that I’m receiving numerous awards because I’m
still studying at the same time, I can manage to be on top. And it’s quite
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usual that if you’re on top, someone is going to pull you down; honestly,
there were some agents wanted to pull me down at that company; however
some of them likes me, and appreciate what I am doing. Actually they were
promoting me to become in a higher position but I rejected it because I told
them that if they’re going to promote me, I need to work full time and more
effort unlike being an agent that still have time to relax because the only
problem of an agent is himself; unlike being the team leader, more
responsibility that you need to take, first is your members second is yourself,
and that will consume a lot of time for me as a student on the other side. I
used to do great effort on my work, maybe that’s the reason why they gave
me numerous offer of promotions however I refuse to take it for my studies
sake. I receive not only awards but also memos of cases of violation. When
it comes to banks or even private or high security companies, when you had
a violation they called it a case; case because we undergo hearings unlike
other lower sectors of companies, they only requires a written report. I used
to receive cases twice in a row already because sometimes I get so sleepy
which is a big “NO” to our job; even though you’re just napping, it is not
allowed. So in my case, I had done it so I had a case. Actually, it’s okay for
us to take a nap but you don’t have to get caught doing it but on my case, I
caught by my co-agent, my friend before and told it to my manager so I got
a violation at that time. There’s several people also doing it but since I’m on
top and I do have plenty offers of promotions while they haven’t, so they
wanted to pull me down. But I told them that they have the rights to report
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me, I don’t have the rights to be mad or become angry at them, perhaps, I
still treat them as a friend. They are entitled to the things that you’re going
to say or what you say. You can say whatever you wanted to say to me but
I’m the only one who can prove those things that you’ve said. For example,
you can say every bad things to person; it’s your right to do that but unless
the person proved it, that’s the only time that you can give the judgement.
That’s the only time that you can prove that what you’re saying about me is
true. That was your own perspective about me and I will respect those but I
can assure you that when you got promoted and reach the peak, you’re
going to ask me to be your friend; well, that’s life. You can only understand
the person when you are on his/her situation.
One of the reasons why I’m working is because when I was
seventeen, someone was financing my studies at States because my dad is
supported by the States. She’s not a missionary but she is working in States
and supporting my dad’s ministry here in the Philippines; we call her aunt
even she’s not our relative at all. Most missionary here in the Philippines
were supported by the US citizen Filipino because they knew the life of the
missionaries here in the Philippines. So one of them is supporting my family
but unfortunately that woman that we called aunt died because of Cancer.
She also support our eldest sister whom graduated and a registered nurse
already. So at that time, my eldest sister graduated; my older brother was
third year college while I am incoming first year college when she died so
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we stopped studying. She doesn’t even have a husband. So when she died,
we lost some huge support so we need to support ourselves. Although we
still have support, but only from the Philippines no longer from the States.
Because that time also there is a kind of hardship in States, so totally there
is no support coming from States. So from that, I stopped studying in the
university in Nueva Ecija, Cabanatuan City for two semester and continued
it, for I have a work and I am able to support myself, then I transferred here
in Trinity University of Asia, as a second Year Irregular. And I decided that
since I’m above eighteen, I will work and support myself as I am used to do,
besides, I also wanted to work because I wanted to become fully
independent person because if I am working, I can do things that I wanted
to do because I’m independent or as I called it responsible enough. That I
am not asking for my tuition fee anymore; I can manage my own self and
they cannot dictate me when it comes to buying things because when they
are financing my studies before, there are so many restrictions,
computation, accounting, and everything is recorded until to the last cents.
For example, they’re forbidding me to have girlfriend, I need to look at the
price before I buy some things, not allowed to be in the band, I’m limited to
their commands and that is because I’m supported by them so that it is a
must to obey them even though sometimes it’s absurd . So it seems like
you’re chained and limited. And now that I’m earning on my own work;
everything that I am having now like my clothes, my bag, my phone, my
laptop, everything with quality and kind of expensive came from me without
53
hearing any accounting from them. I’m also supporting myself in food,
allowances and transportation expenses. Except of course the house that we
are living. Sometimes I got shocked because they’re giving me gifts but I
was not asking for it; but besides that, everything that I owned in our house
is a fruit of my labor; however I get ten percent of all my earnings and I
give it to them as my tithes to the Lord. In Christian beliefs the ten percent
of your earning is you tithes. Then sometimes when my siblings needed some
money, my hands are open to give them what I can give. So, I’m proud to
say that since I started working, I became independent and never asked
them again anything that I need. I’m also supporting myself in studies, so
they’re happy for me because my earnings are going to my studies. But they
really don’t know what I am outside; they don’t have the opportunity to
supervise me on the outside. So sometimes I disregard my family to the fact
that sometimes I realize that I also needed to put them first. But so far, I can
do ministry in church, schooling, and working at the same time so I can say
that I am a multi-tasking person. I’m able to do many things in order at the
same time. I have a responsibility at church which is the praise and worship
team, in work, and also in school. One time my classmate asked me if how
can I do those things at the same time. I said that when I’m at school my
mission is to study hard, and when I’m at work my mission is to work hard.
The number one key when it comes to multi-tasking is to be focus. For
example, we have quiz today, then that’s the only time that I’m going to
review or before that it depends if it is announced or not; and when I go out
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of the school, my mind is not on school anymore but to the other priorities
that I need to do because I do have plenty of works to do. So I let my
classmates see my notes about my work in the bank particularly in the terms
and conditions of the bank that if there’s a current customer, approach the
bank then they’re going to have a credit card. When they have that card,
you should know the terms and conditions so that when they ask you and
you don’t know how to answer them, you’re dead. So if the customers know
the terms and conditions you should also aware of it; it’s like selling a
product, you should know first the product, right? When it comes to
financial situation, when I was working at SM I also experienced scarcity.
Not only struggles financially, sometimes I’m also struggling at school;
since I do have less sleep, sometimes I tend to sleep at class. When our
professor announced a quiz for a particular day, I tend to review for that
while I’m working at the office. I’m also struggling in memorizing terms and
conditions of the bank, not only memorizing it but also how to explain it. I
can say that we are like accountant, we are not just computing but also in
explaining for the customers to better understand the activity of their
account.
I know that those struggles can benefit me someday because in my
work, we’re analyzing and experiencing everything so it’s easy for me to
understand what we’re studying in class. When it comes to debates and
reporting, I can handle it very good but when it comes to memorization like
55
the terminologies in Medical Technology, I’m having a hard time to
memorize but to analyze it is simple as if you are eating peanuts. But so far,
I did not encounter a lot of problems here at school since it’s my first year
to study here but now in my work, I’m not quite familiar with the account
that is given to me so I’m struggling a bit with it. I’ve been through a lot of
struggles but all I can say is that I can manage it by having a rest or a sleep
because sometimes I can easily solve the problem when it becomes a
problem already but when I got home, I need to stop working. Same goes
with the school; school activities will be stocked at school, work activities
will be stocked at the office, and home problems and activities will stay in
our house because if you did not organize it, you will never manage yourself
and you’ll get stressed. When it comes to my assignments, I usually do it
ahead of time because I’m not a fan of procrastination. So I will finish all
my task on the scheduler of my laptop one at a time. So I’ll tell myself,
“Yuan, may lakad ka sa ganito ganyan.” (Yuan you have a schedule to this
day and on that day) I’m the one who’s managing it so when I wake up in
the morning, First thing first after my devotion I will check my schedule for
the day. I think I have some advantages to other students; like having a
confidence to face unusual people or person and also I have the knowledge
to those things and I can easily answer questions instantly even though that
is the first time to read and encounter those lessons and I know it because I
experience it at work. When I read the terms and conditions, I need
understand it easily and fast because I have to understand it fast so I
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become used to it and I brought that experience to school as an application
of what I learned in my Job and thank God because I excel in both.
While there’s also disadvantages for me as a working student; like
lack of sleep and also I don't have time when it comes to social life. When it
comes to salary, twenty thousand pesos each month is the minimum and
when you have incentives, since I always have incentives, you will have two
thousand pesos per cut off so my salary will become twenty two to twenty
four thousand pesos per month. Each cut off is from day one to fifteen but
for its only two weeks or one week because Saturdays and Sundays will be
your rest days. Unlike when I was at SM, its fifteen days to have your salary
and from that, you only have two days day off; so thirteen days and my
salary there was six thousand pesos per cut off meaning, twelve thousand
pesos per month. And my salary now since I’m working for only ten days, I
receive nine to ten thousand pesos per cut off so sometimes I receive eleven
thousand pesos when I achieve incentives so twenty two thousand is the
maximum. So that twenty two thousand pesos I get my expenses which are
the foods; I ate five times a day including coffee breaks, laundry,
transportation, then my tithes; the ten percent of my salary that goes to my
parents since they are pastors, for my personal expenses and lastly to my
tuition fee and pocket money for school. Actually, in my job, you can also
gain a high salary at the same time, to be promoted when you got plenty of
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land call accommodation awards, like what I am receiving now coz they
told me I’m diligent in my job.
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Co-researcher #5
Micah: The Courageous Working Student
Micah is a thirty one years old third year student in College of Business Administration
major in Marketing at Trinity University of Asia. She lives in Bohol but staying at Makati City,
Metro Manila to work and study. She’s in a relationship with a foreigner from Germany. She’s
the only daughter of Adorada and Felix. She’s the second child among the four. Her eldest
brother who reached only until second year college and got their own family. Also to her second
brother who only reached first year college and have his own family also. And down to her
youngest brother who only reached third year high school and have their own family. She’s
working as a caregiver to a multimillionaire family at Makati City.
I am Micah and I was born and used to live in Bohol with my family but
now, I’m staying at Makati city to work there as a caregiver. I was sixteen
years old when I started to work as a caregiver to a multi-millionaire ninety
years old widow having twelve children with different good professions.
That ninety year old widow is suffering from Alzheimer disease so their
house is like a hospital every day. I’m the only caregiver that she wanted to
be take good care of her, she don’t want me to be replaced by anyone even
her sons or daughters. She’s really confident that I can take good care of
her. Sometimes, when I was at the middle of EDSA and Makati, I need to go
back to her house because she didn’t take her medicine if I’m not the one
who will give her medicine. Her two sons are priests, and she also has a
daughter that is a nun. All of those good professions that her children have
are doctor of all specialties, architect, lawyer, and the youngest is the one
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who manages their business now. Her husband was from a multi-millionaire
family and at the same time, he is a lawyer so even though they don’t work,
they are still rich. They also have a family businesses which are exporting
jewelries, building houses, and foundations. At first, I worked to their office
for five years and when they looked for a caregiver, I volunteered. I am
thankful to God that He has given me enough strength to continue working
while studying. It’s really difficult to study while working especially when
you are required to attend to school activities so you really need a full force
of time management. Actually, at my old age now, I shouldn’t be studying
because I’m already thirty one years old but since it’s all my fault, I wanted
to make things right through studying. When I was still young, my parents
are sacrificing and working hard just to give us good education but I didn’t
give importance to it. I’m really lazy and I don’t want to study at that time. I
prefer going to other places with my friends, and had a relationship. I was
the only girl among us four and I’m also the most mischievous one. All of
my brothers are already married even my cousins. I’m the only one left
single but its fine with me because I still have so much things that I wanted
to accomplish and explore. My eldest brother was only reached second Year
College when he got married. My second youngest brother was only first
year college when he got married. And my youngest brother was only high
school when he got married. Since I was at Bohol, which is a province so I
really don’t want to study there. I don’t want to be at Bohol, because if I’m
going to stay there, I will turn out to be young mother immediately. I want to
60
study at Manila because I saw how elegant they were. They are all beautiful
and has a fair skin and if you’re going to stay in the province, you’ll be
tanned by the heat of the sun. Then I said to myself, “Gusto ko rin ng ganon
kaganda at kaputi!”(I want to be fair and pretty like them too!). So I said it
to my parents immediately and said, “Sa Maynila ako magtatrabaho” (I
will work at Manila) then they replied, “Anong magagawa mo don?” (What
are you going to do there?) Then I answered, “Kahit ano magagawa ko
don” (I can do anything there) then they replied again, “Di ka nga
marunong magsaing, di ka nga marunong maglaba” (You still don’t know
how to cook rice. You don’t even know how to wash your clothes) then I
answered, “Kaya ko yan!” (I can do it!) Then they replied, “San ka
magtatrabaho?” (Where will you work?). I know, they already knew what
I’m thinking that I will work at my aunt’s office. Then I went to my aunt’s
office and said, “Baka may bakante diyan” (Maybe there’s a vacant work
there) then she replied, “Kaya lang high school graduate ka lang” (But
you’re only a high school graduate) then I said, “Hindi, kaya yan!” (No, I
can do it!). I’m really courageous at that time and I really mean it. I trained
myself as a caregiver because I really wanted to go abroad. Then, I studied
Computer Science for a year then I shifted to Information Technology. The
old widow, whom I’m taking care of, questioned me, “O, bakit IT?” (Oh,
why Information Technology?) Then I shifted to Business Administration.
Business administration major in marketing is really my choice but I
listened to their advices on what they wanted me to be in the future. Then,
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they wanted me to take culinary then I was shocked and said, “Magluluto??
sige” (Cooking?? okay) then I studied culinary for six months but I really
wanted to be engaged in business administration so, they allowed me. She
said, “Mag-aral ka na lang ng gusto mo.” (Just study what course you
wanted) then I told her, “Paano ka?” (How about you?) So they got a
replacement for me so I can study. Yes, they are the ones who suggested to
continue my studies. I said, “Ayoko nang mag-aral, matanda na ako” (I
don’t want to study anymore, I’m too old for that) then they said, “Bakit
ayaw mo? Hindi naman halata.” (Why you don’t want to study? It’s not
obvious that you’re old). Of course, I am shy because they will be asking
how old are you then my classmates are just fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen,
while me? I’m already thirty years old so I said, “Hala! Parang nanay na
nila ako” (Shocks! I’m just like their mother). Then they said, “Hindi, kaya
mo yan, pagisipan mo mabuti, magdecide ka” (No, you can do it. Just think
about it and decide) then I said to myself, “Oo nga naman, mag-aral na
lang kaya ako” (I agree, I should study). Then, that’s it. I already decided to
study. I reported it to my mother right away and she said, “O anong nakain
mo at bakit mag-aaral ka ngayon?” (Oh, what have you eaten and why you
wanted to study now?) Then I replied, “Hindi, mas maganda yata magaral” (No, I realized that it’s better to study). I was convinced by my boss
because she said that my salary will increase when I finished a course and
earned a diploma. They wanted me to go to Canada after I graduate but not
that fast because I still have indulgence to my boss. They are the ones who’s
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paying for my tuition fees so after I graduate, I will still work for them and I
won’t leave her and stay for two years. She has given me a lot of benefits.
I’m free to all of my expenses and I’m getting bonuses also from her and I’m
very thankful to that. I’m earning twenty thousand pesos a month and it’s
different from my quarterly bonus and yearly bonus. I put the half of my
salary to the bank as my savings then the other half is for my pleasure. I still
have time to enjoy myself with friends and go to bars not just school and
house. Sometimes, I drank with my friends even if I’m still in uniform
because I think that I’m still a teenager. My friends are really influencing
me so badly but since I’m a working student, I still know my limitations. My
boss is really generous. She allows me to go with her out of the country
before. I can travel anywhere with free fare. I already went to Hongkong
and Singapore and around the Philippines, I went to Puerto Prinsesa and
Boracay. I’m satisfied with my work and I’m really blessed. They also
giving me ride when I’m going to school but sometimes, if I’m really in a
hurry, I take LRT or a cab. About my parents, they are still visiting me here
in Manila every December or either way. I visit our province only for a
short period of time because I got used to live in a city life. There’s no one
that I can ask there to go out with me and explore the places there because
they cannot go out unless their kids are already asleep. I only go there just
to visit my parents but I don’t like staying there because that place is very
quiet and boring. You’ll be married early if you are in the province. And
also, in the province, even though you work hard, still it’s not enough.
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You’ll sow crops, feed pigs, and cows and so on. I hate poultry. Before,
when I was asked to feed and wash pigs, I said, “Yuck! Ayoko na ditto”
(Yuck! I don’t want here) then from school, I will go directly to my friends
and play with them. So I really do everything to get rid of that place. Now, I
invested a Computer shop and I founded my own house even though it’s
small, but all your needs are already there. I also have poultry in the
province. I lend money at the province to sustain my business there. I don’t
have much struggles in terms of financial needs because my salary is
enough to sustain my needs. Sometimes, I give gifts to my parents when I
have much money. In my work now, I learned already how to cook and be
independent. Even catering, I can now manage it but I’m not the cook there,
I will just command the chefs on what healthy foods they’re going to serve
for my boss. I’m an all-around employee of my boss. When she needed a
driver, I can be her driver. Now, my boss is having a colon cancer so I’m
very strict on taking good care of her. Sometimes, you need to talk with them
in sweet words because old people really like that. They will feel that they
are still have sense in this world. They need a lot of attention. You need to
be sweet with them because they are more sensitive and when you talk to
someone, you should also include her in your conversation. Just like dogs,
you need to be patient on taking good care to them. She’s very religious.
We’re always going to church no matter what even if it’s raining or stormy.
Then when the morning comes, I let her watch concerts. She’s always need
to be in posture and wears her make-up and jewelries even at her condition
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right now. I am sad on what is happening to her right now because she
can’t even remember her children. She always fight with her children
especially when her children give her the medicine, she’ll say, “Ayoko nga
uminom niyan…baka lasunin niyo pa ako” (I don’t want to intake
that…maybe you’ll poison me). Rich people are just like that. They don’t
trust anyone even their relatives. When they got sick, all their doctors are
coming from other countries and even their medicines are imported.
Sometimes, they don’t want to be operated here in the Philippines so they’ll
travel and take their operation to the other countries. I’m blessed because I
can’t find any difficulty on taking care of her. She’s cooperating with me
and sometimes, she’s asking me, “Inaantok ka na?” (Are you sleepy?) then
I’ll answer her , “Hindi pa po” (Not yet ma’am) but honestly, I’m really
sleepy because if she’s awake, I should be awake also just like you have a
child, if your child is awake when he is still a baby, you are very vigilant on
what he’s doing. Anyway, I don’t have a lot of struggles in life, I’m satisfied
with my life now, and all I wanted to achieve is to graduate. I’m very
thankful to my professors in our college because I’m not worried anymore
about my schedule in school. They already know me as well. They are very
considerate and they’re assessing me well. I don’t have any problem with
my school and about my assignments, I’m not that hard to cope up with and
I can do my assignments well. Even though I’m a working student, I also
have advantages. Working students are really working hard because
someone is sponsoring your tuition fee. I have less expenses because they
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are the ones paying my expenses but I also have disadvantage. Your time
will be divided and you’re really tired. Then, if you’ll think of your
assignments and work, you’ll feel tired too emotionally and mentally
especially now, I’m already a third year college student, I’m too near on
finishing my course, so I’ll be having too much requirements too like thesis
and I’m doing it at school because I’m not able to use computer because it’s
not helping my patient if I’ll do my thesis beside her. Computers or any
gadgets are restricted to her because of its radiation. Anyway, about my
love life, I have a foreigner boyfriend and we lasted for three years and
hopefully for more years to come. I talk to him in Bisaya but he can’t
understand. He’s from Germany and he’s migrating to the Philippines when
I don’t have classes, I mean if I’m in a vacation. I don’t have wedding plans
yet with him because I wanted to enjoy my life first before entering to a
serious relationship.
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Co-researcher #6
Kyle: The Spiritual Working Student
Kyle is a second year college student studying BS-IT. He is the youngest among his
siblings. He lived at Cubao, Quezon City. His father’s province is at Nueva Vizcaya while his
mother is from Bicol. But his father grew at that province and when he turned to college, he went
to Manila and in that, he met his mother. And that’s the start of their love story as the parents of
Kyle. He is twenty seven years of age. With that young age, he experienced a lot of struggles in
life. He is also a member of CCF church. He’s not just a member but also a teacher of Kids
church and a leader in their bible study. He’s really an active servant of God. He works as a
marketing staff while studying. He studied at different colleges/universities because he can’t find
himself in studying. And suddenly stopped studying when his father was diagnosed Liver
Cirrhosis. His father passed away due to a Liver Cirrhosis and later on, became cancer. And now
he’s the breadwinner of his family. Since all of his siblings are already married, he’s taking good
care of his mother.
I am Kyle, a second year college student studying BS-IT. Actually, my
works are contractual every six months. Before, since I stopped studying, I
was hired as quality assurance then after that, I was on and off at school. So
I decided that, if I can continue my studies, it still depends on the company
that I’m working right now if they will let me study again. I started my
college school since two thousand and six. I took AB Economics at that time
when my father was diagnosed in a Liver Cirrhosis. So, since my father was
at that stage, I decided to stop again for my family. I and my mother were
the one who took good care of my father when he was confined at the
hospital. I have siblings but since they have their own family now and I’m
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the youngest child of my parents, I was the only one left at our house so I
became a breadwinner of my family. I don’t prioritize my studies at that
time because of what happened to my father; so from then on, it’s just like,
come what may if I’ll still enrol or not. So, the policy of that university at
that time, there’s an allotted year for us to leave and we have a two years
chance for our leave of absence. So if we already accumulated that two
years of leaving, we can’t go back to that university and rather transfer to
another school. Of course, that university wanted that if you enrolled to that
year, you must graduate immediately but since my father was in a stage four
liver cancer, I wasn’t able to go back to school. My father lasted alive for
six years and then died. It was four years ago when my dad was still alive,
he asked me if I can go back studying again. I answered, I will continue my
schooling at Trinity University of Asia. But my mother said, she can’t afford
to enrol two college students. My sister is fourth Year College at that time
with the course of nursing so she graduated first and that’s the time I went
back to school. My mother left at home together with our family business.
She handles everything about our business. Our business is about organic
and natural. So we sell pure healthy products so I don’t usually eat in fast
food chains. We are not that poor because we can still eat more than three
times a day. I just decided to work and go on with my own. My aunt helped
me when my father was diagnosed through telling me to start living with a
healthy diet. When my father was still in the hospital, my aunt brings juicy
and healthy fruits for him that’s why his life was extended for almost six
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years. The doctor said, my father got his liver cancer from genetics. Maybe
his mother before doesn’t eat healthy food when he was in his mother’s
womb. By the way, liver cirrhosis is a slowly progressing disease in which
healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, eventually preventing the
liver from functioning properly. The scar tissue blocks the flow
of blood through the liver and slows the processing of nutrients, hormones,
drugs, and naturally produced toxins. It also slows the production of
proteins and other substances made by the liver. So that’s what happened to
my father; and that served as my inspiration to work harder. If there’s an
opportunity to work, I will grab it immediately because I want to earn
money for my studies. That’s the time I worked because I know, my mother
can’t supply all our needs because she’s also at her middle age and she’s
the only one working for us. My father, her partner, left us early. But, while
working, I can’t find an opportunity to study because of my schedule.
There’s a night, midnight and morning shift. Work is my priority at that
time. I didn’t like the way people working there because of too much
working hours so I decided to stop and look for my future but my father’s
best friend, who supposedly my boss, said that if I’m planning to go back
there, I’m always welcome. I didn’t answer him because I said to myself,
“What’s the purpose of having a job? Just to earn? How about my future?
My studies? I also wanted to graduate” I don’t have a choice actually. That
time, my mother said, “O sige, mag-aral ka pero anong work ba ang gusto
mo after?” (Fine, you’ll study…but what work you want to do after?). Then,
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I answered, “I’m a fan of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. So,
since her course was AB Economics, I also wanted that course.” It’s just so
happened that I can’t be at my former university so I’m going to find
another school offering AB Economics. Since I don’t find one which is
affordable, my mother suggested the school, Trinity University of Asia,
which is good in HRM, Nursing and Information Technology. I want AB
Economics because it doesn’t have a science subject. I hate Science by the
way. So I chose HRM course since it has no science subject. It’s just a
matter of cooking and cooking. My mother don’t like it because it’s costly.
Therefore, I decided to take Information Technology. At first, I thought, I
came from AB Economics which needed a deep analysis that whenever you
recite, it should be coming from your own thoughts and not from the book.
So, I underestimated IT. I thought that course was for dumb people. That
whenever you enjoy using computer, IT course is automatically your choice.
That was my mistake. IT is not just about computer. It also has Math and
when it comes to concept on making a system, it’s also based on your
understanding. So I was shocked and looked at it as a challenge. Before, I
was just looking for a challenge because before I turn to college, someone
advised me to take what I don’t like so that I will be challenged. I just
figured out that the concept of my classmates is not really to learn. For
them, education is just a diploma. They always said, “Tinuturo lang naman
to pero hindi naman yan maaapply sa trabaho” (They are just teaching
these but it can’t be applied in our work). That’s what they thought but they
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don’t know that education is really the standard of every employment.
Maybe it’s not that exactly but bottom line of it, it’s really a must. It
enhances your skills that’s why we get our major subjects to discover our
skills. You’ll say, “Ah…I’m good with this”. That’s what I always tell to my
college co-leagues. Since to them, being an IT student is just easy.
Sometimes they cut classes but I don’t tolerate them. Anyway, I’m now
excelling in my IT course. I really tried my best to excel here because just
like my sister, she was forced to take nursing because my mother told her
so. Before my enrolment, I’m planning to take thirty six units but I refused
and think that maybe I can’t do it. I got an average score of one point ninety
one and just a little bit, I will become an academic scholar. Someone says,
it’s regretful; but for me, I don’t think about being a scholar at all because
all I wanted is to graduate because I’m too old to study. Of course, if I
compete with the younger ones, there’s a great possibility that they are the
ones who will be hired. So for me, based on my experience on how I deal
with people, I already know the Ethics instead of school learning without
supplication. There’s no application yet when it comes to work. And now, in
my work, I’m talking to Vice President, Secretary of the Vice President of
the company. I don’t humiliate the younger ones but for me, I have more
experiences with the high-positioned persons. I’m also confident enough in
talking with them since every enrolment or every examination day, I always
requested the person in charge to let me take my exam with a balance. It’s
really difficult. That’s why I’m still thinking to stop and work again because
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whenever I have an examination, it’s difficult for me to pay my tuition fee.
Sometimes, I asked God, why He is letting me to feel this sufferings? That
every time I’ll study, I’m always problematic on my tuition fee. Even though
I’m a working student, my salary is just one thousand three hundred pesos
for two days but because of being busy in studies and so much projects that
needed money, I can’t understand on what is really my priority? School or
work? But the question is, why am I working? To study? I mean, you have
to provide for your own. So I really struggle on these situation. That’s why I
enter a lot of side lines. Yes, I’m studying while working but instead of
encouragement, I gain discouragement. Honestly, my boss is really
discouraging me to study because he saw my potential in their company. I
can talk to the high-positioned people and I can close a deal. He also said
to me that, “O Kyle, after mo mag-aral, anong magiging trabaho mo?
Twenty seven ka na…sa tingin mo capable ka pa na lumaban sa mga fresh
graduates na mas competitive sayo? Kasi tuloy tuloy ang pag-aaral nila
kaya tuloy tuloy din yung knowledge nila when it comes to their majors, e
ikaw putol putol” (Hey Kyle, what will be your work after you study?
You’re already twenty seven years old…Do you think you’re capable of
competing with the fresh graduates who continuously studying? While you,
stop and go) I understand what my boss said but, I really wanted to exit in
working industry because in my work, I’m not actually an agent. I’m just a
worker or a part-timer in that company. So every time I close a deal with a
client, it’s not that big amount because in an agent basis, they get
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commissions from the client with a range of ninety thousand pesos
depending on the product they sell. But as I have said, I thank God for
providing me all my needs for every day. I am really confused and I always
pray to God to give me a good schedule on my studies so that I can still
work but my schedule is always conflict in my work. So I don’t worry about
it anymore. I’m seeking for His will. And if He wills that I won’t do
anything. I won’t do anything that will compromise Him because if He don’t
want me to work, I know He will provide for me. Maybe not in the sense of
working as an employee but maybe on the other side of being me. Anyway, I
do direct selling even until now that’s why I carry heavy and big bags in my
school because afterwards, I’ll go to Natasha, MSE, Boardwalk, Dakki, and
Avon to get the order. But just like what I said, I’m still waiting for God’s
Will and it just so happened that we still have a store so the tendency is,
people saw it whenever they buy to us and they order. I was surprised that
God is really answering my prayers and from there, I had a new source of
income. Moreover, I also have another direct selling which has a higher
income but for me, as a Christian, I don’t want to fool others just to have
money. I don’t want to lie to them as much as possible. So I correct it in
changing marketing strategy. This is the direct selling of Herbalife. I
entered into this marketing staff and at the same time, I disciple them. I
share the Word of God to them so that they will not be misled. So maybe in
this way of…while you’re earning, you’re also executing discipleship. I’m
telling this to my group leader in church to pray for me not to prioritize
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money because when I prioritize it, maybe God will take my life. For now,
God is teaching me to wait for His will that’s why I don’t ask for more. I
just pray for God’s provision for my tuition fee and daily needs and for His
guidance and to be more active in church. I’m still dependent on the order
of my customers because as much as possible, I don’t want to stop it. It’s not
just because of money. I’m doing it because I already started it. I don’t want
to leave it hanging. In accordance with my spiritual life, I’m an active
member of Christ Commission Fellowship, wherein I serve God through
teaching in a kid’s church. I’m an active Bible reader because our Pastor
said, when you pray, don’t just pray, you should also read your Bible
because God speaks and answers prayer through reading of His Word. Just
like our teaching process, by teachers, how will they teach without
learning? How will they know their lessons that they’re going to teach? It is
through reading books. So just like us, how will we learn from God? How
can we talk to God? And how will God answer us? Of course, by Bible also.
So I put all my trust to Him.
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Our Stories
Haziel: The God’s Princess
This is Precious Haziel Del Rosario who is taking up Bachelor of Secondary of Education
in English in Trinity University of Asia. Twenty years old and eldest daughter among the three
of Helen and Rey. She worked as an online educator for almost six months.
Being a Precious Haziel Del Rosario is not an easy job. Not only as the
eldest daughter, but also the job to excel in every matter of ways. My
parents are not pushing me to become a top on everything but of course for
me, I wanted to excel for them to be proud of me and give that as a gift for
their hard work and patience for me. I was raised in a Christian family so
our lives are all centered to Him and only Him. Our family is not that rich
nor not that poor, in short, we are on the average family. We were raised to
be contented to what we have and pray for what we need. I am a multitasking person; I can excel in studies, sports, crafts, and many more. I was
raised by my father to be “madiskarte” (gumptious) in all different ways
that’s why I strive more to accomplish things. So I tried to work for a while
in an online company, me being an online teacher. I worked there for almost
eight months but my parents asked me to stop because they wanted me to
focus on my studies first. Being a working student for eight months was not
easy because there comes a time that you really need to be organize and
manage your time because if not, your life will be chaotic as hell. When I
was working online, there comes a time that I was so stressed with my
requirements at school plus the stress teaching until midnight with your
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students online so definitely, I don’t have time to finish my requirements
sometimes. But to tell you honestly, those times were the times that I can say
that I’m enjoying what I am doing. Even though I am physically and
mentally tired at those times, I can proudly say that I am happy on what am
I doing. From that, I learned how to manage my time and to produce my
own money and buy for my things. I also gained confidence and great
experience from my past work and now, I’m looking forward to see where
God will put me.
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Crisostomo: The Freedom Fighter
I am Crisostomo de Assunção da Costa, from Timor leste , I was born in Dili Timorleste on September eleven nineteen eighty three, I am thirty two years old now. My father’s
name is Alberto da costa he is a teacher and my mother name is Aurora de Assunção Sarmento
Quintão who’s also a teacher. In our family I had two brothers, I am the second, my first
brother is a Doctor of medicine his name is Boaventure Jose de Assunção da Costa and my
third brother named Leoneto Joanico de Assunção da Costa, a special child and passed away last
two thousand seven at the age of twenty.
During the Indonesian occupation, I joined to our freedom fighter to
free my country from occupation. The Indonesian government occupied our
country for twenty four years, from nineteen seventy five to nineteen ninety
nine. On nineteen ninety three, I worked with our freedom fighter, I was ten
years old at that time and my job was to help our freedom fighter. I’m
bringing their food while they were staying on the mountains. When I was a
high school student, I was not be able to enjoy my summer vacation because
I need to bring the food to our freedom fighter on the mountains. Sometimes
I got scared because if I got caught by an Indonesian military, they might
kill me. I did it for almost ten years. In nineteen ninety nine the Indonesian
government gave two options to our people (Timorese) to choose between
with Indonesia or within Indonesia. On August thirty, nineteen ninety nine,
the election began all over our country, and most of the Timorese chose
within Indonesia; so there was a civil war happened in our country. During
the election, I and my father decided not to stay in our house because the
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Indonesian military was looking for him and they are going to kill him
because my father was the target of Indonesian military in our province.
After two days, me and my father went back home to meet my mother and
my two brothers and then we decided to leave our home. Many people died
during the election and many houses were burned by Indonesian military,
including my house. For our safety, I and my family stayed in the
mountains. On September of twenty, nineteen ninety nine, the United
Nations sent the first troops who arrived in Timor-Leste led by the
Australian government to help our people. During that time I and my family
went back home.
It was two thousand and one when I enrolled in Universidade
Nasional de Timor- Leste (National University of Timor-Leste). I took up
Education Major in Chemistry until two thousand and four. During my
fourth year college, I worked while studying. I was a teacher in Eskola
Secundaria do Santo Antonio Manatuto (Saint Antonio Manatuto high
school). I taught chemistry for two years. Sometimes I had difficulty
managing my time because I need to travel for almost two hours from my
university to the high school that I’m working with; the high school is
located outside of the capital city of Dili and it is located in my hometown at
Manatuto. From Dili (Capital of Timor -Leste ) to Manatuto it took me two
hours to travel so I need to get up early in the morning at around five am
and prepare my things because at around eight am I should arrive in the
high school because my class started at nine am. I regularly doing my
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lesson plan because as a teacher we should prepare a lesson plan before
going to teach our students; that is our obligation as a teacher. At that time,
Eskola Secundario do Santo Antonio Manatuto (Saint Antonio Manatuto
high school) was looking for a chemistry teacher because there was no
chemistry teacher there because our country was still on its developing
stage at that time. On two thousand five I finished studying at Universidade
Nasional de Timor leste (National University of Timor leste ). My parents
wanted me to study outside the country and I chose to study in the
Philippines. In two thousand and nine, I was enrolled at Trinity University
of Asia taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English and I
worked in the embassy of Timor leste in the Philippines as part time job, I
stopped studying at Trinity University of Asia on two thousand and ten
because I encountered problems regarding with my passport. My passport
was expired so I need to go back to my country, so I went back to East
Timor and came back here on two thousand and eleven and continue
studying at Trinity University of Asia. After a year on two thousand and
twelve I met a Filipina girl so I decided to stop studying again and got
married with her in Cagayan Valley Philippines. After I got married, I
continue studying here in Trinity University of Asia on the same year until
present. And now I have a kid and we are living in Quezon City Philippines.
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Hatice: The Turkish Photographer
Hatice Eynalli was born on January one, nineteen eighty-six in Osmoniye, Turkey. Her
father’s name is Ramazan while her mother’s name is Sultan. They are four children in the
family. Her older sister and brother were already married while her youngest sister is in Senior
high school at Turkey.
I studied at Cumhuriyet ĺlkŏḡretim okulu (Republic Elementary
School) for eight years; then four years in high school at Anatolia Islamic
high school. After that, I took a one year course for the university exam then
got enrolled at Anatoia University. From that, I took a major in Islamic
practice for two years then after that course, I went here in Manila and
enrolled at Trinity University of Asia and I’m taking Bachelor of Secondary
Education major in English.
I was living in Osmoniye Turkey until I am twenty five years old.
Before when I was a student in the Anatoia University, I worked in a
bookstore for a year. It was before I went here in Manila. And I am proud to
say that I will graduate this June 2016. And for the rest of my life, I will
continue my life as a true and honest teacher in my country, Turkey.
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Reflection on the Stories
First Reflection
The following themes emerged from the stories of the Co-researchers.
Age does not matter. Out of six co-researchers, two of them are considering that they’re
too old to study but still continue pursuing their education. Kyle and Micah have the same
experience with this matter. As Kyle said, I don’t think about being a scholar at all because all I
wanted is to graduate because I’m too old to study. Same goes with Micah said, I don’t want to
study anymore. I’m too old for that. Education knows no boundaries; even if you’re small or tall,
old or young, you still have the right to be education and excel.
Most of the working students are too old to study because most of them stopped and work
for their families. So it took a lot of courage to go back to school and study. Our norms are very
judgemental when it comes to age of schooling so the working students really consider it as a
boundary among the young students who did not stop in their studies.
Caring for their family is more important than continuing their studies. Of six, three
of the co-researchers experienced to think about their family first instead of pursuing their
dreams. Patrice, Enrique, and Kyle experienced it. As Patrice said, I obeyed my parents and took
IT as my course once. Same goes with Enrique as he said, I decided to stop in my studies and
work for my family. Correlated to what Kyle said, I was on and off at school and became a
breadwinner of my family. From that, family really matters for them no matter what. Even
though their dreams and their future will be at stake, they won’t think twice to serve for their
family.
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Most of the working students or even us always think for the family. No matter what
happens, family is what they’re fighting for. Family is the reason why they are happily living
their lives to the fullest and why they work hard for.
It is a blessing to be working and studying at the same time. Five out of six of the coresearchers found out that they were blessed to have the opportunity to work and study at the
same time. Patrice, Kyle, Micah, and others have been experiencing it. As Patrice said, I am
blessed to have a chance to work and study at the same time. Also, Kyle said, I was surprised
that God is really answering my prayers. And same goes with Micah said, I am thankful to God
that He has given me enough strength to continue working while studying.
God really blesses the diligent as He says on Proverbs 13:4, The soul of the sluggard
desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Having a work is a
blessing because their work is their source of their income that is being payed for their tuition
fees. So, the working students really consider it as a great blessing.
Education is essential. All of the co-researchers considered that education is really
essential for them. Micah, Kenji, Enrique, Kyle and others witnessed that this thing is really
significant not to the working students’ lives but also for all of us. As Micah said, I wanted to
make things right through studying. I wanted to accomplish and explore. Same goes with Kenji;
as he said, it’s important to finish your studies to be called an achiever. While for some,
education is for them to have a good salary job in the future. As Enrique said, my goal for now is
to graduate, have a diploma for me to be promoted and have a bigger salary. Never stop
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learning because the only thing that is the only thing that we can be proud of. Life without
education is chaotic. Also Kyle said, education is really the standard of every employment.
Most of the working students value their education very much because it is the reason
why they are working and why they are aiming to be a better person in the future. They also
believe that having education can give you a good employment.
Graduation signifies success. All of the six co-researchers agreed that graduation for
them is success. Enrique, Kenji, Patrice and others approved that the key for success is to
graduate. As Enrique said, my goal for now is to graduate so that I can buy a new house and lot.
Same goes with Kenji as he said, I’m planning to have a business after I graduate. While others
visualize that if you’re not able to graduate, you are considered a failure. As Patrice said, if I
failed in my studies, I also failed in my life.
Most of the working students envision graduation as the key to success, another level of
experience opened, and many more. Working students are fighting for diploma because for them,
when you graduate you will have a decent job at the same time, higher salary pay.
Working students love challenges. Two out of six co-researchers loves challenges.
They do believe that challenges will make them a better person. Kyle and Yuan testify that
challenges can make you a better person because it will give you the opportunity to learn. As
Kyle said, I was shocked and looked at it as a challenge. I was just looking for a challenge.
Same goes with Yuan as he said, I don’t want to focus on something that I excelled already
instead focus on my weakness and strengthen it.
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Some working students visualize challenges as a negative one but some definitely take it
on the positive side. Working students believe that more challenges to come, the more they will
become a better person.
The life of working students is filled with struggles. Out of six co-researchers, all of
them are experiencing any kinds of struggles. Patrice, Enrique, Kyle and others have the same
experiences which are encountering any struggles. As Patrice said, there comes a numerous
times that I cried and attempted to submit a resignation letter to my boss because of the effect of
my work to my studies. While some of the co-researchers even experienced to starve. As Enrique
said, I experienced how to starve and eat just a Sky flakes biscuit and a Fruit Soda soft drink.
And also some experiencing struggles in financing their tuition fees. As Kyle said, I’m always
problematic on my tuition fee. But as life goes on, those struggles made them an overcomer.
Most of the working students are encountering struggles in life; struggles at school, work,
finances, or even family. But the working students know how to manage and overcome it
because they saw the bigger picture of life and they have bigger goals for their future.
Working students, the “great pretender”. Three out of six co-researchers tend to hide
what they really feel. They do not want to look weak. Patrice, Yuan, and Enrique experience it.
As Patrice said, I’m at or house, and it seems that I’m fine; not until they knew that I stopped and
wanted to transfer. Same goes with Yuan as he said, they really don’t know what I am outside;
they don’t have the opportunity to supervise me on the outside. While some are impressed by the
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ones who manage to keep their problems only to themselves. As Enrique said, I don’t bring my
school problems at work and at home. I admire my sister for doing what I am telling now.
Most of the working students are great pretenders. They hid what they really feel; even
though they are having a hard time at school and work, they tend to show others that they are
fine but deep inside, they are not. They solve their problems with themselves. And it is really
impressing to see how the working students tend to manage that.
Time management is life management. All six co-researcher believes that time
management is what they really need. Micah, Patrice, Enrique, Kenji, Yuan, and others
experience this. Life in not easy most specifically when you need to target multiple things at the
same time. As Patrice said, life is not an easy road for me since I need to manage time for my
family, school, and of course work. Same goes with Micah as she said, it’s really difficult to
study while working especially when you are required to attend to school activities so you really
need a full force of time management. Of course, we need to manage our time as Enrique said,
everything must be balanced. Everything must be disciplined. Same goes with what Kenji said, I
can still do my assignments well and excel in my studies because it’s just a matter of time
management. If you mastered the essence of managing your time, you will excel on something
just like what Yuan said, I’m still studying at the same time, I can manage to be on top.
Managing your time is like managing your life. Everything should be in order and
organized in order for you to excel in every single way. If everything is organized and properly
planned, we can properly finish what we are doing. At the same time, being organize results
excellence and that is what all the working students aim to do.
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To succeed, one must enjoy what one is doing. Out of six co-researchers, four of them
are enjoying what they are doing. Patrice, Kenji, Micah, and Enrique experienced this. As Patrice
said, I’m enjoying it so I continue working while studying. For me, money is not a big deal even
though we really need money; being happy is what really matters to me. Also as Kenji said, I
was able to enjoy it even though it’s hard. Despite of difficulties and busyness, they still have
time to pamper themselves. As Micah said, I still have to enjoy myself with friends. And also
happiness is being satisfied as Enrique said, I’m now satisfied with my life.
Being happy or enjoying what you do clearly demonstrates success because that reflects
that you really love what you are doing. It simply shows that you’re satisfied with what you are
encountering.
Working student don’t want to be treated special or different than others. Out of six
co-researchers, two of them do not want to be treated differently with others. Kenji and Enrique
experienced this. As Enrique said, I thank God because my professors are kind and
understanding but actually, I don’t use my work as excuse to them. Same goes with Enrique as
he said, I don’t want them to think that I’m different.
Sometimes working students are treated special because of pity on them by their
professors or rather understand their situation. Working students are normal students too, so they
also want to be treated as normal students too. Because working students have great pride and
dignity, they wanted to be treated as normal students too.
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Working students know how to limit themselves. Three out of six co-researchers
experienced how to limit themselves. On what Kenji, Micah, and Enrique experienced this. As
Kenji said, for now, I limit my tie on friends. Also with Micah who said, I am a working student,
I still know my limitations. It’s good to know that despite of the difficulties and struggles, they
still manage to experience pampering themselves. As Enrique said, it’s good to experience those
things but don’t forget your limitations.
Being a working student you must know your limitations because that will mold your
future. As we can see, the working students know how to limit themselves; when it comes to
studies, they study; when it comes to enjoyment, they know their limitations to the point that
they won’t go out if there is a schooling schedule the next day. Also, they know their
responsibilities because they understand that if they will not be responsible, they will mess out
their lives and they won’t be successful.
Working students became independent. Out of six co-researchers, all of them portray
being independent in every different ways. Yuan, Kenji, Kyle, Enrique, and others are
experiencing it. Some of the working students experience supporting themselves. As Yuan said, I
wanted to become fully independent person… I’m also supporting myself in food, allowances,
and transportation expenses. Patrice experienced providing for her transportation also. As Kenji
said, I’m a costly person. And not all the time, your parents will be there to support you so we
must learn to be independent. From now on, I will pursue the “Less wants” goal. While some
working students pursue being independent and paying their tuition fee is part of it. As Enrique
said, I pay for my own tuition fee. And also, as Kyle said, that’s why I’m still thinking to stop and
work again because whenever I have an examination, it’s difficult for me to pay my tuition fee.
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Most of the working students practice being independent by providing their needs and
live for their own. Being independent is a decision.
Working students want to be an inspiration to others. Four out of six co-researchers
experience to be inspired and be an inspiration. Kyle, Enrique, Patrice, Kenji, and others
experienced this. As Kyle said, to what hath happened to my father, it served as my inspiration
to work harder. As Enrique also said, I have two younger sisters who fascinates me to take
Psychology. Same goes with Patrice as she said, If it’s not for my family, friends, and boyfriend, I
will never make it because they are the reason why I have goals in life and why I am working
and why I am full of love each and every day. Not only to be inspired by others, but also to be an
inspiration to others. Just as what Kenji said, since my work needs a perfect attendance also,
that’s why I adopted that kind of attitude at school. I became an inspiration to my friends.
Being inspired in times of hardships matters to the working students. It is the essence on
why they are working. Working students manage to continue because they have an inspiration at
the same time, on the other side of the road, they became an inspiration to others.
Second Reflection
Further reflections leads to these following themes:
Being a working student means leading a life full of challenges. Education is very
essential to each and every working student that’s why they pursue it no matter what struggles
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they occur as their lives goes on. There are times that they are hindering their selves to acquire
education because they are too old and others might judge them because in our society, once
you’re old and study, it’s not a normal situation. The second great challenge is having a financial
needs. Working students are doing their best to provide their needs especially when it comes to
education. They are working their lives to the fullest in order for them to attain education. Third
challenge is that, family responsibilities. They don’t have enough time to mingle with their
family members because working students are busy enough to work for their family and also for
their future. Having a family problem is a normal thing because not all the time they can
understand what you really feels. And of course, as a working student, they don’t want to be a
problem to their families. And of course, school and work struggles are normal for the working
students. Struggles at school like having no enough sleep, being tired at work, and also some
school requirements to accomplish.
The working students were able to surpass the challenges of working and studying
at the same time. Despite of the difficulties encountered or experienced by the co-researchers,
working students are still surpassing challenges in life by managing their time most specifically.
Time management is very vital for them because if they do not manage their time, they will be
disorganized and would not be able to accomplish any of their goals in life. Not only time
management that matters, but also they acquired great inspiration like their family and their
future. They do not easily stress their selves and sulk in emotional matters because they already
know the bigger picture of life and so they really tend to be practical. They understand that
money is really hard to gain so they save it for their future.
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Working students are happy and enjoying what they are doing in their lives. They
understand the importance of education in all their lives. They already understand how to
manage independently and they too, know their limitations. Working students are inspired at the
same time, become an inspiration to the people around them.
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CHAPTER 5
CREATIVE SYNTHESIS, EIDETIC INSIGHTS, AND IMPLICATIONS
This chapter presents creative synthesis, eidetic insights and implications of the paper.
This study sought to portray the lived experiences of the working students here in Trinity
University of Asia.
The researchers used interview to collect the data from the working students.
Working students are willing to pursue their education or their dreams despite of the
hardships they are facing. They are enjoying and satisfied with their lives now and always
thinking about their future.
Creative Synthesis
Some of the working students considers their age in pursuing education; because they
became shy to know that they are already old while their classmates are younger enough than
them. Working students used their family as their inspiration and their family is the reason why
they strive harder to achieve something; also, for their future. No matter what struggles they face,
the working students are happy and satisfied on what they are doing. But sometimes they pretend
that everything is fine but deep inside, they are broken. Being a working student is being an
independent person. They all need to know their limits in order for them to accomplish
something. From that point, they became an inspiration to everyone.
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All working students are willing to surpass the great challenges in order for them to fulfil
their dreams and have a better future.
Eidetic Insight
Working students living life with full difficulties triumph at the end.
Working students are willing to pursue any struggle in life just to achieve their goals like
finishing their studies. They can surpass anything like their shyness when it comes to their age,
family consequences, financial scarcity, school and work conflicts, and many more. They can all
surpass those because they have a bigger goals to achieve which is to graduate. They believe that
if they graduate, they are successful in their lives and they already have stability and honor.
They believe that behind those struggles and hardships they encountered, there will be a
rainbow and triumph in the end which is being stable.
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Symbolism
This is the symbolism of the working students in achieving their dreams. The waves are
reaching the shore but they are having a hard time reaching it because there are plenty of stones
that hinder the shore but with the help of the currenct coming from the mountain, the waves
surpass the stones and reached the shore. Same goes with the working students; the working
students are the waves who are fighting with the struggles in life which is the stones but with the
help of the Almighty and Powerful God which symbolizes by the mountain, the waves can
surpass the stones and fulfil stability and their goals. For Patrice, her family happened to be her
stone once because her family doesn’t want to take what she really desires. Therefore, she’s
having a hard time taking a course which she doesn’t even love. For Enrique, he had several of
stones in his life. It started from the situation that his father left them and he needs to provide for
his family because he’s the only man in the family. From that, you will visualize that he really
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struggled and do his best to reach the shore of stability; from that, we can say that he reached it.
Also for Kenji, his stone about not having enough sleep and the need to manage his time and
money to be better in the future. Yuan, who had a struggle financially before and decided to
work for his own then excelled. Micah who had struggled pursuing her dreams to be stable and
beautiful. And lastly, Kyle who struggled for his own finances in order for him to pay for his
tuition fees. All of them have different scenarios, different stories, different struggles, but what
matter to them is that, no matter those struggles hit them hard, they will still try to reach the
shore and be stable in their lives. Like Patrice, Enrique, Kenji, Yuan, Micah, and Kyle, fight for
what you desires, be strong and fight despite of whom left you, knows how to sacrifice sleep for
your future, overcome your problems financially, be stable and maintain your physical
appearance, and be independent to support your own finances.
Implications
For working students
Working students should strive more to fulfil their dreams in life. They should continue their
education no matter what struggles of life will bring. They should be focus to their goals and
surpass the challenges.
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Working students to list their goals.
The working students should have their life planned. They should list their goals that they
are going to achieve in order for them to be inspired or motivated and at the same time, knew
which path they are going through.
Working students to know time and money management.
Working students should always know how to manage not only time but also money. If
they are going to be costly and disorganized, their lives will be nowhere to go and chaotic.
For teachers
Teachers should understand the working students’ situation but not in a way that they will treat
them special or different than others. Teachers should have a background knowledge about the
working students also; in order for them to give some tips to accomplish their goals.
Teachers must teach the students the importance of time and money management.
Teachers are known not only to provide knowledge to their students but also to make
their students better persons in the future. So as teachers, they must educate their students to
manage time and money always.
For the Society
Society should understand the situation of the working students. Society must not judge
the working students for not having enough time to spend on extra curricular activities. Society
must help the working students to achieve their dreams not to tear it apart.
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For the Future Readers
Future readers should broaden up their minds to accept the working students inside the
university.
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References
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APPENDICES
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Appendix A
Interviews
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Patrice
… Parang ang tagal na.. 3 years… 3 years… Hindi kasi ano bali college nako galing ako
ng STI yung previous school ko sa STI talaga; IT yung course ko don; Information Technology,
bali naka 1 ½ years na ako don nung nagdecide ako na hinto na kasi parang hindi ko na naeenjoy
yung study ko dun; hindi ko kasi talaga choice yung IT parang si… parents lang; kasi nung
naggraduate ako ng high school, wala pa talaga akong… yung parang hindi pa naka set yung
mind ko kung saan ako papunta. Pero yung love ko talaga, magturo… Oo. Nung ano… nung
nagkaroon ako.. Nung.. Nag o… kasi yung tita ko talaga yung nagrefer sakin ng work… na
“gusto mo bang mag part time?” ganito yung kita tapos sobrang free naman, maluwag,
makakapagstudy ka.” Nung nakatagal ako ng 1 year, kasi nagustuhan ko naman yung trabaho;
sabi ko nung kumikita na ko, total kaya ko ng pag-aralin yung sarili ko, ano, hinto na ko sa ano
pag sa IT gusto… para kasing iniisip ko rin yung future na, feeling ko kasi, dun sa course ko na
yon, sa IT, parang wala akong natututunan, tapos naka depend lang ako sa classmate ko na
marunong, tapos parang… ganon… ganon siya… Mm. Mm. kasi sobrang hirap ng mga codes…
di ko talaga siya maintindihan; kasi hindi ko talaga naeenjoy yung everday life. Pag ka nga ano..
kunware friends niyayaya ako, “Uy tara wag na tayong pumasok”, ang dali dali kong mayaya
kasi nga, parang okay lang… sa trabaho kasi sobrang blessed doon sa trabaho kasi parang mas
parang priority nila na makapagtapos… parang ayun na rin yung scholarship ko sa sarili ko.
Ganon.
Sa St. Lukes, diyan lang.. Mm. Mm. bali ang naka assign saken, ako yung nag aassist sa
mga cancer patient, meron kaming specific na study tapos nakaenrol yung mga pasyente don,
and study naming ngayon, brest cancer, meron kaming apat na patient don, yung dalawa, ah
nagdisease progression na kase; kaya nagstop na sila, pero continue pa rin yung gamutan nila,
kaso nga lang ibang gamut na yung binibigay, hindi na sa company nung ha… nagssponsor sa
study namin, sa iba nalang. Tapos yung dalawa ongoing pa rin sila. Bali… ayun nga sabi nila
saken, magnursing daw ako o kaya mag medtech. Yung tita ko, yun talaga pinipilit saken; pero
sabi ko parang sa aken parang hindi ko rin siya kaya… Oo, pero sinusuportahan ako ng tita ko.
Bali yung tita ko kase nagwowork siya diyan sa St. Lukes as medical secretary tapos yung doctor
niya, yun din yung doctor naming sa mga patientnamin sa breast cancer. Mm. Mm… ngayon dun
ako tumitira, tulong tulong lang din sa bahay, ayun, tapos alaga sa pinsan, anak ng isa ko pang
tita; magkasama kami dun tapos yung lola naming… tapos yung mga parents ko kase, yung
parents ko nakatira sila sa Malabon pero ngayon kasi sobrang aga ng pasok, para hindi male’late,
kasi sobrang trafgic sa Quezon city. Malabon ako bali isang ano lang… bus lang… tapos diyan
na agad; Kamias na agad tapos, yun… mas mala… mas mabilis yung travelling time, tapos mas
less yung late pero nale’late pa rin ako. Kasi before, ang pasok ko talaga nung nagstart ako,
pinayagan ako na at least two days ako na magrereport sa work tapos ang patient ko, every
morning lang bali, pasok ako ng 6 tapos 12, ang kadalasang kinukuha ko kaseng schedule dito
kaya irregular ako. Ano eh, nasa 1pm para meron akong time sa 12; hanggang 12 lang siya tapos
hanggang 1, makakapagprepare pa ako; palit ng uniform tapos kain tapos diretso ng school.
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Tapos yun. Okay naman siya kase… pero kasi.. merong pagkakataon na sobrang toxic sa
trabaho; sobra talaga. Yung pasaway pa yung pasyente mo, iisipin mo sila kasi wala pa sila sa
time na pinagusapan niyo na… ano.. papunta palang sila tapos ikaw iisipin mo, “May pasok
akoooo….” Meron talagang ano… time na kailangan mong magsacrifice na hindi pumasok sa
subject mo. Meron talaga kase, ano eh, mayayari ka, di mo nagawa toh; wala pa sila. Kawawa
din kasi sila; kasi. Kung iiwan mo sila, hindi pwede. Parang sa part na yon, kailangan mong
mamili; “Sige okay lang wag na muna akong pumaosk, unahin ko nga muna sila, parang ganon.
English… Mm. Mm. Sa… ditto na sa ano… sa Manila… dito na yung parents ko nun. Mm..
Mm.. Manila na. Oo. Sa Malabon. 21. Ikaw? Oo nga… narinig ko nga kay Divine. San k aba
nakatira? Ako naman, ngayon kase, dapat stop na ko sa work, pero di ako pinayagang magstop.
Ayaw pa nila akong paalisin. Lalo na yung boss ko talaga, yung boss ko, siya talaga yung study
ko every meeting; yung ang tawag sakanya tapos sakanya ako sumasahod. Bali parang personal
niya kong assistant sa work pero parang… yung ano ko… yung work ko, kunware doctor, eto
uutusan ka niya, pwede din, pwede naman. Tapos, dapat mastop na ko sa work pero ayaw niya
tapos sabi niya, ano baka… ano baka pwedeng kahit, kasi nung tinignan niya yung schedule,
“Oh, Wednesday punta ka saken…” Oo. Sabi niya, punta ka saken tapos ang maganda kase don
kaya hindi ko siya tinanggihan kase hindi niya babawasan sahod ko. Kasi sabi ko, malaking
tulong parin yon. Kasi iniisip ko rin, yung si tita kase, provided niya yung sa tuition fee ko kung
magsstop ako, sige go. Iniisip ko naman yung transportation ko. Ano.. magkano rin ang
pamasahe… 36… parang ganun. Sabi ko, kung hihingi ako sakanya, parang sobrang anu na
yon… sobrang… sobra na… sabi ko… Parang na aano rin ako…Eh kasi yung parents ko kase,
bale apat kase kami. Tatlo na kaming college; yung isa, radtech ang kinukuha. Ah… English
major rin siya, 2nd year na din. Dun lang din sa malapit lang din sa amin sa Malabon, walking
distance. Tapos, ngayon pa, kaya sabi ko buti nalang hindi ako nagstop ng work kase, yung
mother ko nagresign na siya sa work. Eh dun siya kumukuha ng pang tuition sa kapatid ko. So,
ang hirap. Sabi ko buti nalang hindi ako pa umalis. Yun pa, hindi ko naman sinisisi si… yung
parents ko na nagresign si Mama ganon kasi ang hirap din eh tapos ang ginagawa ko nalang
ngayon, yung kinikita ko, ako rin kasi… nakikishare din ako sa tita ko na sa… ano… sa…
tuition fee.. ano, hinahati pa yun tapos medyo maliit lang kasi yung kita ko; ayun binibigyan ko
nalang din siya taps hindi naman siya ganun kasi weekend, nakakatulog din naman siya, di
naman siya ganon ka magastos kaya hanggang ngayon nakakasurvive pa naman… okay pa
naman. Tapos ayun. Actually, after college talagang yung doctor naming dun, pinipilit na niya
kong mag coordinator yung full time. Sihuro ayaw din akong bitawan ng boss ko. Kasi talagang
pursigido sila. Tapos ang nakakainis pa dun kasi sa work, usually yung mga katrabaho
naminparang sinasabi nila, “Sus, magti’teacher ka; magkano lang naman kinikita ng teacher
tapos pag uwi pa sa bahaytrabaho ka pa. Pagod pagod ka na.” Parang syempre din mas
matatanda sila saken, di ko naman pwedeng sabihin na, ano… hindi ko naman passion yon
madalas talaga sa work, hindi naman palaging ano din chill lang. Meron mga times na nasasabi
ko sa sarili ko na, “Ayoko na talaga… sobrang ano…parang ayoko na talaga ditto kasi unang una
yung parang hindi ko kasi naiimagine yung sarili ko na nagta’trabaho sa isang hospital. Tapos
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yung cases kasi ng mga pasyente, mahirap kasi pag nainvolved ka na dun sa kanila tapos hindi
maiiwasan na close na kayo kasi mababait naman sila tapos may cancer sila. Tapos hindi talaga
ganon kadali; mahihirapan, makikita mo talaga yung pain tapos everyday kahit na yung everyday
kukulitin ka nila, “Ma’am Eunice kamusta po yung mga result ng test ko? Okay naman po ako?”
Tapos malalaman mo sa doctor na, ay itong patient na toh, ano siya… progress siya. Tatanggalin
na siya sa study. Minsan parang ikaw, tinext ka niya, ano irereply mo? Parang ang sakit din sayo
eh di ba? Ay, tapos madalas kase matatanda na sila. Tapos syempre, alam mo naman pag
matatanda, sobrang sweet tapos dala pa yun ng pasalubong. Natutuwa kasi sila sakenkase nga
nun pa nila malalaman na, “Uy nag aaral ka pa?”, Oh ikaw pala yan, nakauniform ka, ganun,
ganun, bakit nakauniform ka?” Tapos mamaya, the next day, next day may dala dalang
pasalubong, “Oh baon mo.”Yun yung parang… Ayun yung isa sa mga priceless na ano sa
trabaho kaya kahit nakakapagod… minsan nakakapagod na sila yung… nakakainis toh… itong
pasyenteng toh. Ayun, okay naman. Sa tingin ko choice ko pa rin naman talaga eh.
Pagka’graduate ko, talagang kung ano yung gusto ko ayun talaga yung gagawin ko. Sobra. Tapos
nung umalis ako sa STI, kasi one and a half years nagkaroon kami ng tampuhan ng papa ko kasi
silang dalawa ni mama nagusap, tapos, akala nila okay lang kasi lahat; kasi hindi ko naman
pinapakita sa kanila na ganito ako, ganyan, basta okay lang ako sa bahay tapos nung nalaman
nga lang nila na stop na ko ng IT, gusot ko ng magtransfer. Papa ko palagi ng ano saken, “Ayan,
ako may nakakasabay akong mga teachers. Mga teachers kuripot. Pano hindi magiging kuripot
wala naming kinikita.” Tapos syempre sa news may ipapalabas,” Teachers, ganito ganyan; Oh
kita mo na yan. Mga teachers; gusto mo pa bang magganyan?” Wala ka naming, parang sinasabi
nila, Oo may trabaho ka, pero parang puro trabaho lang, wala naming kita. Parang para saken
kase, hindi ganon. Pagka may trabaho ako, mas ewan… mas gusto ko talaga parang hindi big
deal saken yung money kahit needed naman talaga. Pero, para kasing masaya lang. OO.
Panganay. Radtech. Oo, yung pangatlo naman. Ayun naman kase, ano… sobrang idol ako nun
kase. Kung ano yung inano ko, yun din yung gusto niya. Yung ganun, kasi sa magkakapatid,
kami yung mas pinaka close. Close kaming apat pero siya yung mas pinakaclose saken. Tapos
nung mga unang year ng nagaaral siya, parang sabi niya sa sarili niya, hindi niy pala kayang mag
English teacher. Pero yung ngayaon, lalo na sa mga subjects, may mga parehas kasi kaming
subjects. Ewan ko , pero feeling ko enjoy na enjoy naman niya yung pinaguusapan naming kaya
siguro sabi ko, improving naman toh. Tinatanong ko nga siya,” Ano, gusto mo parin bang mag
English? Ngayon palang pagisipan mo n kung English talaga yan ah kase mahirap kapag ka
ano… magbabago yung isip niya tulad ng nagyari saken. Yun yung family ko kase, di naman
kasi kami ganun…. Ano naman ako, nakakasurvive naman sa araw araw. Yung parents, hindi mo
maiwasan na, ano, hindi ko alam kung nagbibiro sila pero ano, mga kapatid ko na, magtrabaho
nalang din kayo katulad ng ate niyo ganyan. Ako naman, wag kayong magtrabaho; parang awa
niyo na kapag ka may nagpapaaral sa inyo, please lang magfocus kayo sa pagaaral. Sobrang
hirap talaga kase. Yung akala lase… akala nila kase, nakikita nila sayo, parang chill ka lang,
kumikita ka tapos nagaaral ka, parang okay ka naman… bakit hindi yung mga kapatid mo ganun
din. Hindi ganun eh, kase depende sayo kung paano mo dadalhin ang sarili mo. Ayun kaya sabi
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ko sa mga kapatid ko, magfocus lang kayo sa pagaaral. Mas masarap magaral kesa magtrabaho.
Mm. Mm. Oo. Ayun yung mga times na sabi ko na, kunware, exam, pagkatapos hindi pa ko
nakapagaral. Eh meron akong pasok ng umaga sa work, magdadala ako ng reviewer tapos
uutusan ka, “Eunice, punt aka muna ditto sa building na toh, punt aka don. Tapos punt aka…
Nako… bagsak nanaman ako sa quiz…. May mga talagang ano… hindi mo talaga siya
mababalance. Hindi talaga madali. SObra. Natututo rin ako kase, natututo na ko. Kailangan sa
susunod, di na ko ganito; kailangan magaral na ko sa gabi. Pagkauwi. Kaso nga lang, kasi
katulad ngayon, one day nalang yung pasok ko; Wednesday nalang eh may mga works na
kailangan gawin ng Monday, may mga submissions. So uwi, eto pagkagaling sa school, meron
pa kong oras; punta ko ng work; tatapusin ko. Kung pwede ng isubmit, isusubmit ko na kase
minsan merong ipiprint, gagawin ko na para sa Monday, wala na kong problema. Kase mamaya
nasa school ako may magtetext; “Eunice, hindi mo nagawa…” Ayun.
Mahirap din. Mm. Mm. buti nga kase isa rin sa blessing. Alam mo yung mga English
teachers natin, hindi sila ganun ka hassle compare sa mga ibang subjects na… kayang kaya.
Tsaka sobrang understanding ano sila, yung maiintindihan ka nila. Alam nila yung situation.
Mm. Mm. kaya masaya eh. Hind italaga ako nagsisisi. Mm. Mm. Sa amin pa din. Kase nung
high school ako, sobrang ang ganda kasi ng… parang tuwang tuwa ako nung high school. Gusto
ko talaga kung magtuturo ako, doon. Gusto kong balikan yung kung andun pa yung mga teachers
ko noon. Gusto ko rin silang masakama. Kase sila yung inspiration ko. Ayun… doon talaga.
Bakit English? Siguro nung high school ako yun yung subject na feeling ko talaga nag excel ako.
Kasi sa Math talagang wala. Bagsak super. Hanggang ngayon, di talaga kami magkasundo. Iyun
din kaya nagshift ako, kumukuha ako ng IT nakita ko yung ano… mga subjects. Nung tinitignan
ko siya, Calculus; tapos codes, puro numbers pa yung codes. Nung unang taon sa IT ako, okay
pa kasi sobrang basic pa lang ng inaaral na iba eh; Basic Englsih, Basic Math, okay nakakahinga
ako, okay. Tapos nung mga sumunod na sem., 2nd sem., “ Hala, anong nangyare sa grade ko?”
Bumababa na may tres na ko tapos yung pinaka nagpush saken na, Sabi ko,” Tama na. hindi na
pwedeng pinagaaral ako tapos ganito yung grade ko. Papakita, may singko ako eh. Binagsak ako
ng isang subject, ano siya…. Logic chu chu… Basta. Meron kaming kailangan mapagana mo
yung isang outlet na yun tapos may nakaconnect connect dun. Anu siya eh… anu siya eh….
Circuit. Ganun. Habang patagal ng patagl, prelims… midterms…. Hala! Para siyang pa bongga
ng pa bongga. Sabi ko, hala… Sabi ko, dun na yung mga time na wag na nating ipasa yan.
Bumagsak ako doon. Tapos dun ko na kinausap yung tita ko na, “ Tita hindi ko na kaya, total
may trabaho naman ako, mag… ano… turo. Sa tita ko naman, yung nagpapaaral saken, Sige.
Okay lang pero hindi na niya ako pinagaaral. Di na siya yung nagpaaral saken. Yung tita ko na sa
St. Lukes. Kasi nagusap sila na, Sige ako ditto sa kapatid mo. Sobrang blessed din kami sa mga
tita naming kasi support, sobra yung support nila. Mm.Mm. Andyan na siya. Katulad ngayon,
merong scouting… may bayaran. Si tita, kakausapin ko lang siya. “Tita wala pa kong sahod eh.”
Sasabihin niya, sige hati; kasi half palang naman ibibigay ko. Siya muna sa half tapos pag may
sahod na, ako na magaano ng kulang. Okay naman sakanya. Si tita Jen? Wala. Di na siya
nagbalak na magasawa. Kasi ang goal niya, iniisip niya yung nanay namin. Yung lola namin.
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Kasi walana rin siyang asawa. Iniisip niya lang, sinong magaalaga. Tapos minsan nagbibiro siya,
pano naman daw pag siya naman na yung tumanda, sino yung magaalaga sa kanya. Tapos
minsan sinasabi ko sakanya, ako. Bakit hindi nalang ako? Wag kang magalala pag tumanda ka
akong bahala sayo. Worry niya kasi wala siyang pamilya. 43. Ang sinusweldo ko monthly,
nakukuha ko, 5,000. Kaso, meron kasi kaming, parang sa akin kasi ang tawag ko dun sa trabaho
ko nay un, sideline. Kasi ang maganda dun is hindi lang siya isang isang ano, study. Maraming
study. So, per study, per bayad. Kunware, eto sa breast, eto sa leukaemia, eto sae to sa ganyan sa
ibang ceases may bayad yon pero hindi agad agad. Pagtatrabahunan mo talaga. Ayun sila. Bale
ako, back up lang ako. Bali ano yun… mga doctors, may nagooffer sa kanila, eto clinical trial,
papasok kita kay doctor tapos from the doctor meron silang coordinator yun na yung boss ko.
Tapos ako naman, assist assist lang sa mga pasyente. Parang nagaaral din; may entrance exam,
mayroon ding subject; subject nila yung saket nila. Tapos may mga test; yung nga yung test yung
mga blood exam. Talagang parang nagaaral sin kayo tapos pag natapos nila yung study, walang
failure tapos hindi sila… ang ano kasi ng mga doctor, cancer, di ka na totally gagaling. Pero
mapeprevent nila yun. Pag nangyari yun, graduate na sila. Yun yung tawag nila. Uy! Graduate ka
na! Congratulation! Ibig sabihin, safe na sila pero may maintenance. Parang, wala na sila sa risk
ng death pero maintenance na sila. Tapos yung 5,000 na yun, yun yung minimum ng kinikita ko
sa boss ko. Tapos, tatanggao ako ng another 3,000 sa isang study; so, 8,000. 8,000. Tapos, ang
pinaka nangangamba ako ngayon, kasi yung isang study namen, nauubos na yung pasyente. So,
pag nawalan ako ng pasyente, stop rin yung work. Stop din yung bayad. So, maleless yun. Yung
8,000, magiging 5,000 nalang. Kadalasan, transportation. Tapos, ngayon kase, ako yung
sumasagot ng sa tuition ng kapatid ko. Pero, secret lang naming yon. Di ko pinapaalam sa
parents ko. Na ako na… ang sakin, ako muna magbabayad, kasi ayoko rin na ano eh…. Baka sa
akin na iasa. Kawawa naman ako. Kaya sabi ko sakanya, ako magbabayad ngayon ah. Wag
mong sasabihin. Pag nakatanggap ka ng bayad, ipunin natin yan para kung sakali kasi, iniisip ko
kasi, malapit na yung ano eh… magleless na yung sahod. Iyon yung gagamitin natin para
mabayaran p yung makukulangan mo. Iyon lang hindi. Hindi kasi siya pumapasok. Siguro dahil
irregular student ako. Feeling ko, hindi ako magiging ganun; irregular ako eh. Kasi hindi ako
maka anon g full unit eh. Hindi. Hindi ko na rin siya inexpect. Masaya na ko na maganda grades
ko. Yun nga lang, kase nung 2nd year, may Math. Tapos, may Math ulit. Minsan nangangamba
rin talaga ako sa Biblical namen. Sa ano… kasi ano siya… mahigpit siya. Si sir Danny. Pero
okay naman siya. Kaso nga lang, madalas nalelate kase ako sa klase. Eh kapag late sobrang
higpit niya. “Late ka, late ka na, absent ka na sa ano… absent ka na.” Wala…Sobrang strict siya
pero okay naman siya. Marami naman akong natutunan. Ayun. Sana. Pero ano eh… meron pa
kasi akong mga back lags eh. Meron pa kong sa second year. Marami pa kong hindi nakuha
second sem. Sa third year din marami pa. Eh iniisip ko, baka kundi next year… baka next year…
next year pa. Pero this year hindi pa. Mahirap siya talaga. Yung bunso namen, high school…
High school na siya. Grade ten. Mm. Mm. Kaya yun… pinaghahandaan din namin siya. Kaya
nga sana grumaduate na ko. Para maging full time na. Kung magfufull time. Sa trabaho. Ayoko
ring bitawan yung trabaho ko diyan. Kasi, sobrang ang laki ng tulong. Saka kung saka sakali,
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wala pang… kasi mahirap din… di rin natin masasabi kung makakapasok ako agad ng trabaho
pagtapos board exam. Kaya hindi ko talaga siya pwedeng bitawan agad. Kasi sobrang laki ng
tulong niya. Ayun. Part time. Meron. For inpirasyon lang. Alam nila. Tska ewan… Hindi naman
sila ganung… strict din sila. Mga tita ko pero hinahayaan lang nila ko. Kasi siguro may kita rin.
Wala naman kaseng… hindi naman siya distraction sa pagaaral. Okay naman. Syempre ano…
distraction. Pero ano rin naman ako eh… siguro dahil nasasanay na rin. Hindi… hindi siya
masyadong sagabal. Syempre mas priority ko pa rin pag aaral. Hindi, nagtatrabaho na siya.
Ayun. Ah.. ano bang lugar yon… sa ano siya eh… Quezon City rin. Quezon City rin ba yung pa
SM North? Banda don. Mga 1 year. 1 year and 4 months. Ayun. Ang galing nga eh. Ngayon ko
lang din narealize. Scouting? Wala pa… Wednesday siya. Oo sa Laguna. Sa April pa naman. Sa
tingin ko, hindi naman siya magiging hassle sa trabaho. Kasi anu naman eh… Friday, Saturday
naman. So hindi siya aano. Tsaka alam naman nila. Tsaka kasi ano eh… kung hindi naman
talaga siya required hindi naman ako sasama kasi ang laking gastos talaga. Alam mo yun. Ayun
nga eh. Sayang. Kaya siguro sabi ko experience na nga lang. kung ganun din naman yung
patakaran edi sumama nalang. Kasi matututo din naman ako diba. Recreational. Ay hindi ko
alam. Hindi ko pa alam kung unli. Ganun din kayo? Kasi di ba kadalasan survival of the fittest.
Ngayon ganon? Edi parang totoo nga… parang nag aano ka lang… anu bang tawag ditto…
nagreretreat. Pupunta pa ko don. Titignan ko lang kung may notes na iniwan. Kase… Friday
ngayon di ba? Para sa Monday wala kong iisipin. Kasi mahirap pag ka may iniwan pala siyang
notes, “Eunice nabasa mo yung note ko?” Tapos nun, ay hindi ko nabasa lagot. Kaya, para
masigurado pumupunta ako. Okay na? Sana makatulong talaga.
Enrique
Dito na sa Manila. Wala kong province. Nakakainggit nga yung may mga province noh?
So ang ginagawa namin, nagttravel nalang. Mas maganda. Oo naman. Ano lang China,
Singapore, ah… California pero labas ng California hindi ako nakalabas sa States eh. Tapos yung
mga dito sa Boracay. Marketing head ako ngayon sa Clinic diyan sa Riverbanks yun yung
ginagawa ko ngayon. So… yun. Hindi para kasi sa ano eh… para sa… tawag dito… yung dad ko
kase, naghiwalay sila ng mom ko so after nun, nagkaroon siya ng ibang family, so kailangan ko
ng sustentuhan yung sarili ko. Yun nga. Wala na. nagrerent nalang. Ah. Ewan ko. medyo. O sige
o sige. So yung dad ko, nagbebenta siya ng cars sa States for Honda. Kaya lang since…since
OFW, alam mo naman yung problema pag OFW hiwalay… so nagkaroon siya ng ibang family
ganon so iniwan na niya kami. Nung iniwan niya kami syempre, eh yung mom ko ano eh di pa
siya ganun kalakas kumita nun eh so nagcall center siya so yun yung nagsustain for a while. Eh
kaya lang… yung sister ko kasi sa Feu, eh medyo mahal tuition fee don Med so yun. Ayun.
NagmeMed siya so ayun medyo malaki yung bayad pag ganun; parang 127,000 per sem ata. Oo
yun yung ginagawa niya. Eh ako, galing after nun, anu bang nangyari sakin? Iniisip ko, wala
kulang na ng pera so kinailangan talagang magwork ganun. Eh alam mo yang work na yan,
kunyare nagsstudy ka tapos nagwork ka, nakakaadik yan kasi kumikita ka na; nagtrabaho ako sa
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Century property ng isang taon so nagbenta ako ng condos. Yung mga nakikita niyong
nagffliers? Oo nagbebenta ng condos yun, yun ginawa ko yung for a year. So naranasan ko yung
mga tipong wala kang lunch ganun kinakain mo lang skyflakes tsaka fruit soda. Oo ang payat ko
dati. Eh kaya lang nung pumasok na yung mga nabenta ko yung mga commissions ayun. Dun ko
na nafeel na ano… parang kaya ko ganun. So yun… di na muna ko nagaral nagfocus ako sa work
hanggang sa nakabili na ko ng sarili kong car ganyan, yun lang. after nun ayoko na sa field kasi
ang init. Di ba? Sabi ko, shocks parang gusto ko ng mag anu ah… mag office work ganun so
pumunta ko, naghanap ako ng mga yung mga locals na kailangan ng ano… may background sa
sales so dun na ko napunta naging marketing head ako ang ginagawa ko ngayon, kunyare eto
yung clinic namin, may services yun di ba, from dental to optal to… alam mo na medical lahat so
ang ginagawa nung clinic is… imbis na maningil ng mga tao ng cash, kung merong…kunyare
ikaw may work ka na, makakakuha ka ng health card dun sa company mo di ba? Like….ano
yun? Intellicare, maxicare. Oo. Magkakaroon ka non… kinakaltasan yung sahod mo kasi eh for
that. So they pay those companies every month. So what… what does the clinic do? Imbis na…
kunyare ikaw, employee ka ng… bigay ka ng company, Trinity, ayan mga teachers natin di ba?
Meron silang health card. So, pag nagkasakit ka, pwede kang magpacheck up dun tapos pwede
ka ring magpagamot dun ng hindi ka naglalabas ng pera ibibigay mo lang yung health card mo
ganun. Gets? Kaya lang, hindi lahat ng clinic approved ng health cards so, ako yun yung trabaho
ko pumupunta ko dun sa mga health cards before ah, before yun yung ginagawa ko. Ahhm…
nagpapa approve dun sa health cards. So nung naapproved na kami, okay accredited na yung
clinics. Yun na; dun na magbabayad. Ngayon sa bawat kita, kunyare ikaw, let’s say ang gastos
mo 1,000, tapos di ka nagbayad ng cash di ba? Gumastos ka ng 1,000, meron akong 3%. On top
of my… oo. On top of my basic salary. Yun yung kinikita ko hanggang sa… ayun na. Parang…
eh hindi pa ko graduate eh. Mas maganda kung graduate tayo di ba? Kasi first of all, pag
graduate ka dun ka nappromote. Di nga ko maging manager kasi kahit head na ko, hindi ako
pwedeng maging manager kasi wala pa kong diploma. Oo. Nagstop ako eh. Galing akong
nursing. Eh hindi ko talaga gusto eh… ang hirap talaga. Anu bang course mo? Ah Educ….
Swerte mo gusto mo yung course mo. Oh di ba? Kasi di ba uso yung sinasabi ng parents nursing,
nursing di ba? Uso yan dito eh. Everyone wants nursing. Ayun tapos sabi ko parang ang hirap
neto… psych nalang. Tinry ko hanggang sa nainlove na ko. Actually irreg 2nd year 3rd year yung
iba kasi di inooffer yung subjects eh. Oo. Pero… ako na nagbabayad ng tuition fee ko. Lahat.
Apat. Yung sister kong mas bata, siya yung nasa Med school. Yung dalawa kong sister, ano
sila… autism. Autistic sila so… yun kaya nagkaroon ako ng fascination sa psych. Yun. Ayoko
ng isipin kasi baka mamaya mabago pa utak ko andito na ko eh. Anlayo ko na sa psych eh
nageenjoy na ko eh. Oo. Pero maganda Educ. Actually masarap magturo eh noh? Ah. Ako
naman gusto ko sa mga bata. Baliktad tayo. Gusto ko yung gradeschool ganun. Okay lang din
preschool. Wag kasi pag high school at college, sumasagot na, makulit na. Makulit? Saang
school? Ah sa high school ng Trinity? Okay, oh. Ilang taon ka na ba? Ang hirap ang lapit lang ng
age niyo dun sa high school eh noh? Oo. Oo. Malaki bayad? Dollars? Pesos? Pwede na. starting.
Oo. Kasi nag ano nagadjust sa curriculum. Oo. Oo totoo yan. Ano eh. Pag alam mong dumaan ka
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sa hirap, parang ayaw mo ng bumalik. Naramdaman mo yung ganung feeling, yung tipong wala
kang pera… ayaw mo ng balikan. So ngayon, I must say okay na rin; steady, although hindi pa
ko nakakabili ng bahay, yun yung next na goal ko pero dapat graduate muna. Kasi dododble
yung ano mo… lalaki yung net worth mo. Kunyare grumaduate ka, let’s say ang kita, kunyare
lang ah, lagay natin sa 20,000, pag graduate ka, magiging let’s say 30,000 pataas
makakapagdemand ka na at the same time may experience na ko makapagdemand ako di ba? Eh
kasi pag di ka graduate, di ka makakapag demand ng gusto mong sweldo di ba? Oo may mga
boss ako. Actually yung mga struggles sa everyday life at sa work ko, tao. Sa totoo lang tao kasi
kung trabaho lang, kahit tayo sabihin ng prof, ng boss ganito gawin mo, kaya naman nating
gawin eh di ba? Kung gusto natin yung ginagawa natin pero ang mahirap kasi yung mga tao.
Kunyare may group ka sa thesis, yung mga groupmates ka tatamad tamad, yun yung anu eh. Di
ba yun yung ano… di mo naman pwedeng sabihin na uy!!! Gumalaw ka!!! Di naman pwede eh
ganun. Yun. Tapos magagalit sayo yung boss mo, bakit eto lang yung hindi mo nareach yung
quota mo bakit eto lang eh syempre since ako marketing head tapos may marketing… mas
mataas pa yung marketing manager namin so ako, may hawak akong tao sila yung taga singil.
So, can you imagine, eh different offices yung eh. Madaming companies, so sila yung tiga singil
dun; may Makati, sila yung pupunta dun taga singil. Panu ko ba ieexplain? Explain ko muna
yung… yung structure eh. So may head, di ba? Tapos ako yung… yung boss ko tapos ako tapos
yung tao. Kunyare kayo yung tao ko, kayo yung mga agents ko, so pagka nakuha niya na kung
magkano, ibibigay niyo na sakin tapos ako, itatally ko na ngayon yan, actually sa excel, after sa
excel, bibigay ko sa boss ko, boss eto yung kikitain natin ngayong week. Every week kasi yung
ano dun eh… ang singilan. So boss, sorry 100k lang yung nakuha natin tapos ayun medyo
mababadtrip siya. So yun. Yun yon. Yun yong mahirap kasi ikaw yung haharap eh hindi naman
papagalitan ng boss mo yung mga tao mo eh. Ikaw yung dapat pagalitan sa mga tao mo eh wala
sa ugali ko yun. Hindi ko ugaling magalit sa tao. Kasi dapat magmotivate ka eh. Marketing yun
eh. Yun yung… kahit sa school pag nakasama niyo ko, siguro ako yung pinaka jolly, maingay.
Naniniwala kasi ako dun eh kasi yung tao… oo. Mas gumagawa yung tao pag happy siya eh di
ba? Paginspired. Anu pa? ahm. Kasi, anu ba? Hindi ko na in cash yung check ko pero sabi ko
hindi ko na iiin cash gagamit nalang ako ng credit card. Uutang nanaman. Hindi wala akong cash
eh. So maganu nalang muna ako. Struggle sa school? Actually prof eh. Pagka alam mo yung prof
ano… unreasonable minsan. Di ba may mga prof na ganun… oo late ka nanaman. Actually hindi
sa late and absents eh. Yung mga tipong mga homeworks, quizzes tsaka exams nila parang
sobrang hirap. Alam mo yun? Okay magpupuyat ka nanaman. Ayun parang iyon yung pinaka
struggle ko kasi sa work, okay na yan eh, gamay ko na yan pero pag sa school, syempre
tinuturuan ka ng bago, tapos kailangan imememorize mo tapos kailangan magaaral ka. So ang
technique ko, sa library ako tumatambay kasama yung classmate tapos nagaaral kami para
mabawi. Wala. Syempre dapat fair eh, hindi porket working student ka iba yung treatment sayo.
Oo. Meron, yan si Ma’am Capacete, yan mabait si Ma’am. Sa Lit. naging teacher ko sa sa lit. lit
siya? Lit. ako last sem. Anong name? babae? Hindi ko kilala. Ah wow! Tapos working? Wow!
Oo. Chill lang. grabe libro noh? Mahal. Oo. Mahal! Actually tuition fee expected ko na eh, eto
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yung amount. Expected mo nay an eh paulit ulit nay an eh. Diyan lang naglalaro sa 6- 7,000
range eh. Down ka ng mga 11, 12 tapos 6 thousand 7 thousand. Kaya eh. Pero yung mga books
minsan, oh shocks! Oh uhhhh!!! Kailangan eh. Hindi sa required kailangan mo rin kasi future
natin yan eh. Ayoko kasing dumating na… eto talaga, ayokong dumating yung time na matanda
nako, hindi ko na kayang magtrabaho. Di ba? So, ang kailangan meron kang profession. Kahit na
nakaupo ka nalang. Investment. Ganito lang ang technique diyan, wag na wag kang papasok ng
work na dala mo yung problema mo sa school tsaka bahay. Wag kang uuwi sa bahay with your
family na ano… dala mo yung problema mo sa school at saka sa ano… kasi, di ba? May kanya
kanya tayong ano eh. May iba iba tayong pinagdadaanan din eh. Mas bilib ako sa sister ko kasi
ang Med, kahit hindi siya working student, pag nandun siya sa bahay, hindi niya pinaguusapan
yung struggles niya sa school. Ganun lang yun. Pag nasa school ka, school. Di ba? Pag nasa
work ka, work. Ganun. Pag nasa bahay ka, bahay or enjoy ka. Sasagot ka pero hindi yung
uhhh!!! Alam mob a hindi ako naka quota ngayon kasi ganito ganyan ganyan. Tapos sa school…
di ba? Balance lang. hindi ako lang yung ano eh… oo. So sanay ako na puro girls yung company.
Hindi kasi kahit sa magpipinsan, ako lang yung Vergara na lalaki. Puro babae. Sanay ako paligid
ko puro babae… tapos yung dad ko taga States di ba? So yun… may barkada ka one or two guys
pero usually kasama ko girls at saka, pinaka importante diyan hindi lang yung gender eh, yung…
dapat yung pinipili mong tao yung responsibleng mga students ganun. Dati naiisip ko yan. Dati
anu madadala ba nung bata pa ko ganun… influence influence kaya lang dadating ka sa issue na,
ikaw fourth year ka na, mararamdaman mo na sa sarili mo na… hindi ka na maiimpluwensyahan
masyado. Parang kung gusto mong mag bulakbol… may desisyon ka na eh. Pag first year ka yan
wala pa. Mahina pa yung willpower mo. Oo. Dapat nga nagiinspire eh. Dapat ano… role model.
Ang ganda ganda ng school natin eh. Hindi madaming nagasabi ayaw nila sa Trinity; yung
nagaaral pero ako gusto ko sa Trinity; honestly. kasi galing akong Beda eh. Nag Beda ako bago
ako nagTrinity; dun ako nag Nursing. Tapos… ano… one year. Tapos sabi ko ayoko na. Nung
nagwork ako hindi na ko bumalik sa Beda. After… nun yun na may pera na ko bumalik nako ng
Trinity… ay bumalik nag anon a ko sa Trinity. Hindi pa. hindi pa namin alam na… nag come out
lang siya nung yun na nga…after nung first year ko yun na yung mga last tuition binayaran niya.
Pero mahirap pinagdaanan namin pag naiisip ko man pag binabalikan ko mahirap na. Oo ganun.
Hindi ko masabing ganun. Haha! Hindi ako maka agree ng todo kasi iba kasi yung girls sa guys
napansin ko yun eh. Ang lalaki, babae. Di ba? Kami, bigyan… ano kunyare ikaw bigyan lang
kita ng monthly budget, kaya mo ng ijuggle sa household yun eh. Sa Meralco, sa water, kaya mo
na yun eh. Di ba? Yun lang yung gagawin ng lalaki eh kikita lang ng pera abot mo lang, o bahala
ka na ah. Ganun. Pero ang babae, mas mahirap kasi binabalance mo yung mga kailangan sa
bahay, mahirap maging babae, feeling ko lang. yung mom mo ba siya yung nagpapatakbo sa
bahay niyo? O di ba? Wow. Yung dad mo, siya yung nagaabot ng pera pero relaxed na siya di
ba? Sabi ko sayo eh. Mas mahirap. Struggles sa school. Nakakatuwa may na meet din akong
working student si Lara, ang lakas ding kumita. Ano siya eh… psych. Ang lakas din niyang
kumita. Tapos siya din nagpapaaral sa sarili niya tapos may anak na siyang tao. Tapos sabi ko,
galing mo. Hirap. Oo. Alam mo ang feeling ko lang, ang kulang sa generation ngayon, balance
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eh. Hindi sila magaling magbalance; yung mga first year, oo time management. Isschedule mo
lang naman eh ganun. Parang ako, schedule ko ano… umaga trabaho, hapon, school every day
except Wednesdays and Saturdays. Kasi hindi pwedeng mabaliw ka lang ng paulit ulit ganun
from Monday to Saturday tapos Sunday lang pahinga mo. Tinry ko yan last sem.mababaliw na
ko. Balance ka dapat. Monday, ako ang ideal ko, Monday to Friday, work at school. Saturday
kailangan lumabas ka; kung gusto mong manuod ng sine, ganyan. Oo. O uminom ka with your
friends, ganun. Bahala ka kung ano yung gusto mong gawin. Tapos Sunday dapat lagi kay God.
Yun. Kasi ano ko eh, Christian ako eh. Ah Baptist ka? Sa CCF ako nagaattend. Oo. Oo. Oo.
Worldy. Haha! Natatawa ako kasi bihira kong marinig yang word na yan; sa Christians… sa atin
lang natin nagagamit, sa school di ko nga ginagamit yan eh. Alangan namang, ang worldy mo;
ang panget. Oo. Totoo yan. Ah. Christian siya? Ah. Oo. Mag ano? Ganun ba yun? Hindi ko kasi
alam eh. Manila ako eh. O tapos? Oo. Wow. Kailangan nga niyang lumabas. Talaga? Tapos free
food na rin ganyan? Oo. Sarap. Eh dapat PT ka. Di ba PT yung course non? Pag Caregiver? Pag
nursing. Pangarap din yun. Ang galing. Tapos nagaaral siya? Ang galing. Ang galing. Tama yan.
Yun lang masasabi ko, tama yung Marketing na course. Hindi, hindi ako disciplined. I think,
discipline kasi starts from… when you’re a kid. Eh since galing kami sa Christian family, ano
nung high school, hanggang high school, hindi ako natuto niyan; mga billiards billiards ganyan,
natuto ako college na nun eh kasi pag Saturday, youth on fire sa Victory, sa Victory pa ko nun
eh, tapos pag Sunday, church naman. So pano? Pano? San ka kukuha ng time? Di ba? Tapos
ayun… kahit nagkakacrush ka wala ka namang oras. Yung naman yun eh. Yun talaga distraction
diyan eh. Yung mga crush crush na yan eh. Yun. So, tapos pera mo din discipline din. Automatic
kasi samin pag Christian ka yung baon mo o yung pera mo, let’s say baon mo, 100 pesos, noon
kasi 100 pesos a day eh, yung 10 pesos hindi sayo yan kay Lord yan so, tithes yun tapos yung
10% sayo yan pero wala na nga kong offering tithes na nga lang eh, yung 10% hindi mo
pwedeng galawin ano yun, ipon naman. So yung pera ko, until now, yung yung na adapt ko na
yung 10%, sabi ko mommy sayo nalang ako magtithes ganun sabi ko. Sayo nalang ako magtithes
sabi ko ganon. Basta tithes ko yank ay Lord honouring ko yan. Alam mo kasi pag hindi ka
nagtithes ang buhay mo, hindi naman sa parang wala, chaotic. Up down, ganon. Napansin ko pag
tithes ka, kahit madadown ka, alam mo si Lord ano yan eh… ano Siya eh… He may be slow,
pero He’s never late. Anu nga minsan, shocks san ako kukuha ng pangbayad?!? Ganon shocks!
Yung credit card mo ganun, magugulat ka nalang ay pumasok na yung check; ay wow!!! So
discipline comes from bata ka palang ganon. Eh… nung natuto ako nung college, dun na ko
nagulat na parang ah meron palang ah pwede kang lumabas, so dun na ko natuto. Lalo na sa
work, alam mo yung ibang clients, magstay ka hanggang gabi, makikipag inuman ka… para lang
makuha yung ano… yun yon eh. So dun na ko natuto. Sa conviction yan eh, kung convicted,
kung nakoconvict ka na wag uminom, wag kang uminom. Yun. Ako kasi parang nahanap ko na
yung balancing. Well hindi pa pero sana… oo. Controlin. Pag alam mong may pasok ka bukas,
bakit ka lalabas? Kahit yung mga classmates ko eh… yung mga kakilala ko na parang every day,
ikaw din noh may mga classmates ka din na ganun… labas ng labas. Ayaw mo? Yung amin
kasi, yung D12 ko, yung cell group ko before, high school magkakakilala parents namin so
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kunyare magssleep over kaming lahat dun sa isang house, ganung house, so alam. Alam mo
ginagawa namin? Nanonood lang kami ng mga movies ganun… oo. Youth ng church tsaka all
boys. Minsan pinaguusapan namin, minsan nawrowrong motive na kong pumunta ng church; Oh
baket bro? kasi yung crush ko si ganyan. Yung yung mga problems namin dati parang wrong
motive, bad yon. Di ba? Discipline talaga. Oo. Pero La Salle ako ah. From Kinder to high school,
Catholic yon. Green hills. Yun yung pinanggalingan ko. Sa Blueridge yung bahay ng dad ko.
Yung dad ko kasi alumni ng La Salle eh. So, dun niya ko gusto. Ayun. Yon yung nangyari.
Pagka galing ka sa… aminin ko ah, medyo may kaya yung family ko; yung dad ko. Paggaling ka
ano… sa ganung buhay, hindi ka sanay sa hirap so pag naghirap ka, naghihirap. Naexperience ka
na, ngayon magdedecide ka kung gusto mo pa ba… pwede naman tayong magbulakbol eh.
Pwede ko naman… ngayon palang pwede ko ng ubusin lahat ng savings ko ; pero in the future,
anong mangyayare saken? Ayoko ng balikan yun eh. Grabe. Yung pamasahe lang yung pera ko.
Oh my gosh. Hindi, hindi ka lalagpas kasi budget naka budget tapos tempted na tempted ka ng
galawin yung savings mo… eh yung time nay un maliit lang eh kasi ako, ang savings ko galing
lang sa baon. My gosh pag naaalala ko. Diyan ako sa Makati ako nag ffliering. Diyan minsan
mall eh syempre sa labas, mainit. Yung sa park sa Makati; alam mo yun? Yung sa may Makati
Ave.dun sa may park dun, sobrang init. Meron. May manning. Pero ako kasi gusto ko mag
manning tapos yayayain kang lumabas ng mga clients mo. Ano pa next question? Ah… actually,
ang advantage niyan, I think is yung ability to ano eh… to face problems kasi minsan yung mga
students kasi lalo yung mga scholars, mga DL, bumagsak lang ng onti, oo may mga friends ako
bumagsak lang ng konti, parang magugunaw na yung mundo. Oo. Ayon! Actually the skill to
deal with frustrations alam mo yon? Yung iba diyan nag break lang sila nung boyfriend niya kala
mo… end of the world na. Alam mo yun? I think yun yon. Yun yong meron kami na wala sila na
parang napapansin namin. Hindi, I mean it’s not the end of the world; I mean, yun nga sila kasi
ano eh, yung failure level nila eto lang parang ; pagbagasak, oh my god failed… ganun. Parang
nagegets ko naman yung minsan nagffail tayo sa grades di ba? pero minsan gusto ko lang sabihin
sa kanila, what do you do when you fail? Edi try again di ba? Ganun lang naman ang buhay eh.
Di ba? Sa kanila kasi yun, nagbbreak down. Di ba? Yun lang siguro. Oo. Minsan kasi iba di ba
ang tingin nila sa prof parang mga diyos eh; di ba? gusto kong sabihin, tao din yan kausapin mo
rin yan may pinagdadaanan din yan ganun. Hindi porket binagsak ka niyan may rason yan
ganon. Porket hindi ka pinagbigyan… Time. Actually yun talaga yun. Yung parang sila kasi,
they have so much time; yun yung feeling ko na naeenvy ko eh. Yung oras; kasi parang pag ako
niyaya mo ko, oo sige Friday night sige. Pero pag niyaya mo ko ng Wednesday, Thursday,
Monday, maaga pa ko bukas sir. Alam mo yun? O kaya Saturday night. Ah, hindi. Ngayon kasi
hindi na ko humaharap sa client eh. Na anu na ko di ba? Before di ako pwedeng magstudy kasi
nga full yung oras mo… fully committed. Enrolment? Alam mo ang siguro sinwerte ako, never
akong nagkaroon ng problems kasi alam mo naman money, basta alam mong may pangbayad ka.
Kasi nung pumunta ko nung… sabihin ko sayo straight up ah, nung pumasok ako ulit, medyo
may natabi na ko. Anu eh, nakita ko kasi yung buhay ko eh. Sabi ko nga sayo yung future ko
natatakot ako na tumanda ako na hindi mo na kayang magtrabaho, wala ka ng kita. Oo. Ganun,
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natatakot talaga ko. So anyway, imbis na ubusin ko yung pera ko sa ano, pag papaganda ng
kotse, dati kasi ano eh… bisyo ko yan eh. Ngayon okay na ko nagpalit na ko ng kotse na sakto
lang basta economic friendly. Inuubos ko yung pera ko sa mga kotse kotse ganun, gimik gimik.
Dati dumating din ako sa point naa andami kong pera eh. Minsan kasi pag hindi ka handa sa
pera, waldas pero nagsasave ka pa rin pero hindi mo alam kung… isipin mo one day ang pera
mo, every month 12k lang pagkakasyahin mo tapos magugulat ka… o pumasok na yung
komisyon mo, bigla kang may 80k. di ba? O kaya wala na ulit, 12k ulit o bigla kang may 30k.
biglaan yun ah parang okay pumasok na yung ano ko, ganon. Hanggang sa ganun, tapos
biglang… pinakamalaki kong nakuha siguro mga isang buwan siguro mga almost 200,000 yun
na yung parang okay, God. So, anong gagawin ko? Valkyrie, BGC, tatapon ka ng pera 20k isang
ano… maganda rin naeexperience mo para naaano mo eh nasasabi mo na ah… anung nangyari
sa buhay ko ganun ganun. Ahh.. yung basic ko, 20k pero as I’ve said, meron akong 3% so ang
minimum na nacocollect namin per week is 100k; minimum yun per week. So in a month, ganito
nalang, ikaw magcalculate. Siguro in a month, calculate mo yung 1 million tapos kunin mo yung
3% mga ganun more or less mga 1… actually more than 1 million or more. Pinakamababa na
yung 1 million sa isang buwan na kinikita ng company tapos kunin mo yung 3%, yun yung akin.
Every month. Pero, pag nakagraduate ka, mappromote ka, oo yung 20k a month mo, madodoble
magiging 40k plus may commissions ka pa. di ba? Mas malaki. Kaisi may anu ka na… diploma
pwede ka ng magdemand; tataas na. ahm..ang ginagawa ko, nililipat ko dun sa isang, meron kasi
akong savings account; tapos meron pa kong isang account yung isang savings account kinukuha
ko, bawat kita ko, automatic yun as in walang mintis tuwing may papasok na pera sakin kahit 5k
lang yan o kahit 10k lang yan, kukunin mo yung 10% lalagay mo dun sa savings; yun yung hindi
mo pwedeng galawin ever. As in parang pag ginalaw mo yun end of the world na parang ganun.
Yun yung religiously tapos yung others naman, yan na cacalculator mo na kung magkano yung
tuition fee mo so more or less may idea na ko sa tuition fee eh. Every exam, like ngayon babayad
di ba? Ayun… babayad ka nalang. Gusto ko. Para maubos na agad 9 units. So, bayad ka ng
school, after mong magbayad ng school, may idea ka na rin kung magkano yung Meralco so
babayad ka na rin. Kasi may time kasi nung hindi pa ko nagaaral, ang ginagawa ko kasi non,
bumibili ng gamit. Bumibili ako ng mga TV… ganyan. Ano nagrerent ako. Ang rent ko ang, teka
lang ah binibilang ko eh. O sige 500… may 500 na internet, tapos may 500 na association fee so
8,000. Oo. Oo. Hindi ko kaya toh before. Before hindi ko naiisip na mangyayari toh. Kasi nga as
I’ve said may mga times na di ba nga 12k? dun ako nag start 12k. It took me… 2011 yon… 4
years bago ko nahanap yung ano. Pero yung… yung year na yon, 12k lang di ba? After mga 6-8
months, dun ko nakikita na medyo nagbabago na yung kita kasi nagbenta ako ng condo eh. May
na meet akong networker; nagnenetwork alam mo yun di ba? Yung open minded ka ba? Ganun
ganun. Oo. Ganun yung style nila eh. I mean, don’t get me wrong ah, hindi ako networker. Saka
hindi ko rin siguro kaya yung ginagawa nila kasi ang hirap eh. Anyway, yon may na meet ako,
tapos mayaman na siya may ni refer siya sakin na kakilala din niya tapos may nirefer sakin yun
na bumili na ng bumili hanggang sa yun na yung nangyari. Oo. Ganun. Hindi at wala kong balak.
Actually kung pwedeng… kung ganito lang ang kita forever, tuloy tuloy kita, sana maka
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Master’s ako eh. Kaya lang iniisip ko pa pag nakagraduate ako, siguro dun ko nalang iisipin
kung tutuloy pa ko. Yun nga; yung dinaanan ko, di ba sabi ko sayo nagwalwal din ako for a
times kasi nga nagulat ako ang dami kong pera bigla tapos galing ka sa pagod di ba? So ah
shocks… gusto kong gumimik so tapos after I gets old, maganda ring pagdaanan yun eh.
Kunyare ikaw bigyan kita ng isang milyon ngayon, anong gagawin mo? Isplurge mo lang yon
sigurado kasi hindi ka pa ready eh. Hindi naman tayo binibigyan ni Lord ng mga bagay na hindi
pa tayo handa eh. Alam mo naman pag yaman ano yan eh, dito yan naguumpisa. Sarap. Sarap
pag ganon. Alam mo maganda diyan; promise. Canada. Okay diyan kasi may mga friends ako
nasa Canada pag umuwi sila sobrang nagwawaldas sila eh parang ako, pag ginagawa nila yun, ah
hindi ko kaya yan. Hindi ko kayang waldasin yan. Kung magkano ba, siguro mga 40-50k safe
nay un, yun yong kinikita ko sa isang buwan. 40-50 minus tuition fee minus rent eh wala na kong
binabayaran sa kotse eh. Tapos na ko eh. Ah… monthly. Di ba? Wala na kong binabayaran.
Tapos na ko sa kotse. So wala na. Ang next ko sana, ang gusto ko gagraduate muna tska na yang
bahay na yan. Graduate na muna. Oo. Ano eh.. kakabreak lang eh. Oo. Pero okay lang yan ganun
talaga. Haayy. Yun. I think, for everyone, education should be no.1; like wag titigil kasi hindi
naman lahat ng tao binigyan ni Lord ng talent eh; mga Manny Pacquiao, di ba? Hindi naman
lahat tayo binigyan niyan. Eh isa lang yung sure, education; yun lang yung sure kaya dapat talaga
makatapos. Kung pwede lang… kung magiging politician ako, tapos papalibre education sa
Maynila, di ba alam mo yun? Yun talaga. Essential siya. Parang no one should do through life
without it. Chaos yun pag walang education. Tama di ba? Hindi mananakaw yun. Tsaka with
education it gives you the discipline eh; what you’re asking earlier, hindi lang naman yung
matututunan natin for say eh, pero yung pag gising mo araw araw para pumasok, yun yung
natuturo ng school. And ayun. Plus yung love ang belongingness di ba? Bus.law, hierarchy of
needs, sa psych yon di ba? Dun ka magkakaroon ng ano eh mga friends mo yun yung magiging
network mo, habang lumalaki ka ganun ayon kasama yun. So education talaga mas… yung mga
uneducated people, hindi sa nilalait ko, yung iba mas sensitive. Mas prone sa depression. Yang
yung tinatackle sa psychology eh. Di ba? Mga depression, ganyan. Yan yung sinasabi ko na mas
hirap maghandle ng problems, training yan eh di ba? Oy may deadline kailangan masubmit ko
toh. Ganun. Oo. Di sinasabi ko lang times kasi samin times 10 eh di ba? Ako gustong gusto kong
mag DL eh gusto ko nga magscholar eh. Gusto ko kaya lang ang grades ko 60 ang passing ang
grades ko 70, panu na? para mag DL ka di ba kunyare over 10 ang quiz, eh 6 ang passing ang
score ko 7 ganun. Yun lang. Pag nawala ka san? Oo. Anong sabi niya? Nakakabadtrip yun.
Matatanggal ka sa list. Kaya mo yan. Pagpray mo ganun. Gawin mo yung dapat mong gawin.
Medyo ano eh, kung may problema ako sa Trinity, no offense pero in our school, they give
special treatments to foreigners and that’s one thing I don’t appreciate. One time I had a Turkish
groupmate, I did all the work I did everything and the grade, pareho kami ng grade. Okay lang
pero sakin kasi, mavalue ako sa thank you eh. Kunyare libre mo ako sa Jollibee ganun, okay na
ko nun eh. Pero after that, I don’t mind eh. Even though I see somebody cheating, I don’t mind
eh. Kasi that’s your diskarte. That’s how you do things. That’s your strategy and I won’t even
bother saying it to the teacher. And I like being appreciated. After that, she didn’t even thank me.
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She just stood there and I did everything. After that its just like she didn’t know me. Yun nga
lang din napansin ko special treatment. Yung girl na sinabi ko kanina, kakahiwalay lang…
kakapart ways lang DL yun ng Trinity. Wala eh it didn’t work out. Time siguro. Same course
psych din. Actually naiinggit nga ako pagschool lang yung problema. Nakakainggit. Pero at the
same time, hindi. You have more experience. Yeah. Yung mom yung… pano ba? Yung mom ko,
half Spanish half Chinese. Yung dad ko, pure Filipino. Pero I consider myself a pure Filipino.
Kasi hindi naman ako lumaki sa customs nila eh. You know my lolo, he ahm… escaped China
because the Japanese come to China for a time and Chinese were escaping to Hongkong to the
Philippines di ba? Before that’s the start, so when they came here, Chinese business. You know
PLDT? You know telephone lines there’s the square box, the plastic square box yung pag sa
linya ng telepono; that’s what he did. He sold that so that’s why he made this fortune that’s why
he met this Spanish girl, my lola and then they got married and then they got children. He have
to change his name just to escape China from Japan. So there… they had 9 kids and that’s the
story of my lolo my mother’s side and then met my dad, sorry ah. That’s what happened. Ganda
rin. Mas maganda nga story nila eh kasi my lolo, he wastelling a story you know the kariton?
And then he had… I forgot how many siblings he had he’s the kuya and he pushes that with his
brothers and sisters inside it and then he can here, bazoom! Bang bang! You can you imagine
when you were a kid and then you hear that? So were very lucky that we… hindi natin na
experience yun. Can you imagine? Ganda di ba? Storya nila di ba? You know that’s the problem
with the young people; they feel actually entitled.
Kenji
Ah third year; fourth year subjects. Oo kasi sa ano eh parang makikita mo sa card mo
kung anong year mo na eh. Pero hindi accurate yon. Oo. Sa… what do you mean san lumaki?
Dito ako lumaki sa Pilipinas. Sa Quezon City. Diyan diyan diyan. Ah yan… diyan sa Quezon
City dito lang ako sa Quezon City. Ah… ano siya eh… call center. Hindi ano siya parang… call
center ah.... Hindi siya anu eh… hindi siya bank pero ano siya… hmm… wait lang meron kasing
tumatawag eh wait lang, sorry. Excuse me sorry. Ahm…para siyang technical support. To be
exact, mga 14 months ako don. Mm. Mm. ahm… syempre para hindi na humingi ng pera. Oo.
Oo lagi. Ah hindi naman; since nung nagwork lang ako kasi ano eh… mas maganda yung
nakakatulong ka na kasi ano eh 22 na ko tapos matanda na yung parents ko pero kaya naman nila
kong tustusan pero gusto ko makatulong kasi kaya ko naman sayang naman yung lakas ko di ba?
Apat lang kaming magkakapatid. Pangatlo ako. Hindi anu lang… Isa kakagraduate lang, isa
nagaaral pa, 5th year sa UST, Engineering. Yung isa ko pang kapatid, bunso namin, 4th year high
school magcocollege palang. Oo. Ahm.. ang province ng parents ko Tarlac pero dito sila
nakatira. dito na sila lumipat. Dito na sila nanirahan. Family situation? Hmm…like financial?
Family situation? Ahmm… okay naman kami. Financially, okay naman average; nakakasurvive.
Pero ang ginagawa kasing bahay namin which is ininvest, nagbabayad kami lagi sa lote kasi
parang ilang years to pay yung bahay. Hindi. Kami yung nagpatayo pero sinanla namin sa
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bangko para sa bangko kami magbabayad. Oo Quezon City, Kamias Road. Ay hindi na ano lang
ako… hindi lang ako hihingi masaya na sila don. Struggles? Kasi kung working student, kung
struggles lang sa work, wala namang problema dun eh. Normal lang yun eh pero yung
pagsasabayin mo kasi yung ano… time mo tulog lang… tulog… walang tulog tapos ano minsan
syempre kailangan mong magising magkakape ka kahit ayaw mo, magyoyosi ka kahit ayaw mo,
kasi pag may work ka, lalo na call center bawal kang… bawal kang antukin talaga eh. Tapos
yon. ahmm… yun lang naman mga struggles sa work dun eh. Pero syempre stress normal naman
yon eh pero ang habol kasi dun yung time management. Anong oras ka matutulog, anong oras
mo kailangang gumising, dapat very strict ka sa time. Hmm… never naman akong natulog.
Bawal kasi yon. Siguro idlip pero bawal talagang matulog sa office. Panong nadedemerit?
Parang pagagalitan ka ganyan ganyan ng boss mo ganon? Ah oo naman pero ano yun eh parang
feedback lang niya kunyare bakit ka late? Kasi pag late ka, yung mga bagay na dapat mong
gawin, mapupunta sa iba. So… binibigyan mo sila ng burden so dapat lagi ka…pag or absent ka,
I mean, hindi late ah. Pag absent ka, kunyare sampu kayo sa team, absent ka so nine nalang,
yung dapat na gawain ng pangsampung tao gagawin ng nine na tao which is sasagot sila ng mas
maraming tawag, ganon. So, hindi ka dapat umabsent. Oo international. Ah… ayon.
International. Pero most likely… most US. English lagi oo. Pero minsan naman kunware tatawag
Spanish, lilipat namin ng Spanish que. Lilipat namin sa ibang ano… ibang number. Pero most…
99% alam ko… or 98 nalang, 99 nalang sige English. Kasi minsan may tatawag ano eh, do you
speak sa ganong language, sasabihin mo, hindi tapos bababa nalang nila yon. Hindi. Sila yung
nagbababa hindi kami pwedeng magbaba. Never kaming nagbababa. Oo. English only… ganon
ganon. Or iba naman parang pag hindi, ipapasa nila sa friend nila, ittranslate nalang. Kunyare
meron silang friend, yung friend nalang yung kakausap hindi siya mismong may kailangan. Oo.
Mahirap talaga okay lang. Saang lugar? Sa may Ortigas. Oo pang gabi siya eh. Sa school? Hindi
hindi kasi pumili ako ng schedule talaga para saktong makakatulog pa ko, saktong… syempre
para hindi talaga pwedeng magconflict talaga eh kasi pag nagconflict, yung mo pagsasabayin.
Mamimili ka ng isa. Hindi eh. Ano eh… talagang pinapakiusapan ko para hindi magconflict eh;
kunyare either papakiusapan ko yung boss ko or yung team leader namin para iiba yung
schedule, minsan kasi, 9 ng gabi hanggang mga 6 ng umaga or minsan naman, late shift, 4am ng
umaga naman hanggang 12 ng hapon mga ganon. Sa school? Hmm… iba iba eh pero… last sem,
pasok ko sa school hapon ay hindi umaga pala 7:30 so after ko na magwork ng 9-6, diretso ako
ng 7:30 hanggang 12. Oo walang tulog. Hindi nakauniform ako sa work ko. Oo nakauniform na
ko which is okay lang naman naligo naman ako tsaka nakaaircon naman kaya hindi ako mabaho.
Hindi ano… nakauniform ako sa school hindi ako nagcicivilian. Oo alam nila. Struggles in
school? Ahmm.. siguro yung ano… hindi ka lang lagi… syempre di ba active yung…hindi ako
hypher kasi drain na yung energy ko so ang maganda naman dun, makikinig nalang ako. Pag
tinawag nalang ako nag rerecite pero mahirap kasi yung pagod ka lang sabay makikinig ka lang.
Mas maganda kung ano eh… malakas yung energy mo. Tapos yung mga assignments,
nakakagawa naman ako ng assignments kasi parang anong sense ng nagtatrabaho ka tsaka
nagwowork ka kung hindi mo naman aayusin yung pagaaral mo? Anong sense ng binabayaran
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mo yung sarili mong tuition kung di mo aayusin yung pagaaral mo so… pinupush ko talaga na
magexcel din sa school at the same time which is mahirap. Oo nga eh. How can I manage
struggles at work and school? Hmm… una, matulog. Kailangan mo ng tulog eh kasi pag tulog…
yung ang puhunan sa call center; buo tulog mo dapat tsaka sa school syempre. Tapos,
ahmm…ano pa ba…yun lang… time management. Friends, tsaka na muna yung friends. Tapos
family syempre lagi na yon pero yung mga friends sa birthday hindi ako nakakapunta or may
simpleng lakad basta ubos yung oras mo sa mga ibang bagay focus lang talaga sa school wala ng
iba. Oo yun lang iniisip ko wala ng iba. Ah, conflict wala naman pero pag may ganito kong ka
busy, makikita ko nalang yung mga magulang ko pag breakfast na dun nalang ako sumasabay
kumain at least or… bago ako umalis ng bahay syempre tulog na sila… umaalis ako mga
madaling araw tulog na silang lahat so bago ako matulog… basta bihira nalang kaming magkita
kasi lagi akong busy. Siguro ano… magkikita nalang kami pag matutulog na ko magpapaalam
ako, ma tulog na ko ganon. Kaya pag ano… kunyare, wala kong pasok tsaka wala kong school,
bumabawi sila sakin ganun… sobrang nagpprepare sila ng food, pinagaayos ako ng pagkain
lahat. Ahm… yung ate kong isa, yung pinaka una kong ate, yung panganay namin, nagwowork
siya ngayon. Yung second kong ate, nagaaral pa siya eh. Pero… pero graduating na din naman.
Oo. Third year. High school pa lang yon pero graduating yun going college. Dati? Hindi. Hindi
ako nag stop. Nag shift ako. Nagtransfer ako ng ibang school pero nagshift din ako. Oo. Ah UST.
Ahh.. yun UST. Hindi Engineering. Ahm… ano kasi eh… gusto ko yung Math pero… mahirap
siya so… tsaka nung first year ako, ano ko eh… hindi ko na value yung education; sayang. Kung
alam ko na yung… kung gaano ka importante yung edukasyon siguro ngayon sayang baka nag
aaral ako ng mabuti ngayon. Pero okay lang yun mas gusto ko mag business. Oo. Oo ayoko ng
maging employee mahirap. Advantage… ahm una confidence, tapos pangalawa time
management, pangatlo siguro yung connection mo sa isang tao kasi yung pag working student ka
syempre marami kang nakakausap na tao parang mabilis nalang pakisamahan lahat which is
maganda pati yung mga prof makakasama mo kasi mga boss ko matatanda na eh mga prof mo
lang minsan may mas bata pa sayo parang ganon. Tsaka syempre mas marami kang malalaman
pag nagtatrabaho ka na. pera, syempre mahirap pag gastos ka lang ng gasots hindi mo
pinaghihirapan. Basta marami. Oh talaga? Wow. Ay ang galing. Parehas kayo ng ate ko. Sa
Boracay siya nagtuturo siya ng English. Mm. Mm. oo until now. Dun na siya tumira. Oo pero
ano… saglit lang yun. Temporary work siguro mga two months lang or three months kasi ano eh
parang aalis na sa ibang bansa. Nasa Boracay siya ngayon. Nageenjoy at the same time
nagtuturo. Eh yung job niya umaalis siya don 9 dadating siya ng 4 eh. Eh siguro yung normal 8
hours siguro ganon. Oo. Ahh… Economics, UP. Ahh… yung mga kaibigan mo kalimutan mo
muna kasi wala… hindi mo sila talaga pwedeng pagsabayin. Tapos, siguro ano sabihin nating
stress ka; hindi naman stress; ah… yung itsura mo sobrang stress ka lagi; mabilis kang tatanda.
Tapos yon siguro yung mga nagwowork out, eh ako nagwowork out pa rin ako kahit
nagtatrabaho pero minsan mahirap mag work out pag ganon tapos pagsabayin mo pa yun. O yun
yun yon yun yon. Enrolment diyan sa TUA? Panong klaseng problema? Hmm… parang hindi
naman kasi ano eh… umuutang ako… uutang ako pero pag sabi kong oy uutang ako bayaran kita
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sa sweldo, ayun. Hindi sa mom ko syempre. Pero nahihiya ako… hindi naman nahihiya parang
ano sila parang… hindi naman pero minsan binabrag ko yun eh. Uutang nalang ako sa
ganito…okay naman sa kanila. Parents ko pa rin naman yun. Okay lang sige. Mga… 20 ganun…
20 average. Ah… to be honest, ano eh… magastos ako eh. Ah.. hindi. Matik na yung sa food eh
lahat naman tayo eh. Hindi naman sino bang hindi nakakatanggi sa pagkain kahit basta gutumin
ka kahit anong makita mo kakainin mo na eh. Siguro ano, pagsweldo siguro parang… parang
since pagod ka, bili ka ng, pamper mo yung sarili mo. Bili ka ng magagandang… magaganda…
syempre maganda… bibili ka ng gusto mo. Gusto mong clothes, sapatos, lahat. Oo. Profs ah…
ahhmm… sa, hindi. Swerte ko nga mababait yung mga prof ko eh. Pero ano kunware, never ko
kasing sinabi na ano eh… nagexcuse ako dahil nagtatrabaho ako kasi parang… hindi ko gusto
yung ganon. Hindi ako nageexcuse ng, uy sorry Ma’am may trabaho ako. Hindi ko sinasabi yun.
Pero… yun na nga wala naman. Normal na studyante lang naman din ako. Oo hindi. Perfect
attendance nga ako last sem eh. Lahat perfect attendance ako. Yun yung maganda kasi nga,
nakuha mo yung time management so, syempre di ba sa work bawal kang maglate, absent
naaadopt mo rin yung attitude sa school na, okay bawal akong umabsent bawal akong ganyan.
So, hindi lang maganda nakakainspire ka pa ng mga friends mo na pumasok, wag malate mga
ganon. Oo. Di ba? Discipline ano? Ay hindi. Never pumasok sa isip ko yun kasi meron akong
ano eh… may goal eh dapat hindi maalis yung focus mo sa goal mo. Goal mo makapagtapos, di
naman magtrabaho lang. kasi mas maraming darating. Mas maganda yung nakapagaral syempre.
Which is alam natin. Kaya nga tayo nandito di ba? Hindi. Never talagang pumasok sa isip ko
yon. Focus ako sa goal eh. Hindi actually sinasabi nila push din sila sa school eh. Inaano din ako
na Oh mag aral ka ganyan ganyan. Oo maganda yan. Para saken… actually ang education
tinuturuan tayong… para saken ah, sa education which is good, tinuturuan tayong maging good
employees, yung matututunan natin after college. Feeling ko ah. Like, mga bagay na tinuturo sa
loob ng school, pang anu lang yan eh… para maging mabait tayo na employee eh. Pero lahat
ng… feeling ko ano, importante education para saken, parang basic lang. para at least, hindi ka…
hindi ka lolokohin… oo. Kaya minsan parang ano eh, hindi naman sa tinatamad akong makinig,
pero pag yung tipong ano, wala naman sense, meron kasing ganun eh, wala namang sense; anong
mabebenefit sa buhay ko yung nilelesson mo ngayon? Parang… chill lang ako pero pag talagang
importante yung lesson para sa future ko, talagang hanggat maaari makiki sit in ako kahit wala
na kong subject ngayon. Kunyare may mga… nakiki sit in ako sa mga tax eh kahit tapos na ko
dun ilang beses na kasi syempre tax minsan pag magaling ka sa tax meron kang mga bagay na…
ayun. Tsaka… hindi naman sa ano ah, maiaavoid mo yung tax eh pero…basta marunong ka
basta magaling ka sa tax. Hindi naman sa iiwasan…hindi ka magbabayad ng tax pero gets? Kesa
ilagay mo siya… sa ibang bagay mo siya ilalagay para less tax parang ganon. Marketing kinuha
ko kasi ano ko eh, madaldal ako eh. Pangalawa ano, siguro more into ano ako, ah… socialize.
Kunyare, friends ganyan; basta, talkative ako eh sobra kaya ako marketing. Eh hindi naman
ako… wala naman akong itsura eh. Hindi naman ako… which is true. Plano ko after college?
Hmm… setup a business talaga. Yung lang talaga bago palang magcollege talaga, established ko
na para after college, wala na kong iisipin. Actually ano eh… may business na ko. Oo. Pest
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control. Oo. Office namin sa bahay. Pero ang… oo family business pero sakin nakapangalan.
Anyway, ang maganda naman don, telephone lang kailangan mo kasi, ang mga customer mo
naman hindi naman walk in eh. Wala namang walk in sa pest control eh. Most likely
advertisement sa internet may telephone tatawag sila, magiinquire. So yun. Ng? yung mga gamot
inoorder; syempre may suppliers kami. Tapos yung mga… yung mga customer tatawag lang
ayun. Hindi ano lang siya… nationwide lang siya kakaestablish lang last year. Malapit na siyang
magisang taon. Bakit bakit bakit? Ay malay ko ba. Nahihiya naman kasi ako sayo.
Ahhmm..sayo? feeling ko magaling ka na rin eh. Wala na kong masheshare sayo. Share ahm…
ayoko ng nagsheshare eh. Wala naman akong masheshare eh. Masheshare ko? Una, matutong
humawak ng pera kasi habang buhay hindi naman nandyan ang parents natin. Less wants. Less
wants kasi minsan yung ibang income hindi naman laging nandyan eh. So para maging ano, less
wants ka nalang kesa wala. Magastos ako. Oo kunyare kahit badtrip lang ako, bili ako ng mahal
okay na ko parang ganun. Kung baga pag badtrip ka parang… okay sige. Ganun ganun… ganun
ako pero ayok o nun. Yun yung gusto kong tanggalin sa ano ko… sa attitude ko. Which is
inoovercome ko na.
Yuan
Ah second year lang. Irregular. 20. Sa lit. So ilan sample niyo? May sample na kayo? I
mean kasi parang ano di ba datas. Wala pa. Ilan? Mga ilan? Ah okay. Okay. Ah sure. Okay. No
problem. Oo. Okay sige. Yung previous work ko ngayon? Before. I don’t know eh. One and half
year pero… Half? Hindi. No. no. wala. Bakit? Bakit mo natanong? Ah okay… I’m ano… I’m
ano kasi…I’m from the BPO industry kasi kaya… yung culture… BPO industry. You know
BPO industry that is ano… kind of customer here in the Philippines… Yeah I’ll take a work
customer outside the Philippines. So… yun. Yeah. I’m a call center agent. I never quit. The
moment that I quit is when I’m done yung ganon? Yup. Ah… I was born in Las Pinas City. Here
in Manila… Manila ba yon o Paranaque. Right? Paranaque ba yung Las Pinas? Hindi ko alam
eh. Hindi pa ko nakapunta don. Pero dun ako pinanganak actually ahm… for the background of
my life, ako ay isang Pilipino talaga so, magulang ko taga… my parents is… are the… yung
father ko… father side is Bicol. So… Camarines Norte. Yung mother ko naman… sa ano siya…
ah… Nueva Ecija. So ah… although magkalayo sila, nagkita sila sa Manila and then… I am born
in Paranaque or Las Pinas City. Ahh… pangatlo ako sa magkakapatid and we are six. Six ahm…
yung panganay namin Nursing tapos ayun RN na. May kuya, since working… magaabroad siya
this coming March. Then, ako Medtech and yung kapatid ko, UP ah… UP siya… Fine Arts. And
then meron pa kong dalawang sibling na maliit, babae. She’s high school, grade 11 yung isa
namang pang bunso, grade 9 ata. So yun. Ahm… my background is, I am a son of a pastor kaya
ayun… tumira kami sa around the Philippines kumbaga parang tumira kami sa Davao, Baguio
City… and Marinduque, ahmm… ano pa ba… san pa ba… teka, isipin ko ah… Manila sa Nueva
Ecija, sa Bicol, and then… sa Laguna, San Pablo Laguna specifically… and then… san pa ba…
may more. Bata pa lang ako palibot libot na kami. So nagtagal kami ng 3 years sa Baguio, 5-6
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years sa Davao, and kalakalahati sa ibang lugar. So napunta ko na halos yung mga lugar nay un
so… anu pa ba… so… dahil dun, hindi kami isa isang lugar pinanganak. I’m from Las Pinas,
yung kuya ko sa St. Luke, which is here, tapos yung panganay namin sa Bicol, then yung pinaka
bunso sa Davao, then yung sumunod sa bunso sa Baguio, and then sumunod saken, sa
Muntinlupa so hindi kami pinanganak sa isang lugar so… itinerary siya so mahilig kaming
magpalibot libot so… yun. Then, what else? Yeah. I’m a Christian but I’m not discriminating
any kind of religion. The Baptist is a kind of Christian also. Right? So Baptist… my dad is a
graduate of Theology Baptist in Baguio. Baptist College in Baguio. So yun… yung mom ko
naman, siya ay graduate of Commerce. So Accountant siya. So ayun… and then, ah my work. Sa
work ko naman, nagstart ako ng working when I was 16 or 17… 17, nag college ako hanggang
18 which is sinusuportahan pa ko ng magulang ko pero nung nag18 ako, I started working for
myself kasi ano… legal na ko eh. Legal na kong magwork. I started working in bars. Yung as a
musician. Yun… tumutugtog kami ng banda ko o may naghihire sakin na tumtog sa isang bar.
Like mga… like you know Padi’s here? Padi’s point here? Tumutugtog kami like pero ibang
pangalan here sa probinsya namin sa Nueva Ecija. So tumira ako ng ganon. Then, naka banda ko
so nagwork ako dun mga… mula, 18 hanggang 19 so, siguro, anu lang yun… anung tawag
dun… part time. Yun. And then nagtuturo din ako ng gitara at the same time. Which is my part
time also. And then nagnenetworking din ako which is part time also. So yun… pinagsabay
sabay ko yun. So what else… pagkatapos non, nung pumunta kami dito, nag trabaho din ako sa
SM as a customer service assistant. So yun… I’m handling foods and beverages sa mga SM
supermarket. Like SM Supermarket which meron siyang food na… specific food… so ako yung
sa mga fresh… fresh goods yung mga ganun… ako yung naghahandle non. Direct hired by SM;
hindi ako tenants. Hindi ako merchants. Kasi ang merchants iba sa direct hired ng SM. So, pag
direct hired ka ng SM, ahm… you should go na parang magiging leader ng merchants. Yung
mga merchants ang pinaka mababa dun kasi sila are just nagppwesto lang sa SM so kami yung
parang naglilinis linis, pero sila yung naglilinis pero we’re just looking at them… supervising
them. Ah, not exactly manager kase, may nagsusupervise din saken kung ano yung gagawin ko
so yun. I can be a bagger, I can be a… selling clerk… ayun. A selling clerk not exactly na…
utusan ganon. Utusan namin yung mga merchants pero di kami pwedeng utusan nila. So ayun.
Pero, utusan kami ng mga supervisor namin which ahead of us; ayun… so ayun, nagwork ako
dun ng mga 5 months. Ahm… so far hindi ako naregular dun kase, they’re just by contract…
may contract lang. yun… after that, ano ko… nagstudy… nag… tawag dun… hmm… nagpart
time ulit. Turo ng gitara and then, yun banda ulit. Nung nagaaral ako, nagaaral ako sa SM
hanggang ngayon. So, after kong magwork sa SM, hanap ako ng job na mas good. So… ayun
nahanap ko yung sa call center. Pero ngayon, nakatira kami sa secluded place ng mga
international community. So kaya ganiyo yung language ko at accent ko kasi, ahm… most of the
time English yung ginagamit naming language sa bahay and then… sa bahay mismo. Kasi we’re
surrounded by international community which is parang dito rin may kasama kaming mga
international na Koreans, Nigerians, Sri Lankans, Americans, Indians, so using English language
kasi pag nagtagalog ka, hindi ka nila maiintindihan. Kaya pano nila maiintindihan yung sinasabi
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mo… tapos yun… ahmm… yun. Sa call center, 7… 8 months na ko ngayon mula ngayon 8
months na ko. 5 months plus 8 months, one year na halos yun di ba? So yun… 5 months plus 8
months so one year and one month. Mag 8 years nako dito… ay 8 months na pala ko dito so
yun… so more than my work, nakakatanggap naman ako ng mga… sa 8 months ko dun ah…
kasi anu kasi ako eh, pag binigyan nila ko ng task saken, hindi ko siya ano.. kailangan mo siyang
tapusin talaga. So… hindi ko siya… oo. So nagkaroon ako ng award na best in attendance, so…
wala kong absent, wala rin akong late, malaki rin naman allowance ko and then top agent ako for
the whole year. So ayun… mula nung pumasok ako dun hanggang nung December, binigyan nila
ko ng award; tatlo o apat lang kaming nakatanggap sa buong credit one bank. I’m a… ano… I’m
working in Credit one bank. So… para siyang… para siyang ano di ba… para siyang iba sa
studies ko. Sa ano… pero kaya ano… kaya ginusto ko yun, Credit One bank, meron akong
background sa Mathematics when I was high school, top ako sa Math. So… yun… nagtatanong
sila bakit daw hindi ahm… hindi ko daw sinundan yung yapak ng mommy ko, which is
accountancy. Hindi Engineering which is ah… parang anu siya… more on Math. Bakit daw
hindi ko sinunod yun. Kasi ako, gusto ko yung tipong, gusto kong pagbutihin yung kung san ako
mahina. So ako yung kung ano yung mahina sakin, yun yung pinagbubuti ko. So, nung
nagkaroon ako ng award sa company namin, ng top agent of the year, so… then, what else? Sa
Quezon Avenue. So yun… and then, ngayong January, yung ano… yung mga… yung mga
recommendation ko, ayun… kino’commend ako ng customer ko sa manager ko, which is… may
mga award yun. Top rin ako nung January and consecutive months. So ayun… di daw bagay kasi
even though I’m studying, I can manage that and still get on top. So yun… marami… actually
madami. So.. marami ring nanliligaw sakin dun na which is ganun naman talaga. Hindi marami
ring naiinggit sakin which is pinapabagsak ako, hindi lang awards natanggap ko pero marami
ring memos na kaso. Yung samin kasi, hindi. Hindi siya demerit. Unlessna mapatunayan mong
hindi ka naman talaga ganon. So, kailangan mong mapatunayan na hindi mo talaga ginawa.
Minsan kasi, inaantok ako sa work, ganon… minsan. Which is bawal na bawal sa work. Di ba?
Which is kahit mag nanap ka ng konti and you break, hindi ka pwedeng magnap. So which is
nagawa ko siya… kaya nagkaroon ako ng case. Pagdating kasi sa bangko or sa mga… tawag
dun… private o mataas yung security, sa bangko mataas yung security… pagka nagkaroon ka ng
violation, case yun ang tawag don. Case, which is pag sa ibang… sa ibang anu lang, anu lang
yan… tawag don, ahm… pag sa mga ibang mababa lang na mga trabaho, bali anu lang…
parang… ibang tawag kasi diyan eh. Case, case sa amin which is mayroong hearing, sa kanila
wala na, anu lang written report lang. So kami, every time na magkakaroon kami ng case, may
hearing. So yun. Na hearing na rin ako. So yun. Dalawang beses na. which is kase, ahm. Dapat
naman talaga, okay lang na mag nap kami, basta walang makakahuli. Nahuli ako ng hindi naman
manager. Nahuli ako ng co-agent ko din. Na nasa floor, sinumbong ako sa manager kaya ngayon
nagkaroon ako ng violation. That’s it. So yun. Madami ring gumagawa nun pero dahil nga nasa
top ako, they’re ano… hahatakin nila ako sa pagiging top mo. So yun… actually, good question.
Nagwowork ako kasi, nung 17 to 18 ako, meron pang sumusupport sa akin. Sa States… kasi my
dad is supported by the States. But unfortunately… missionary… no no, not a missionary,
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nagwowork ka sa States pero yung States nay un sumusupport, tita, tito ko yun na hindi ko…
hindi ko siya kamaganak. Ganun kasi eh. Ahm… mga missionary dito sa Philippines, sinu
supported ng US missionary din na alam nila yung buhay ng missionary dito sa Pilipinas so that
they support. So, sinusuportahan nila yung dad ko. And then, my mom then. Kasi yung mom ko,
isa siya sa Campus Crusade for Christ siya, staff… dati. Ahm.. Campus Crusade for Christ which
is sumusuport sa kanila is States. So yun… sinusuportahan sila… but, unfortunately, yung
sumusuporta sa dad ang mom ko, died. Breast cancer. So… ayun. Which is sinusuportahan din
niya yung ate ko, which is natapos niya ng Nursing. Nakatapos naman siya. Nakagraduate yun
and RN na rin. So yun… nakatapos na yung ate ko so kaming susunond ng kuya ko, yung kuya
ko third year, at ako, first year non, ahm… incoming first year, namatay siya. So… because of
the breast cancer. Kasi wala siyang asawa din. So yun. Nung namatay siya, so we need to
support for ourselves. So, although may mga support pa rin kaming tumatanggap kaso sa
Pilipinas nalang, wala na sa US, wala na sa States, so, kelangan naming… sumupport for our
own. So sabi ko, since I’m 18 naman, so I will support myself. Yun. By the way, nagstop ako ng
one year. Kasi… nagstop ako ng one year kasi… yun nga… so nag first year ako dun, first year,
dito na ko nag first year ulit, second year na ko dito. So yun. Nope. Ah, nagstart ako ng course
ko ng Medtech in Wesleyan University. Oo. Lumipat nalang ako dito. Kasi, ahmm… mas
maganda yung lugar dito tsaka dun puro puno. Nueva Ecija. Cabanatuan City. Nueva Ecija,
Cabanatuan City. So yun. Family situation, anu naman. Okay naman sila. Okay naman sila. So I,
kaya lang ako nagtatrabaho kasi, parang gusto ko lang na ano… maging independent kasi pag
nagtatrabaho ako, nakarecord kasi eh… pag nagtatrabaho ako, I’m independent. Hindi…
nagagawa ko yung gusto ko. Yung hindi ka kukuha sa kanila ng baon, di ka kukuha sa kanila ng
tuition fee. So… you can manage your own. Hindi ka nila madidiktahan. Yeah. I’m earning my
own. Hindi nila ko…. Kasi nung nagaaral ako, naranasan ko ding lalo na’t sinusuportahan nila
ko, andaming bawal. Bawal… kahit na lalaki ako, they’re forbidding to get a girlfriend ganyan.
So bawal akong magbanda, bawal akong magganito ganyan kasi I’m supported. So… yes. So
lahat ng ginagastos mo, calculated. Right? Calculated. Di ba? So hindi ka ano… para kang
nakachain na parang… ah… you get more… parang gusto mo pang bumili ng ganyan pero hindi
ka makabili. So, everything that you can see on me, is from me. Since I was 18. So my bag, my
computer, my cell phone, everything. Siguro binibigyan nila ko ng ano… ng regalo as gift pero
hindi ko naman hinihingi. Binibigay naman nila pero hindi ko naman hinihingi. So which is,
okay naman. Pero, lahat halos ng gamit ko sa bahay, minsan nga nagsusupport pa ko sa kanila
which is my tithes di ba? Sa Christian, save tithes, 10% of your own. Then, pag ka may mga
kapatid ka na ano… gusting manghingi sayo ng pera, so binibigyan ko rin sila. So yun. Ahm…
I’m proud na sasabihin ko na simula nagtrabaho ako, naging independent na ako sa sarili ko. Di
na ko humihingi sa kanila. Pero pag binibigyan nila ko, di ko naman sasabihin na hindi ko
kailangan yan kasi ako mabait naman ako. Sabi ko, sige po oh ayan. So not exactly… hindi ako
humihingi sa kanila pero basta nalang silang nagbibigay minsan nga nagugulat nalang ako oh eto
sayo nalang eto oh ganyan. Responsibility at tsaka gusto nilang regaluhan ako, birthday ko
ganyan… lahat ng gamit ko, sa akin lahat nanggaling. So, I’m supporting myself, pagkain
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ganyan. So syempre tumitira rin ako dun which is support for me. Pero not exactly na maraming
sinusupport saken. Supporting my own self. Supporting my own self while studying. So
natutuwa naman sila don. Pero they don’t know what I am in the outside. Di halos nila ko
nasusupervise kung ano ako sa outside. So, minsan napapabayaan ko na yung family ko na
kailangan ko din dapat palang unahin yon. Pero.. yon. So, so far napagsabay ko yung church,
then education, and then work in one so, 3 in 1 ako ngayon. Kasi I have… meron akong…
responsibility sa church which is band. And then, sometimes ako rin ang naglelead sing. And
then sa work, ayon… the same sa education also. Sabi ko nga sa mga kaklase ko eh, pag ako
nasa school ako, dun lang ako magaaral. Rereview… halimbawa may quiz pala ngayon, dun lang
ako magrereview. Pag sa labas na, iba na atensyon ko. Because madami akong ginagawa. So,
pinakita ko sakanila yung notes kong ganyan na, terms and conditions of the bank, na pag
nagkaroon sila nga current… ng customer, approach nila yung bangko… magkakaroon sila ng
card na credit one; card o credit card. Yon. Pag nagkaroon sila non, yung terms and conditions
kailangan mong alamin yon kasi pag nagtanong sila at hindi mo alam, patay ka. So, kung alam
ng customer yung terms and conditions, dapat alam mo din para hindi nila ano… pag tinanong
ka nila, alam mo isasagot mo. Di ba? Kailangan bago ka mag sell ng product, know the product
di ba? So ayon… so… what else? Ah… diyan sa financial situation, nung nagtatrabaho ako sa
SM, medyo ano nga… gipit talaga; oo kasi hindi ka makapagfocus, kasi, you’re in a hurry. Kaya
kung bakit call center kinuha ko kasi I can work at night, and then do education in the morning.
Yap. Yeah, so akala mo siguro part time lang yung pagtatrabaho ko? No, hindi. Full time ako sa
trabaho. 9 hours ako kailangang magreport sa work. And then, dito sa school, it depends. Ahm…
pwede kang mamaili ng schedule mo pero, 5 days in a week. 5 days in a week so, pwede kang
mamili ng schedule mo kasi ayaw mong mag regular sa trabaho ko. Pinopromote nga nila ko eh.
Kaso sabi kong ganyan, pag pinromote niyo ko, ano.. kailangan ng much attention sa to this kind
of job kaysa sa ginagawa ko ngayon na okay lang napatawa tawa ka sa ginagawa mo kasi pwede
mo silang ano eh… pwede mo siyang gawin o hindi. Pero pagka you are a team leader, you
should supervise your members. Which is for me, is a big effort. So, I usually used to do it kaya
maraming offer na promotion pero I didn’t grab it. Para lang sa studies. Hm.. yap madaming
beses talaga kasi ah iyon… pagtulog, minsan pagtulog and then, pag innounce yung quiz,
announced quiz, or sabi nga ng sir namin ano… surprised quiz daw pero inannounced niya.
Ayun, surprised quiz pero inannounced niya, yun, nagrereview ako sa loob ng work ko. Habang
nag aano… nag… tatrabaho nagrereview ako. So, yun, struggle ko yun kasi medyo memory din.
Pero, marami rin naman siyang ano… marami rin benefits din. Kung merong mga struggles, may
mga anu din… may mga… advantages. Kasi advantage ko sa school kasi, halos yung mga
pinagaaralan niyo, alam ko na rin. Kasi you know what, pagka ano… sa analytical lang, sa
analytical… sa mga debates, kaya ko siya. I can handle it pero sa memorization ng like that, like
Medtech, memorization ng mga kung ano anong mga bagay, ah it sucks. It sucks. So, ayon.
Ah… so far wala naman. Wala pa naman. Meron. Ahmm… meron din. Wala pa naman akong
naencounter dito kasi, naguumpisa palang din naman ako dito. Last sem nandun pa ko sa
Wesleyan. So, actually, ngayong sem palang ako nandito. So, kamimeet ko palang… ano
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kakilala mo siya? Ah okay! Ah okay… akala ko, siya yung parang… pamangkin ka. Hindi
naman? I thought so. Yeah. So yun. Sa work, madami akong masyadong di pa alam ngayon sa
account na binibigay sakin. So, pano ko siya mina manage? Tulog. Ano kasi ako eh, pagka once
na nagiging problema, tsaka ko lang nasosolve pero pag nakauwi na ko sa bahay, stop working
muna. Parang ganun naman, pag sa school, aral muna, aral sa ganito ganyan, sa mga quiz
ganyan. Kaya sinasabi ko sayo, kung kelan ako nasa school, dun lang ako nagaaral. Kung nasa
school ako, nasa loob ako ng school, ginagawa ko lang nun nagaaral ng konti. Assignment ko,
ginagawa ko siya ahead of time. So after ko ng ano, after kong school pag may assignment,
gagawin ko siya kaagad. So after kong matapos yon, kailangan ko munang matapos lahat ng…
ayaw ko rin kasi ng ano eh… hindi ako procrastination. Ayoko ng procrastination eh. So
tatapusin ko muna lahat ng task ko which is my scheduler ako, scheduler sa laptop and then sa
this one. Scheduler. Which is schedules. So ginusto ko yung mga gagawin ko, sa January,
February, March. So yun… gumagawa ko ng aking ano… so ako ang secretary sa sarili ko kasi
di ba dapat may secretary ako so Yuan may lakad ka sa ganito, ganyan ganito ganyan. Wala. Ako
lang lahat yon. So, I keep managing on it. Titignan ko muna pag gising ko sa umaga, ano bang
mga schedule ko ngayon? Ayun. Pag may trabaho ka sa gabi, dun lang ako, dun lang ako
malilibre sa trabaho ko. So namamanage ko naman siya so far, so far ngayon kasi mas
namamanage ko siya tsaka sanay na ko sa puyat actually. Kasi, 9 hours tignan mo, ang pasok ko
pagka Monday, Tuesday, and then Friday, bukas, 7:30 hanggang 4:30. Tapos, pag naman
Monday, ahmm… 1:30 pa naman. Which is magaan sakin ang Monday and Wedn…Wednesday
hindi. Ang Thursday. Monday and Thursday magaan saken. Pag Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday, pasok ko ng Tuesday, 7:30, Wednesday, 9. Then, Friday, 7:30 again. So yun. Kaya
nagpapalagay ako ng day off ko, Tuesday and then Wednesday or Thursday or Tuesday and
Friday para nakakapahinga ako. So yun sinasabi ko sa manager ko, so, nalalapasan ko naman
yung mga struggles ko. Yun… sa mga analytical here in school, madali mo lang siyang ma
ano… masagot. Kasi you’ve experienced it sa trabaho. Yeah. Confidence. And then, angat ka sa
iba kasi, you have knowledge sa mga bagay na yun and then, mga kaklase mo hindi so, kaya mo
siyang sagutin within an instant na dun mo lang siya binasa. Kasi ako, sa work, pag binasa ko
yung terms and conditions na yon, ah… maiintindihan mo siya kagad. Dapat mo siyang
intindihin kaagad. Tapos yun… yung pagunawa mo sa school, mas gumagaling siya dahil sa
work. And then, yun nga… para siyang ano… proud ka sa sarili mo kasi you’re ano… may
naaachieved ka. And then, ayun. And then ikaw mismo nag papaaral sa sarili mo. Sa sarili ko?
Yeah. Disadvantage kase, lack of sleep. Lack of sleep. Siguro yun lang. lack of sleep and then,
yung parang tipong yung mga assignments mong pang matagalan, like for example yung mga
thesis, yun… medyo hirap ka don. Pero pag groupings, you can be a leader para itatask mo sa
kanila yung mga gagawin and then you just can analyse it. Sa analysing siguro ako ang gagawa
ah. Pero sa mga paper works, kayo magtype niyan. Ganon. May thesis din kami ngayon na
ginagawa. Ah… baby thesis palang yon. Baby thesis na about sa Child Abuse. Ah okay.
Ididisclose ko na yung salary ko. So far, pag may incentives kasi, ah… yung salary namin,
umaabot yun na 20k each month. Pero pag incentives, ahhm… anu siya, dahil ako lagi akong
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may incentives, merong 2 thousand pang pero cut-off which is magiging 22- 24 thousand ang
magiging salary pero month. Yup. 1 day to 15. But, for us, two weeks lang. so, kung samin, ang
ano ng ano namin eto… explain ko. So halimbawa, January, so, start ka ng one week and two
weeks kasi dalawang araw, rest day mo so, ten days lang, ten days lang yung parang… sasahod
ka na. kunyare nagtrabaho ka ng ganyan, rest day mo ng Saturday and Sunday, so may trabaho
ka ng 1,2,3,4,5, 6,7,8,9,10. So yun. Yun ang sasahudin mo, which is one cut-off. So hind exactly
one month. Kasi yung iba, one month nila ganito, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15…
so dalawa lang ang rest day nila dalawa lang. so which is mamimili ka lang lahat ng yan. Nung
nag SM ako kasi, anu yun, 15 days kami, pero 2 lang yung rest day namin. So 13 days. 13 days
ang sinasahod ko non, which is 6 thousand per cut-off. Sp ngayon, ang sinasahod ko per cut-off
which is ididisclose ko na, okay… kasi hindi ko sinasabi sa ito eh… so yun… ididisclose ko
na… 10 days lang ang work namin, nakakakuha ako minsan ng 9 thousand to 10 thousand. So
minsan 11 thousand pagka nakakaachieve ako ng… achieve ako ng… incentives. Bali ano
pala… hindi pala 25… 22 lang pala… bali yun ang pinaka maximum per month. Yon.
Ginagastos? Ahm.. kasi nga, sinabi ko kanina, ako gumagastos sa sarili ko, breakfast, lunch,
dinner, ako, sakin… ako gumagastos non. Yes. Lahat yon. And then, also my laundry. Sa sarili
ko. Nagbabayad ako ng laundry. And then, pamasahe… then, ang food ko kasi, limang beses
kada araw eh. Kasi, yun may mga coffee break ako na kailangan kong kumain kasi nakakapagod
sa trabaho kaya kailangang ikain yan. Then, church. And syempre yung 10% sa magulang ko
which is pastor sila, and then, most of it, sa tuition fee ko napupunta. And then, sa baon ko rin, sa
mga, expenses ko sa sarili ko. Ayun. Sabi ko nga lahat ng gamit ko sa sarili ko, ako lahat
gumagastos. Hindi ko na sila ano… I’m responsible for it. Hindi ko na sila hinihingian pa sa mga
ganon. Pero sabi ko nga, pag binibigay nila, hindi ko naman tinatanggihan. Magulang ko parin
sila kaya they’re responsible for me pa rin. So… yun. Good question. Sabi ko nga kanina, I never
quit. The only thing I quit is when I already done. Pag tapos na ko sa pag studies ko, yun… dun
na ko magquit… which is pagpapatuloy ko yung pagmeMedtech na course ko. Which is,
pagnakatapos ako ng studies, yun siguro yung pagpapatuloy ko na work; hindi yung ano ko
ngayon. So hindi pa ko… Naisip ko na rin yan, ay ang taas ng salary ko magquit na ko kasi
ganito nalang. That’s why yung mge reaction ng mga Pilipino, pag nakakita sila ng pera, they not
minding education. Ahm… Bicolano yung parents ko kaya… sabi nila, education is one of your
ano… wag mawawala sa sarili mo. Kailangan mo yan sa sarili mo. Kumbaga, dangal ko rin yun
sa sarili ko na… meron kasi akong ano dati eh. Ahm… for the past lang. Ayoko ng ganito na…
wala akong napagtapusan. Ganon. Kaya kailangan kong tapusin toh. Although walang
nageencourage sakin na gawin ito, gagawin ko siya. Di ba? Sabi ko sa sarili ko, tatapusin ko toh.
Although, marami akong katrabaho, hindi pa sila tapos ah… yung iba kasi hindi pa tapos eh…
pero mapopromote sila pagtapos nila syempre. Di ba? Ah oo. Actually malaki rin makikita mo sa
pag sa trabaho namin kasi, land raise yung aming promotion. Pagka marami kang nakuhang land
call accommodation awards, gaya ng nakakamit ko nga ngayon, kasi masipag daw ako sabi nila
eh. So nakakakuha ako ng maraming awards. Kaya naiinggit nga sila sakin eh. Ako, maraming
promotions ang nakalatag sakin, sakanila wala. So, kahit gusto nila, walang ano… wala silang
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magawa. Yun. Oo naman. Yun talaga… ngayon meron kang salary, pag nakatapos ka… ay pag
hindi ka nakatapos at humina ka, wala na. di ba? Unlike, pag may education ka, kahit humina ka,
parang sa magiging anak mo, sa magiging asawa mo, yun. Pagka wala kang education parang
mababa ka sa kanila eh. Pride. Parang pride din. Minsan hindi. Minsan oo. Ay hindi. Ako, sabi
ko sakanila, you are intended to say that kasi ako din pagnakita ko kayo, sasabihin ko din yan.
Pero hindi ko sasabihin kasi kaibigan ko nga kayo. Ay hindi… kaibigan ko sila dati. Because of
that…kung ako nasa kalagayan niyo, may karapatan nga akong isumbong ako pero, iintindihin
ko yung tao na yon. Which is ako nga yon. Pero dahil nga kayo yan, di ako magagalit sa inyo.
Kasi ano kayo diyan eh… anong tawag don yung… karapatan niyo yan eh. Di ba? So… you are
entitled sa mga bagay na sasabihin niyo sa akin. Pero, which is not me. Pwede kayong magsabi
sakin na kung ano sakin pero mapapatunayan lang yung pag sinabi ko na ako nga talaga yon.
Naiintindihan mo? Pagka ikaw. Magsabi ka sakin ng kahit anong bagay… mga panget saken or
mali saken, karapatan mo yun eh. Pero pagsinabi kong ganito nga ako, tama yung sinabi mo.
Tsaka mo palang mapapatunayan na ganon ako. Pero… hindi eh. Iba yung ako na sinasabi mo.
Oo. Perspective niya. Yeah. Kunware ngayon inggit ka lang… pero pag umangat ka diyan,
parang magiging magkaibigan tayo. Ayon. Ganun naman talaga eh. Ganito yung mga Pilipino.
Sabi ko nga. After college… ahm… to be promoted for now. To be promoted soon as possible
so… pagka nagoffer sila ng mas malaking sakin, which is nasa 100k plus, ganun… iggrab ko
yon. Kasi umaabot ng ganon ang swelduhan sa amin. So pagka ganun… pwede ka na maging
hired sa higher position which is as a CEO ng bangko which is pwede ka ring mag manager. Ang
sinusweldo nila ang laki eh. Kaya nga nilang ibigay yung 100 thousand nay un eh. One of the
largest kasi is yung bank of America, which is HSBC. So kami, mababa lang kami. Mababa lang
ang credit card namin. So after that, pwede akong humanap ng company which will offer me a
higher salary than them which is HSBC, Credit one, Bank of America. Nagapply talaga ko don.
Actually, its by chance. By chance lang yun eh. Kasi, hindi ko talaga siya… wala talaga kong
balak magaaply don. Eh hinila ako nila eh. Magaaply ka, sayang naman yung job opportunity
mo. So… kinidnap nila ako sa isang van, and then dinala nila ako sa isang interview sa isang
area, ang after that, yun, ininterview nila ko, so… iwan ka. English yun ah. English. Accent ko
naman kasi okay. Maganda yung accent ko ganyan. And then, parang madali akong turuan.
Smooth nga eh… lahat ng mga interview na binigay saken, nasasagot ko then… yun. Diretso
work na ko nung Monday. So sabi nila one day hire lang daw. Pero bakit yung iba hindi. Kasi
pag one day hired, lahat dapat kami. Ay hindi po. Hindi sila qualified eh. Dalawa lang kaming
qualified kasi yung isa may experience na. so ako, wala pang experience don. So yun… sabi
kong ganon.. sorry. Sabi ko sa kanila yun pala ganon. Eh sila nag interview saken… eh wala
akong magagawa. Kung qualified pala ako. May kasabay kasi akong dalawa… may kasbay
akong dalawang babae… yung katrabaho ko sa SM. Lumipat kami ng trabaho eh. Para tapos na
kami don, ano… magapply kami ng bago. By contract siya. But, after 6 months mo na good
behaviour ka pa rin na ganyan; yung wala kang absents, continue ka pa rin. Regular na ko
ngayon. So they cannot fire me ng gusto lang nila. Tapos yung contract na binigay nila sakin ng
6 months, nalampasan ko na yon. So 8 months na ko ngayon… on going. On going… so yon.
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Wala pa siyang family actually siya yung pabigat samin. Sorry ah. Sorry ah. Sorry sa kanya
kasi… sa totoo lang, siya lahat yung umubos ng… pati yung dapat sa amin, binigay sakanya.
When I was Medtech dun sa school ng Wesleyan, dun siya nagaaral, Nursing siya don. Kasi nga
graduating siya, binuhos sakanya lahat ng gastos. So kami napapabayaan, that’s why I chose gig
mga ganon. Na kumukuha ako ng mga ibang raket mga ganyan. Kasi, hindi naman sa
nagyayabang, magaling din naman ako pagdating sa mga music music. Ayun so… kumuha ako
ng mga raket. And then, hirap ako; sa mga baon siguro, ako ang nag aano sa aken… sa mga
school works, paper works… mga ganyan. Then mga requirements ako siguro. Pero sa tuition
fee, sila pa rin nagbabayad. Pero that time, naghanap ako back… dami ko pang kailangang
bayaran. Which is malaking halag din nasa… 5 digits… 5 digits din… ayaw ko ng sabihin yung
presyo. Ako pa rin yung nagbayad ngayon. Para lang makuha yung TOR ko. Ako pa yung
nagbayad na yung sinahod ko dito, for the… for 5 months, inipon ko yon, so binayad ko don.
Pati yung 13 month pay ko ayun binayad ko rin. Malaking… malaking tuition fee yon. Inabot din
siya hanggang ano eh… hanggang… siguro dalawang sem. Ang binayaran ko para makuha ko
yung TOR ko, para makapagtransfer ako dito. Dito? Dun. Oo nahirapan ako dun. Dito din,
sobrang hirap din. Tapos iyon. Alam mo kung baket? Ang layo ng school ko dito. So hindi ko
kagad makukuha yung TOR ko or certification of grades ko para ibigay dito kasi, malayo nga. Di
ba? Oo. It take me 4 hours. Eh nagtatrabaho pa ko nun. Andun ako habang nagtatrabaho. So….
Dumating sa part ng buhay ko na nagcollapse ako. Nagcollapse ako isang beses kasi sobrang…
Friday non, last day ng enrolment dito, pinabalik pa ko ng Saturday. Saturday, eh wala daw
palang ano… wala daw palang magaassist saken sa deans office. So, wala ding magaassist saken,
wala ding mag bibigay na subjects saken. So, inis na inis ako nun promise. It was… after nung
Saturday na yon, walang nangyari, Monday nalang daw ako bumalik. After nung Saturday,
pumunta ko, work na ko. 5 na ko nakalabas dito, diretso na work na ko. Ang labas ko na non, 8
mga ganon. After 8, church na kasi meron pa kong responsible sa church. After non, bumigay na
ko nung Monday. Bumigay na ko; di na ko nakapasok sa work. Kasi, three days na kong halos
walang tulog non. Kasi galing pa ko sa Nueva Ecija, balik balik balik. Tapos ngayon inaayos ko
yung TOR ko dito nun. Naayos ko naman din. Yon. Halos naubos na din yung funds ko don kasi,
ang dami kong ginastos na pamasahe then pabalik balik ako dito. Sabi ko sobrang pagod. And
then nung nageenrol ako dito, wala ngang mga tao. Monday andami ng tao. Pila ko diyan ng
mahabang pila. Nung Monday ba yon… Nung Monday na last enrolment daw sabi nila. Ang
habang pila, after kong pumila, mga six na ata ako nakauwi tapos pasok ako sa trabaho tapos
yon. Pero ngayon medyo light na light nalang. Okay lang siya ngayon. Onting… onting…
syempre mahirap pa din kung tutuusin kasi wala ka pa ring enough sleep. Putol putol sleep mo.
If you have a goal in life, you will never quit. Sabi ko nga, titigil lang ako, when I’m done. So…
hindi ako titigil hangga’t hindi pa ko tapos. Hindi naman kasi I have funds pa naman. I have
funds pa naman. Tsaka I can borrow sa ka office ko tsaka sa manager ko, pwede akong
makaborrow. Ah like nung… wala na kong ipon, wala na kong pera non eh… Ah, can I borrow
5k para sa ano ko… kasi ano eh… ang per week ko kasi, ang per week ko na expenses, umaabot
ng two thousand. Yon. 1 week lang yun. Bali two weeks ko, bago mag sahod, 4 thousand yung
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nagagasots ko sa sarili ko lang. pagkain tsaka travel. Ayun. Ah dito… baket? Saan ba pwede?
Baket saan ba? Baket san mob a nirerecommend? San ba dapat yung malapit kasi dito…
pinakamalapit lang dito eh kasi kaya nga eto pinili ko kasi eto yung pinakamalapit. Di ba? Yun
na yung pinakamalapit. No choice ako. Ayun. Pero, nagustuhan ko rin naman kasi… konti lang.
unlike sa ibang school na madami. Ang dami sobra ng mga binabayaran. Sa FEU, and
miscellenous fee nila dun isang taon na namin; sobrang laki. So ayun. Sabi nga. Pero, hanggat
hindi ko pa napapatunayan. Kasi ano eh… mapagmasid din ako sa mga professor kahit papaano.
Baket baket? Ah… hindi naman sa ano kasi may experience din ako na which is ano mali na toh
sa probinsya, Nueva Ecija. Which is city din naman, pero, ang pamamalakad din nila dun, kasi
nakarecord eh, wag mong ididisclose toh ah. Wag mo tong ididisclose toh sa iba ah, ang ano ko
sa university namin, iba dito sa university dito which is mas maganda yung pamamalakad nila
don. Yon. Naaaliw ako dun sa Wesleyan unlike dito. Siguro pag nagtagal tagal maaano din ako,
kasi tapos sa mga events dun, kasali lahat hindi pwedeng hindi which is nakita ko sa intrams
dito, wala… dapat walang klase. Yung mga parade dito, nagpaparada sila sa buong campus
meron siyang mga car show, mga ganon. Then, different activities na ganon samin… madami
pag intrams dun, one week walang pasok talaga. One week walang pasok which is papasok ka pa
rin kasi may attendance na required kang manood ng ano… na makisama tsaka may gagawin ka,
pag Medtech ka, ah, eto ka dito ka dito ka… mga Medtech na di kasama sa ano sa palaro ikaw
yung taga score. Madami. Mas madami pa dito. Kasi, kompleto sila eh, meron na nga silang
PolSci ngayon eh. Law pala, Law. Meron na silang Law. Wala pa silang medicine pero
magkakaroon na raw so far kasi madami na ngang estudyante. So kagaya dito may mga CBA din
tapos Medtech, Nursing, Radtech. May Radtech ba dito? May Radtech don. Then, ano pa ba?
Physical Theraphist, ah… Pharmacist meron din don. Ayon. So, kompleto sila don. Kaya nga
don ako pinagaral kasi university eh. Actually madami akong tampo sa family ko eh kasi hindi
sila masyadong mapagmasid ba. Kasi madaming nagoffer kay daddy na magpastor sa ganitong
lugar then he didn’t grab it so… parang so far, dapat makakaluwag luwag na kami… pero, yung
pride din kasi niya as a pastor, ayaw niyang iturn down yung faith niya sa iba. Hindi naman
madami pero sakto lang… nagbabatian naman kami pero not exactly na close na close kami.
Kasi I set aside myself na parang independent ako. Na hindi ko sila palaging kinokunsulta sa
mga ginagawa ko. Ahm. Kaya when it comes to family, naggagathering din kami; although
naggagathering kami once in a week. Pero hindi ko sa kanila kinokunsulta yung mga nangyayari
sa buhay ko. Siguro yung konti lang pero yung mga nangyayari na which is struggles,
hinahayaan kong ako yung sumolve sa sarili ko. Para kong independent na kahit yung mga bagay
na personal life, ganyan, di ko sa kanila sinasabi. Sa mommy ko, ganun din. Minsan sinasabi ko,
mom gawin mo nga tong mga assignment ko kasi wala na kong time gawin. Ginaganun ko siya.
Ganun sa mga assignment kasi alam ko naman na toh eh. Alam ko naman na tong assignment na
to eh… kayo na gumawa; so ginagawa nila. Kapatid ko, inuutusan ko sila; family, kasi most of
the time wala ako sa bahay. Wala na kami masyadong bonding. Pero nung mga bata pa ko nun,
madaming naayos naman. Ngayon lang ako parang nagkaroon separation sa kanila. Kasi parang,
as being independent na rin, hindi na ko parang ahm… umaasa sa kanila. Every thing… sabi ko,
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every thing na mga problema ko, ako na sumosolve non. Sa mga pera, sa ganyan, ako na
sumosolve nun. Hindi talaga ko humihingi sa kanila, even 1 cents, hindi ako humihingi sa kanila.
Sa mga problema, ako lahat sumosolve. Actually stress ako pero, that’s life eh; normal lang yan
sa buhay kasi di naman nabubuhay tayo para ano lang dito, you have a mission. Kaya ako
naniniwala sa kasabihan, sa sinasabi nila na, nung nabuhay ka, hindi yan coincidence na nabuhay
ka, you have a mission in life. Kailangan mong tapusin. Purpose. Hindi ka lang basta nabuhay
diyan na para ganito. Naniniwala ako sa meron akong purpose dito sa life na toh kung bakit ako
nagkaganito; hindi ko naman sila sinisisi kasi, hindi naman lacking na… there’s no coincidence
in life. It’s all planned by God di ba? Hindi naman… hindi ginusto nila kaya ganyan. Actually
alam ko di nila ginusto yon. Hindi sila… wala silang authority don. That’s the authority of God.
So, sa mga nangyayari sa buhay namin, di rin namin ginusto yon… syempre. Nagtatampo lang
ako kasi may mga maling desisyon sila na ginagawa na pinapabayaan ko nalang minsan, pero di
naman lumalayo yung loob ko sa kanila sa fact na yon… close pa rin kami. Close pa rin kami.
Kung baga sa bonding bonding, pero pagdating sa mga problems, di ko sinasabi sa kanila,
although marami silang binibigay na problems sakin, madami silang sinasabing family problems
sakin, ganyan… yung mga loaded na ganyan… loaded na nga ako, punong puno na ko, loaded
with some kinds of problems, sabi ko, ah sige okay lang okay lang. tapos hindi nila… tapos
tumatango tango nalang akong ganyan… I will handle it. Try ko kung makapunta ko. Yun. Pero,
hindi ko… one more thing, hindi ako, hindi ko hinahayaang idown ako ng problems. Kumbaga,
kailangan kong may laging may reconciliation. Kailangan positive lagi. Hindi ko hinahayaang
idown ako ng problems. Nagaano ako dun, okay naman so far. Hindi ko hinahayaang problems
ang bumubuhay saken. Yun nga, yun nga din yung struggles ko, nagbabanda ka, masyado ding
hectic sa school. Kaya, tinigil ko na. tinigil ko na. siguro, pag ako, nagsettle down ako, yun na
yung mapapangasawa ko. Syempre, naiintindihan ko yung mga tao ngayon, hindi sila
masyadong ano… hindi sila masyadong sinasabihan ng magulang nila. Sabi ko nga sa kanila,
I’m done with that. Tapos na ko sa part nay an kasi, once natutun niyo na yung age, kumbaga
natunton niyo na yung napagdaan ko, yung naexperience ko, masasabi mo nalang na, it’s not
about girlfriend anymore; wala yan eh. Pagdating sa practicalism, wala na yan eh. Wala na yan.
May mga kineclaim nila, wala nay an. Kasi pag ikaw nalang yung tumatayo sa sarili mo, hindi
mo na iisipin yon. Promise. Mas marami kang priority. Madami. Actually, madami saking
nanliligaw sa ano… sa trabaho. Ahmm… nung ano, hindi naman sa pagyayabang ah, kasi naging
top agent kasi ako eh kaya kumalat yung pangalan ko sa buong area and then syempre pag
nagtatrabaho ako, naiilang nga ako actually, yan ba yung top agent? Tapos ganyan. Nagaaral pa
siya? Wow may pangarap sa buhay mga ganon. Kasi ngayon, now a days, people wants not only
beauty or not only mayaman ngayon kasi pag mayaman ka ngayon, hindi yan currently mayaman
ka rin sa future kasi, hindi ka naman titira sa magulang mo habang buhay; or unless titira ka sa
mga magulang mo habang buhay na mayaman yung mga magulang mo; panu pag mawala sila,
so, think of it kumbaga, parang nakita ko na yan sa future na mangyayari ahm…pag ngayon
nainlove ka sa mga ganyan na walang trabho ganyan, hindi pa seryoso sa pagaaral, walang
pangarap sa buhay yan. Ang babagsakan niyan, sa kangkungan di ba? So, ginarantee ko rin sa
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sarili ko na pagtungtong ko ng 40 hindi na ko magtatrrabaho. Or 40 ahm… o 50 ganyan, off na
kong magtrabaho; hindi ko susundin yung batas na edad na pag 60 ka na, may edad ka na, pwede
ka ng hindi magtrabaho, pero for me, 50, its ano… its ano… option nalang for me kung
magtatrabaho pa ko o hindi kasi nagipon na ko at my young age ano ko eh… I gave my full best
for my future; kaya ngayon, its time for me para mag pleasure para sa sarili ko. Sa ngayon,
ginagawa nila, pleasure muna and then actually wala… I did a lot of chance knowing its not bad
to… ahm… isabuhay… isabuhay o gayahin. Its not bad; pero maraming matututunan sa kanila at
their young age, mahirap sila noon, ngayon ang yaman nila. Kasi they learn how to… how save.
Tapos yung. Yung mga gadgets na yan, lilipas din yan… madami ding lalabas na ganyan. So
what if, sa dulo ka nalang bumili? Anu na yang Iphone mo ngayon? Iphone 1 di ba? Wala na.
dun ka na sa dulo bumili. Which is marami ka ng pambili. Ngayon wala ka pa, estudyante ka
palang. So isipin mo muna yung ano mo… so yun. Hindi ko naman sasabihin na wala kong
sasabihin masyado tungkol diyan pero, natuto na ko sa mga bagay na yan. Na at my young age,
natutunan ko na kung pano maging maipunin. Hindi ako waldas. So ganun. Pero naiintindiham
ko sila kasi hindi nila ano eh… kahit sabihin ko sa kanila yung mga bagay nay un ng paulit ulit,
as long as hindi pa sila tumutungtong sa ganitong age, wala. Wala kang mapapala. Bakit… bakit
ka magboboyfriend kung alam mo namang hindi mo mapapangasawa? Di ba? Bakit
magboboyfriend kung di ka siguradong mapapangasawa mo? Di ba? You’re just wasting your
time. Para ka lang naglalaro. Ayun. People right now, puro pleasure lang. so ayon… hindi ko
siya ginagawa. So is there anything else?
Siguro nabasa ni ma’am yung aking ano… hindi kasi gumawa kami ng parang ano…
gumawa daw kami ng isang senaryo sa buhay namin na parang struggle sa life. Gumawa ako nun
tapos yung mga achievements ko pano ko na… lumabas out of the… parang ano…. Pano daw
ako naging ganito… parang ano… successful or achiever; parang ganun. Tapos nilagay ko sa
baba, I’m a working student right now. Di ba naabutan mo yun nung naka executive uniform
ako? Oo. Hindi. Bukas kukuha na ko ng exemption sa uniform. Sasabihin ko na I’m a working
student, and pwede na kong pumasok ng ganito pero magbibihis naman ako after that eh. Kaya,
hindi ko maintindihan na ganon.
Dapat marami kayong sample diyan eh. Marami dapat kayong sample diyan eh. Di ba?
Parang may test mga ganon. Oo. So far, ilan ba kailangan niyong samples? 6 samples. Para
mapatunayan na ganito… yung mga bagay na ganito? Ah okay. So yun, yung story ko na yan,
wag mong disclose yung tunay kong pangalan ah. Yuan nalang lagay mo. Yuan. Ah okay sige.
Although, maayos naman kwento ko, pero ayoko pa siyang sa ngayon. Sa life ko kasi, sa life
namin, three things. Una, dapat makagawa ka ng sarili mong book. Pangalawa, dapat
makapagplant ka ng tree. And then pangatlo, you should bare a child. So yun… so far, isa
nalang. Ah nababasa niyo bay an? So yon. So far isa nalang. Which is so far… in the future. Kasi
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ngayon, I’m enjoying my life. Although laging sinasabi samin ni mommy na anak uso ngayon
yung mga ganyan ganyan. Oo. Sabi ko, ma wala pa sa isip ko yung mga ganon ganon. Sa mga
magkakapatid, ganun din naman ako, when it comes to studies, ano ko diyan… ahmm… parang
seryoso ako diyan kasi alam naman nila kasi nagaaral ako wala naman silang problema sakin eh.
Ah hindi actually, since then. Hindi, oo advantage na rin pero its not, hindi mo ring guarantee
ganon talaga kasi may struggles din being… di naman family struggle yun eh… although
personal struggles din syempre. Di mo naman masasabi na porket Christian ka, palalakihin ka ng
matuwid, depende pa rin naman person yun. Di ba? Kung alam mo talaga yung tama, syempre
gagawin mo yung tama. Di ba? Oo. Natatawa nga ako sa iba eh, dahil ba hindi ka napalaki ng
magulang mo, ganyan ka na; dapat nga magsumikap ka kasi yung iba yung tipong nasa ibang
bansa yung mga magulang nila, dapat magsumikap ka kasi pag uwi nila dito, tapos ka na, yung
mga trabaho nilang pinagsikapan, worth it na kasi nakatapos ka. Di ba? Eh iyon, dahil lang sa
ganon? Iba na yung buhay ngayon sa dati eh. Dati okay lang na tuyo na ulam, pero ngayon, hindi
na yan. Iba na ngayon so… kung naamaze ka sa mundo ngayon, wag mo ng gayahin yung iba.
Alam mo na nga yung iba, gagayahin mo pa. so… anu ka pa sa kanila… common sense lang. di
ba? Hindi mo naman masisisi yan kasi, that’s life eh. Hindi naman tayo lumaki sa dating
panahon. Kaya ako hindi ko din sila sinisisi eh. Pero may tampo ako sa kanila sa mga
pinapaburan nila sa bahay. Iyon… yung mga bagay sa bahay na kung bakit ganon… yung
nangyari… ahm.. pinapasalamatan ko pa nga sila eh kasi ahm… they raised me like this. They
raised me like this na… kung ano ako ngayon, parang bunga yon ng dahil sa kanila na they
raised me… pag kami nagkakamali, palo. Ganyan palo. Hindi mo dapat anohin. Saludo ako dun.
Patotoo lang yun na hindi ka dapat mamuhay sa wrong. Dati, nung bata bata pa ko, may tindahan
kami non eh… 5 years old ako. Kumukha kuha ako ng mga pagkain dun sa lola ko sa tindahan.
So… yun. Pinalo ako ng pinalo sa harap ng maraming tao. So… yun… any way from that, hindi
ko na ginawa. Mapahiya ka ulit di ba? So… and then it will reward you in the future. Kung anu
yung kinakalakihan mo, yung tama, you’ll be rewarded in the future kasi, its your native eh. Yun
yung parang… yung parang ano mo eh… parang native na yun say o eh, yung mabuti. So, hindi
porket na Christian family, pagka alam mo yung native mo na gumawa ng mabuti, that’s not…
wala na sayo yun… it’s not a big deal. But, if your regularize it, okay lang… that’s why ayoko
siyang ipabroadcast. Di ba? Ayoko siyang ibroadcast. Ayoko rin yung, pag may ginawa akong
tama, ganito ganyan. So kasi, its my nature. Actually, pagawain mo ko ng mali, ano, its not my
nature. Kaya pag nalalaman nila minsan, hala ganito ginawa niya? Top agent toh ah. Ganito pala
yung ginawa niya? So ganun kaya meron kaming mga cases na tatanungin ka kung bakit mo
nagawa yun… kung totoo ba yun. So, pag napatunayan nilang nagawa mo lang yun at not your
own will, papatawarin ka nila. Ah sorry po hindi ko naman po sinasadyang nakatulog ako kasi
actually, meron po akong… nagaaral po ako kaya ganyan. Naiintindihan nila yon… that’s why
they give me a lot of exemptions sa mga ano… sige pwede ka ng pumasok ng nakauniform. Sabi
nilang ganon saken. Ah.. then, pwede mo ng gawin yung mga gamit mo dito, pwede ka ng
magaral dito pero don’t copy the account of the customers. Di ba syempre di ba? You are
allowed to do your assignments dito ganito ganyan. Actually kahit yung mga yan, mga face na
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yan, tinutulungan nila kong gumawa ng assignments. Pero hindi naman lagi. And pag natutulog
ako sa office, actually, pag hindi ko oras, ginigising nila ko. They give me a lot of favors
actually. Pati sa mga schedules, binbigyan nila ko ng rest day na school days para meron akong
time para magaral. Pag may rest day ka sa school days, gusto ko sana Saturday, Sundays eh di
ba? Kasi pagdating ng Sunday, church di ba? Pero, pag school days naman, nagkaroon ka ng rest
day na school days, more attention to work kasi ang Sunday mo, wala ka namang pasok niyan.
Pwede kang magchurch niyan di ba? At pero pag working days, ano ka eh… meron kang work at
may studies ka pa. so meron kang work tsaka studies. So, humihingi nalang ako ng string week
days na schedule. Then, maraming anus a trabaho. Yun din sinasabi nila sakin, pero I want
higher ahm… when people stops to learn, ahmm… people starts dying. Sabi ni daddy, pa gang
tao tumigil ng matuto, start na yun ng kamatayan niya. Everyday, you’re learning.
Micah
Ah… may thesis ako ngayon, may thesis ako next sem. Ang daming thesis ang BA kesa
sa ibang course. Kala ko nga IT lang mahirap kasi nag IT ako ng 1 year dito. Oo tapos nagshift
ako ng BA. Kasi mas maano yung time mo sa IT kasi halos buong araw naandito ka. 31 years old
na ko. Boyfriend muna bawal pa mag asawa. Oo mahirap pagsabayin magasawa tapos manganak
ayayyay! Oo. Ah oo mahirap masabay yung work sa school lalo na pag maraming activities sa
school. Mahirap. Kailangan marunong ka talagang magbalance sa oras mo kasi pag hindi, wala.
Caregiver ako. Sa Makati. Nakatira sa Makati din. Malapit lang yun. Ah. 10 years tapos 5 years
ko dun nagwork ako sa company nila. Ah hindi by contract regular na ako. Nung nasa company
ako tapos nangailangan ng caregiver yung mismong amo namin kaya sabi ko ako nalang kasi
nagaral din ako ng caregiver yung short course lang. mas okay siya kasi mas parang
nakakachallenge. Isa lang siya. Ah sa totoo lang nahihirapan ako sa ngayon kasi ang dami kong
thesis tsaka matanda na siya kaya bawal magkasakit parati kaming nasa ospital. Yung bahay nga
nila parang nasa hospital. Yung kwarto niya pala. Kasi may thesis tsaka may assignments tapos
may report ka pa, pano ka magaaral pagganon kaya mahirap. Mahirap na madali basta yun. Iniisi
ko lang madali toh madali di ko iniisip na mahirap kasi pag inisip mong mahirap, talagang
mahirap. May lola ka pa? kasi siya 90 plus na siya pero nakakalakad kaya lang kailangan
nakarecord lahat nung input at output tsaka kailangan talaga nakamonitor kasi pag hindi
magkakasakit siya. Kailangan balance lahat ng ipapasok mo sa kanya kaya yun. May karelyebo
rin ako kaya lang minsan inaaway niya kahit anak niya hindi niya kilala. At least pag ako kilala
na niya ko kasi matagal na din ako sa kanila kaya lang pag may emergency kailangan kong mag
absent. Minsan nasa kalagitnaan ako ng edsa tsaka Makati kailangan kong bumalik kasi ayaw
nun uminom ng gamot, ayaw kumain yung ganun. Kahit anong usap nila, hindi niya kilala kasi
may Alzheimer siya. Alam mo yung mga matatanda, usually sila yung mga nagkakaroon nung
ganung sakit. Babae. Biyuda na siya. Tubong Bisaya ako; taga Bohol ako. Sa Bohol palang,
pinagaaral ako kaso tinatamad akong magaral. Mas gusto ko pang mag lakwatsa, barkada pero
habang tumatanda ako naiisip kong magaral kasi yung mga kaibigan ko tapos na sila at ang
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ganda na ng life nila may pera sabi ko sa sarili ko, kaya ko to kaya ko tong matapos sa taong ito
sabi ko kinaya ko rin naman. Tapos sa Bohol kasi, tinatamad akong magaral; kasi alam mo pag
sa Maynila ka, yung mga galing dito sa Maynila ang gaganda nila tapos ang puti puti so sabi ko,
“gusto ko rin ng ganun!” kasi sa probinsya di ba mainit walakang ginagawa, lakwatsa, barkada,
boyfriend kasi di ba financial naman sa nanay mo. Tapos yung ganun sabi ko, “ Sa Maynila ako
magtatrabaho” sabi nila, “Anung magagawa mo dun?!?” “Kahit ano magagawa ko dun” sabi
nila, “Di ka nga marunong magsaing, di ka marunong maglaba” sabi ko, “kaya ko yan!” kasi di
ba pag wala kang parents kaya mo, “ Kaya ko yan! Sigurado!” sabi nila, “San ka magtatrabaho?”
kasi yung auntie ko, kilala niya yung pagtatrabahuhan ko sa office din sabi ko, “baka may
bakante diyan” “kaya lang high school graduate ka” sabi ko, “hindi kaya yan!” magttraining
muna ako ng caregiver kasi gusto kong magabroad. Sabi niya, “O sige magtraining ka nalang.”
Nagaral din ako ng computer science for one year nga lang tapos nag IT ako. Tapos sabi niya,
“Oh bakit IT?” tapos nagshift ako ng Business. Pero mahirap ng IT mas maganda yung computer
science. Tapos sabi naman nung inaalagaan ko, magaral ka nalang ng kung anong gusto mo. Sabi
ko naman, “Pano ka?” so kumuha sila ng karelyebo tapos yun nagaral ako. Oo sila yung
nagsuggest na magaral ako tapos sabi ko, “Ayoko ng magaral, matanda na ko.” Tapos sabi nila,
“Bakit ayaw mo? Di naman halata” nahihiya na ako kasi syempre tinatanong kung ilang taon ka
na. yung mga kasama ko, mga 16, 18, 15, tapos ako 30. sabi ko, “Hala! Parang nanay na nila ko
nun ah!” sabi nila, “Hindi kaya mo yan!” tapos sabi nila sakin pagisipan ko raw at magdecide
raw ako. Sabi ko, “Oo nga naman, magaral nalang kaya ako.” Tapos ayun nakapagdecide ako na
magaral. Sabi nga ng nanay ko, “O anong nakain mo at bakit nagaaral ka ngayon?” sabi ko,
“hindi, mas maganda yata magaral.” Kasi sinabihan ako ng amo ko na kung mag aaral ka, mas
magiging malaki sahod mo kesa konti lang inaral mo pag nakatapos ka ng degree mas malaki
magiging sahod mo tsaka kahit saan ka pwede. Ang gusto nila pagkatapos ko pupunta ako ng
Canada pero syempre di agad agad kasi syempre may utang na loob ako sa mga amo ko pero sabi
niya mahina na kasi inaalagaan ko, wag naman pa sanang mamatay pero ayun. Sila nagpapaaral
sakin. Tapos pag katapos ko, magwowork ako sa kanila. Sabi ko hindi ko pa siya iiwan;
magiistay pa ko ng two years. Aantayin ko pa graduation para may toga ako sabi kong ganun.
Magiistay pa ko ng two years syempre parang utang na loob parang ganun. Pero at least
maganda rin naman dun kasi habang nagaaral ako may sweldo ako. Tapos marami akong
benefits. May bonus bonus pa ko tapos libre ako lahat kaya okay. Tapos may time akong
gumimik, may time akong magbar, magdidisco; hindi lang bahay at skwela. Minsan
nakikipaginuman pa ko galing school kahit nakauniform ganun pero okay naman kasi feeling ko
teenager lang ako. Yung mga kaklase ko din kasi malakas magyaya maginuman kahit
nakauniform. Sabi ko, “ Wag na uwi pa ko at may duty pa ko.” Sabi nila, “hindi sandal lang toh”
pero at least habang nagtatrabaho ako, enjoy ako. Iba yung nagtatrabaho ka na mahal mo yung
trabaho mo kasi dun ka magtatagal at mas masaya talaga ant nakakagaan ng loob mo. Kahit
mabigat, kaya mo yun! Kasi kahit anak niya, di na kaya. Actually marami siyang anak, mga 12.
Yung 2 pari sa Ateneo; head master at novice ng Ateneo. Meron din siyang anak na madre,
pinakahead master. May abogado, may doctor, family nila kompleto. May doctor sa lahat; lahat
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ng klaseng doctor meron. Bawat pamilya nila may pari at madre yung ganun tapos architect mga
matatanda na. pinaka bunso nila, yun yung nagmamanage ng business nila ngayon, 55 years old.
May law office sila, may exporter ng jewelry, tsaka mga foundations tsaka yung sa mga bahay.
Yung husband niya multimillionare kaya kahit hindi sla magtrabaho buhay sila. Yung iba walang
trabaho pero mas gusto nila nagtatrabaho. Kasi yung yung asawa niya, biyuda na siya yung
asawa niya abogado pero hindi nagtatrabaho kasi mayaman yung pamilya yung parents nila. 16
ako noon, magsseventeen nung nagstart ako magtrabaho sa kanila. Bata ko pa nun noh?
Nagtrabaho ako sa office ng 5years tapos nung nangailangan sila ng caregiver, ako kinuha nila.
Pero mas malaki pa sweldo ko sa office kasi may quarterly bonus, tsaka mas marami yung
benefits. Pero yung ibang benefits kinakaltas yung iba naman hindi kinakaltas. Yung sa office
kinakaltas pero yung pagccaregiver ko sa kanya, walang kaltas kaya buo sweldo ko. Mas okay
libre pa food tsaka tirahan. Oo dun din ako nakatira pero may bahay din kami kung gusto mong
umuwi. Marami akong relatives pero yung parents ko nasa Bohol. Nasa Bohol din yung mga
kapatid ko. Apat kaming magkakapatid tapos ako lang yung babae at ako lang din yung pasaway.
Oo pero mabait naman na pasaway. Ako lang din lumayas. Nagpaalam ako syempre yung
parents mo pag magisa kang babae, gusto dun ka lang. sabi ko ayaw ko dito makakapagasawa
ako ng di oras. Una, sabi ko, “Dun muna ko sa auntie ko kasi marami akong auntie dito tapos
sabi nila, anong gagawin mo dun? Di ako ako marunong maglaba, di ako marunong magluto
tapos maglinis ka pa,” sabi ko hindi hindi kaya yan pag wala na kayo di ba? Syempre 30 na ko
alangan namang aasa pa ko. Sabi nila, “sige ikaw bahala. Di ka magaaral?” eh kasi ba naman
magaaral sa malayo sabi ko ayoko na magaral sa Maynila nalang ako tapos yun napilit nila ko
araw araw sabi nila, magaral, magaral ka. May kamaganak din ako na nagtatrabaho dun na dito
nagaaral kaya dito rin ako nagaaral. Kasi tatlo sila, ayaw kong sumabay dahil sa katamaran kong
magaral. Tamad akong magaral. Tapos sabi nila sige na magaral ka na. sabi ko ayoko kasi naman
sa kanila linis linis lang sakin nagaalaga ako. Sabi nila, sige na para alis ka na pagkatapos. Sila
kasi pagkagraduat nagasawa na. sabi ko umalis agad kayo ang daya niyo. Sabi sige ikaw di rin
naman ako aalis agad. Gusto ko magwork; anu naman kasing gagawin mo kung di ka
magtatrabaho? Syempre lahat naman tayo kailangan ng pera. Di ka makakaalis kung wala kang
pera. Di mo rin mabibili yung gusto mo kung wala kang pera. Tsaka parang lahat ng galaw mo
kailangan ng pera. Di naman palagi kang aasa sa parents mo syempre sa tanda kong toh aasa pa
ko di ba? Pangalawa ako sa magkakapatid. Lahat ng mga kapatid ko may asawa na, ako nalang
yung wala. Sabi ko, “sige mauna na kayo, pati mga pinsan ko” kasi gusto ko yung nakakaalis ako
kung saan saan. Makapagtravel ako kung saan saan. Ako tsaka yung friends ko or yung anak ng
amo ko. Tsaka pag umaalis sila, sinasama din ako. Yung lang advantage kasi nakakaalis ako
kung saan. Tapos free pa lahat ng allowance ko. Kaya okay lang enjoy. Sabi ng pinsan ko,
“Byahe ka ng byahe wala ka namang pera.” Sabi ko, “Ano ba, edi yung sweldo ko.” Oo naga out
of the country rin kami. Di naman masyadong malayo pero okay lang. mga Hongkong,
Singapore or dito tulad ng Boracay, Puerto Prinsesa mga ganon. Basta sa Pilipinas halos naikot
ko na. eh matanda na ko syempre matagal na kong nagtatrabaho total may pera naman ako at
may sweldo may allowance pa ko na binibigay ng amo ko. Kuya ko, hanggang 2 nd year college
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kasi nag asawa na. yung pangalawa, first year college tapos nag asawana rin. Yung isa high
school tapos nag asawa na rin. Kaya ayun may mga anak na sila okay naman yung nanay at tatay
ko. Pumupunta sila dito every December. Oo nasa probinsya sila pero bumibisita sila dito pag
December or umuuwi ako dun pero saglit lang kasi pag nasanay ka na sa siyudad parang oag
umuwi ka sa probinsya parang sobrang tahimik tsaka halos lahat ng mga kasama mo dun may
mga asawa na at may anak. Kailangan mo pang antayin na matulog yung anak para makagala
ganun. Kasi pag nagbabakasyon kami dun, sa kanila ko nagistay para may kasama ako. Umuuwi
lang ako sa bahay pag bibisitahin ko yung parents ko. Kasi pag nasa probinsya ka
makakapagasawa ka ng di oras kasi super tahimik, oo nga maraming pasyalan eh hindi mo
naman sila madadala lahat ng tao dun kasi may mga pamilya na sila tsaka nagtatrabaho na din
pero iba buhay sa probinsya tsaka dito dun kasi kung hindi ka magsisipag, wala kang pera tapos
dito naman, pag nagtatrabaho ka lahat bibilhin. Doon magtatanim ka, magaalaga ng baboy, baka.
Ayaw ko ng magpoultry; ayoko na nun marami na kong ganun sa bahay. Oo dati nung high
school ako, nagpapaligo at magpapakain ng baboy; yuck! Sabi ko, ayoko na dito. Hindi naman
strict ang parents ko. Minsan… depende. Pero ako, pagkagaling ko ng school, lakwatsa. Madami
akong barkadang lalaki at babae. Oo pati ngayon dito. Every Sunday gimik. Magastos lang kasi
syempre puro laba labas, yung sweldo lang yung pumapasok. Pero anu naman… nagaaral ako
tapos may konting business. Computer shop tapos may sarili na kong bahay sa edad kong toh
pero maliit lang pero okay lang basta pag pasok mo andun na lahat ng kailangan mo. Meron din
akong babuyan pero sa probinsya. Nagpapadala rin ako pero financial di naman masyadong
problema. Pero syempre gusto ko rin yung may sariling akin parang masasabi kong, kaya ko toh.
Di naman sila nanghihingi pero minsan nagbibigay ako for gift lang. nung nagtatrabaho na ko, di
na ko pinadadalhan kasi may sweldo naman ako tsaka di na rin ako humihingi dun okay lang
ako. Hindi naman ako nakakaencounter ng struggles, awa ng Diyos wag naman sana. Kasi
mabait naman sila at mabait din naman ako sa kanila, pero sa ngayon marunong na kong magluto
at nagagawa ko naman lahat ng gusto niya. Kahit cathering, gusto mo, marunong din ako nun
saka marunong na rin akong magluto. Pero hindi ako yung nagluluto dun basta ako lang
nagsasabi sa kusinera kung ano yung dapat lutuin na pasok sa diet nung alaga ko. Kung wala rin
siyang driver, ako rin driver niya, all around ako pero may driver siya; dalawa driver niya. May
sarili rin siyang kusinera may assistant cook pa basta ako, sakanya lang ako. Gamot niya, sa
bahay niya parang ospital; may oxygen na kami lahat ng gamit pang medications niya, meron
kami. Pag kailangang dalhin sa ospital, dinadala pag di na, kami na bahala. May colon cancer na
siya yung bituka niya kalahati nalang kaya parati siyang nagugutom tapos pag mali yung input
niya, nagtatae siya pag ano naman, hindi tumatae kaya kailangan kontrolado yung output tsaka
input niya. Tsaka nakamotivate yung timbang at blood pressure niya lahat. Fit naman siya.
Minsan kailangan magaling kang magalaga tsaka mambola kasi yung matatanda, gusto nila yung
atensyon mo nasa kanila hindi yung tipong maguusap tayo siya wala kasi magtatampo yan.
Tsaka kailangan malambing ka rin sa kanila kasi di mo makukuha yung loob nila kasi parang pag
naiinis ka, alam niyang naiinis ka ganun. Kagaya rin ng aso… marami kaming aso kaso ang
lalaki mga german shepherd ganun. Una kailangan matiyaga ka tapos mahal mo yung trabaho
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mo tsaka ginagawa mo. Biruin mo araw araw ilang beses siyang nagrorosaryo tapos pag wala
akong pasok sinasamahan ko siyang magrosaryo. Araw araw din kaming nagsisimba; umulan
bumagyo nagsismba kami. Pag umaga, habang kumakain siya pinapapanood ko siya ng concert,
may dvd ako pinapapanood ko sakanya. Dapat malinis siya all the time. Naka make up tsaka
nakaalahas siya kahit na nasa bahay lang. kailangan parati siyang nakapostura. Tapos yung mga
anak niya, inaaway niya kahit na kasama niya, umiiyak nalang yung anak niya kasi pag painumin
ng gamot, sasabihin niya, di ako iinom ng gamot kasi baka lasunin niyo. Pag mayaman kasi
ganun; yung tipong pag magpapaopera sa ibang bansa, mga gamot imported galing sa ibang
bansa di lahat halos dito. Yung mga doctor talagang mga special, di basta basta. Sa abroad siya
nagpapaopera kasi doctor yung yung anak niya sa abroad tapos pag dito naman sa Pilipinas, yung
mga pamangkin niya kaya iyon. Struggles sa school? Ay hindi kasi yung mga BA profs ang
gagaling nilang magassess tsaka kilala na din nila ako eh kasi pag pumupunta ko dito di naman
ako nakaganito yung suot ko, suot ko pag umalis ako ng bahay para kong nurse. Ayon kaya
kilala nila ako di ako nahirapan sila na yung nagaasses. Sia na rin yung nagbibigay ng sched na
fit sakin. Kunyare gusto ko hapon, lahat hapon kahit abutin ako hanggang gabi hanggang 9.
Tapos yun hindi ako nahihirapan pag dating sa enrolment kasi mababait naman yung mga BA
prof tsaka naiintidihan ako kaya madali akong nageenrol. Di na ko yung pipili pa ng sched kasi
alam naman nila nag mageenrol ako. Minsan pinagdadasal ko na sana ganito yung makuha kong
subjects ara matapos ako sa ganitong taon kasi parang nakaset na yung taon kung kelan ako
magtatapos. Dapat lahat talaga nakalista para maayos yung goals mo. Dapat ganun tayo para
magagawa mo. Gaya ng bahay ko, bago ako matapos mag aral dapat matapos na rin siya tapos
ngayon, 3rd year na ko, tapos na siya. Oo basta gumawa ka lang ng mabuti kasi lahat ng
bumabalik mabuti. At wag kang gumawa ng masama kasi lahat ng babalik sayo masama. Yung
iba nga sinasabi sa cubao daw magingat daw ako baka maisnatchan daw ako sabi ko, “Wala yan
basta wala kang ginagawan ng masama di babalik sayo yung masama.” Yung iba ko ngang mga
kasamahan lagi silang naiisnatchan sa Cubao sabi ko hindi, kung wala ka namang ginagawang
masama di babalik sayo yun. Nagagawa ko naman yung mga assignments ko kasi yung mga BA
wala naman masyadong assignments kaya okay lang nagagawa ko naman siya. Pag di ko
nagagawa ng gabi sa umaga ko ginagawa. Kasi pag ganun naman nasa loob lang naman ako ng
kwarto nakaupo lang siya binabantayan ko siya tapos nakaupo lang din ako. Basta pag ganun
inaasses ko lang siya. May oras lahat ng pagmomonitor sa kanya. Gamot, pagkain, lahat may
oras. Yun lang yung routine namin araw araw paulit ulit lang maiiba lang yan pag magkasakit
siya kasi babaguhin nanaman yung routine niya. Kailangan mo rin lagi siyang kinakausap kasi
para hindi siya mabobored tsaka para gumana rin yung memorya niya tsaka mas active sila. At
mas masaya sila mas okay. Minsan nga tinatanong niya ko, “Inaantok ka?” sabi ko, “hindi po”
sanay na kong hindi natutulog. Kasi paggising siya, dapat gising ka rin. Parang may anak ka,
kung gising yung anak mo, dapat gising ka rin same goes sa pagaalaga ng matanda. Yung tipong
tulog na tulog ka tapos gumalaw sila, magigising ka rin; kung tatayo siya, tatayo rin ako. Ang
working schedule ko half hour after nung school ko or half hour before school. Basta after school
diretso na ko dun kasi kahit na may karelyebo ako, kailangan nakamonitor pa rin ako kasi
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mahirap na baka magkasakit kailangan nakamonitor ka talaga sa lahat sa kanya. Kasi minsan
yung kusinera kung ano ano nalang kaya sinasabihan ko siya, di pwede yan dapat ganito. Kahit
may menu di pa rin sundin kaya sabi ko, ay hindi pwedeng anu lang. kasi habang nagaaral ako
mahirap magkasakit. Kagaya nung nangyari last month nagkasakit, mahirap kaya sa ospital. Pero
pag kailangan lang pero pag anu lang, sa bahay lang siya. Naka peacemaker na siya kaya pag
may cellphone at telephone kailangan malayo sa kanya kasi tinutulungan nun yung pagtibok ng
puso niya kaya kailangan nakamonitor. Tapos every week nagpapacheck up, pinapatingnan
ganun. Advantage? Yung working students kasi nagsisipag ka kasi pinapaaral ka tsaka mas less
yung gastos kasi sila yung sumasagot pero ang disadvantage nga lang nahahati yung oras mo
tsaka pag iisipin mong pagod ka, talagang pagod ka. Tapos pag iisipn mong may assignment ka
tapos may work ka pa, parang napapagod ka rin magisip kailangan wag mong iisiping
mapapagod ka yun lang. kagaya niyan, may thesis kailangan ganito gagawin ko pa ayun,
kadalasan ginagawa ko dito sa school kasi pag dun, nakakagawa naman kaya lang kailangan
kong lumayo sa kanya kasi hindi ako pwedeng gumamit ng computer malapit sa kanya kasi yung
peace maker, bawal kasi nakukuha ng radiation yung machine niya. Ayun basta. Ayun, pag
magcellphone layo layo ng konti. Yung BA, una talaga sila yung may gusto nay un yung kuhain
ko kasi nagcomputer science ako, tapos IT, pinagbigyan ko ng IT, sige IT. Tapos pangalawa sabi
niya, mag aral ka kaya ng culinary. Sabi ko, “Magluluto?!? Okay.” Nag training ako for 6
months. Tapos ayun choice ko talaga yung BA tapos sabi niya, ayaw mo ng IT anong gusto mo?
Sabi ko Business Administration. Tapos yun nagaral ako ng Business Ad. Sa ngayon, kinikita ko
ay 20,000 per month except may quarterly bonus ako tsaka yearly bonus pag Christmas. Wala
akong sasakyan; sasakyan lang nila pag kailangan. Minsan sinusundo ako pero kadalasan MRT
pagemergency pero pag vacant nung driver, hinahatid ako saka sinusundo pero bihira lang pag
emergency lang. nag eMRT lang ako o kaya taxi. Yung salary ko, una, yung kalahati nun
pinapasok ko sa bangko. Tapos yung kalahati nun, may pangshopping ako. Pangshopping,
pangnood ng cine, tapos yung one fourth dun business sinesave. Minsan ang ginagawa ko,
gumagastos muna ko tapos yung matitira dun, yun yung savings. Para nakagimik na ko,
nakapagshopping na ko, ayun tapos yung matira dun, yun na yung pangsavings. Sa time ko, araw
araw nakasulat yan kung ganitong oras hanggang diyan lang ako kagaya ng facebook, mahaba na
yung isang oras tapos pag nasasaksakan ko na siya, may time na kong gumawa ng assignments
tapos ganitong oras kailangan nagawa ko na yun. Nakaprocess lahat ng iniikutan ko.
Nakaorganize except pag magshoshopping wala ka namang oras basta may pera ka di ba? Pag
gimik naman, talagang binibigyan nila ko ng time na magbabar, magshoshopping yung ganon.
Free akong magkotse pag magbabar. Pati pag manunood ako ng sine, libre ako ng ticket; Makati
kami eh kaya libre ang ticket. Tapos yun pag gusto kong kumain sa labas libre din ako. Yung
sinusweldo ko, akin lang. tapos minsan binibigyan nila ko ng pangshopping kasi nakakahiya
naman. Basta lahat nakaprocess lahat naka step by step. Di naman ako yung nagdidisco
hanggang umaga, may oras naman kasi yung discuhan naman di naman hanggang umaga.
Umiinom din ako pero hindi ako nagyoyosi. Foreigner yung boyfriend ko. Binibisaya ko di
nakakaintindi. Taga Germany siya. 3 years na kami; kakabalik lang niya. Masaya. Umuuwi lang
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siya pag wala akong pasok. Pag mas pasok ako hindi kasi wala kong time kasi may trabaho ako.
May bakasyon din naman ako pag wala akong pasok, pinapauwi ako or pinapapasyal para di raw
ako tatanda. Pakasal? Enjoy ko muna life ko mahirap magkamali tsaka sabi kasi nila kusa lang
daw dumadating yan kaya okay lang hindi ako nagmamadali. Honestly hindi ko naisip na
magquit sa studies ko. Mas nageenjoy ako kahit na mahirap or madali. Iniisip ko nalang madali
lang toh. Lahat madali kasi mabilis lang ang panahon parang uy matatapos na ko sa taon na toh
parang kailan lang. kasi pag dumadaan ako sa IT, “O Amoguis gagraduate na kami!” sabi ko,
“Malapit na rin ako”, hanggang December nga lang kasi wala pang graduation pero antayin ko
yung toga na magsuot ako. Ayun hindi ko yung naisip kasi kailangan ko ganito. Kasi mas
maganda yung may natapos talaga. Parang this is it! Kaya ko toh! May papel ka. Diploma lang
kailangan ko ah hindi naman ano tsaka tataas pa yung sahod ko. Gusto nila ipadala ko sa Canada.
Depende kasi yung anak nila may business din dun. Pero di ko siya kayang iwanan kasi naging
nanay ko na siya.sabi ko, antayin kita. Every year kaming nagtratravel kasama yung friends ko.
May day off ako pero di ako nagdday off kasi may lakwatsa naman ako tsaka gimik. Di ko
ginagamit yun so every Sabado nagdidisco ako dun sa Makati lang. super impostant sakin ng
education. Kasi yung education, sa sarili mo lang yan eh. Hindi yan mananakaw ng iba. Tapos
pag nakapagtapos ka sobrang taas ng tingin sayo tsaka lahat masasabi mong, pinaghirapan ko
toh. Mas magiging malaki ang impact sa sarili mo pag nagaaral ka. Tsaka lahat natututunan at
naiintindihan mo. Tsaka talagang malaki sahod ko pag nakatapos. This coming December
pupunta kaming Singapore nakaplano na kasi tapos na ko nun pero magmamarch din ako habang
suot yung itim na toga. Tapo yun, mag hoHongkong kami, Singapore tapos yun. Minsan mahirap
masabay yung trabaho tsaka school pero gaya nga ng sabi ko sayo, talagang mahirap kung iisipin
mong mahirap. Lahat mahirap na madali basta wag mong isiping mahirap o nakakapagod kasi
walang mangyayari nun basta kaya ko toh. Parati nga nilang sinasabi, dapat sabihin mo kaya mo
lahat. Pinaaral din nila kong magdrive, pagluluto tapos sinabi nila, alam mo kung anong kulang
sayo? Wala kang diploma. Sabi ko, “fours years yun ah! Ayoko ng ganun? Matanda ako pero
ang isip ko bata. Sabi nila, “Alam mob a kung gaano kadali yung four years?” sabi ko, opo. Sabi
nila, bakit di mo itry? Sabi ko sige po try ko po yun. Ay hindi na ko magshishift, magggraduate
na ko. Tsaka nagagamit ko rin naman kasi nagbubusiness ako. Sa probinsya, yung parents ko
tsaka kapatid ko ang naghahandle ng business namin. Oo kailangan talga kasi time is gold. Pag
ikaw kumikita ka na parang ano ka na. may pinapaaral din ako. Tumutulong din ako. Sa akin
naman, di ko naeencounter yung ganyan kasi lahat sila minomotivate ako na, “Kaya mo yan!”
parang chinachallenge nila ko tsaka game sila eh tsaka suportado nila ako.
Kyle
2nd year. IT. BS-IT. Actually paiba iba; yun nga before since nagstart talaga kong
huminto, nagwork muna ako as quality assurance sa Unilab ah… Unilever and then, parang right
after 6 months, puro contract lang eh, parang contractual. So… aside f… ayon… kumbaga, after
that Unilever, parang, kumbaga on and off ako sa school. So nagdedecide ba kung kakayanin.
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Kasi depende… ano eh… depende ako sa company kung papayagan ba nila kong magaral. Mga
2 to 3 years. 27. Since 2006 pero on and off ako from previous colle…ay university. So this is
parang nag shift ako and transferee at the same time. UST. No. Yun different course. As in layo
kase AB Economics that time and parang during that time I enter college na, that’s the time din
na ano yung dad ko nadiagnose ng Liver Cirrhosis muna. So, since, ano parang I don’t have a
choice din. Di naman sa I don’t have a choice pero talagang, parang ano ba priority ko?
Family… syempre family first. So, ang nangyari samen, palitan lang kami ng mom ko sa
hospital. Ah, palitan kami ng bantay ng mom ko. Oo pero ano na sila meron na silang mga
asawa. So hiwalay na din sa bahay. Ako nalang talaga yung parang sa bahay talaga. No. I’m…
ako yung youngest na… ako na yung youngest. May plan. Pero kasi, yung ano yung priority first
kung ano ba yung gusto ko munang gawin at this moment, and parang that time kase, hindi pa…
hindi ko masyadong kinoconcentrate yung studies because of what ha… hindi naman because of
what happen. It’s just so happen lang talaga nagkasakit na rin yung Dad ko. And, yun... parang
come what may nalang kung magenrol ako o hinde, mageenrol o hinde. So, sa UST naman that
time parang may allotted year kami to leave. Parang 2 years kaming ano… may two years na
pwede kaming magleave of absence. Pag naaccumulate na naming yung two years na hindi pa
kami nakakabalik, lipat na ng school kasi yun nga parang… kasi di ba sa dami rin ng nageenrol
sa UST; so, masyado lang din nilang inaano yung student. So, gusto nila, sabay talaga; kung
kelan ka pumasok, dapat after 4 years grumaduate ka rin. Eh… so happened talaga na parang nag
liver cirrhosis hanggang sa maging cancer na. hanggang maging cancer na yung ano niya. Pero
nagtagal pa siya for six years eh. Nag six years pa siya so, from that six years, balik, balik ano
ako eh… balik school. Tapos balik hinto nanaman… balik school tapos hinto nanaman. So
yon… parang nung sinabi nung dad ko, that was parang four… four years ago… 2 years na
kase…ay 3 years ng patay dad ko eh. So, that’s what four or five years ago yata. Ay, four years
yata. Tinanong niya na ko kung okay lang daw ba kong bumalik pa pero ibang school na nga. So
dun ako nagtransfer sa Trinity; 2011. Ay hindi. Ahhmm… anu lang talaga, matter of choice kasi
nung nagkasakit dad ko, when I enter college talaga, dalawa kami ng ate ko college. Siya
Nursing naman 4th year; ako, incoming first year. So, ang choice din ng mom ko is mauna muna
ate ko kase nga patapos na. Instead of me, na kaka enter palang ng college. Manila. Sa Chinese
General Hospital. Oo dito na kami sa Manila talaga. Yung dad ko from Nueva Vizcaya, yung
mom ko from Bicol pero yung dad ko lang yung lumaki sa anu eh… sa probinsya tapos
nagcollege siya dito dun parang nagmeet sila ng mama ko, yon… dun na nagstart. Dun na
nagstart ang kanilang love life. 4. Oo. Yeah, naiwan si mama sa bahay. Sort of. Pero kasi may
business naman kasi kami. Ahmm… di naman kasi… kung titignan mo kami, kung nakapunta ka
lang sa bahay kanina, di mo makikitang parang sobrang hirap. I mean, kaya naman naming
kumain more than three times a day, pero… ahmm… kaya lang din ako nagdecide to… parang,
magsumikap na magsarili, kasi nakita ko yung hirap ni mama during that time nung naka
confine si papa; meaning to say, talagang nakita ko talaga. Eh ngayon, parang… ang gusto ko
nalang, sabi rin kasi ng tita ko, ano parang, pano daw ako… panu daw ako makakapagtapos. Sabi
ng tita ko kasi, ano… matanda na yan. He can decide with his own sabi ng tita ko. Sabi ko, tama
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nga naman. Na so from there, sabi ko nalang, enjoyin niya yung kung anong meron siya ngayon.
I mean, kung anu yung pera niya, kanya. Though na humihingi naman ako ng tulong every
enrolment. Kasi I can pay with my own naman eh. Parang… hindi naman ganon kalaki yung
sahod, pero I can pay with with my own sa tuition fee and sa expenses ko. Tulong nalang niya
sakin is yon… bahay, yung parang may maglalaba sakin; yung ganon. Ngayon, ano… may
business lang kami. Ano… ahmm… organic at natural siya. So, ang tinitinda naming puro
healthy products kaya hindi talaga ako kumakain sa labas. Mm.Mm. hindi kasi, that time yon,
that time yung nadiagnose yung dad ko, yung tita ko kasi siya talaga yung nagstart na mag
healty… na magwellness na so… nung nasa hospital yung dad ko, siya yung nagdadala ng juicy
na mga fruits na halo halo. In one cup siya yung nagdadala lagi. So, I guess, kasi… nakita rin
naming na nakatulong kasi nung nadiagnose siya as cancer stage 4, so critical na; I mean, may
tawag sila dun eh… parang crtitical stage na siya. So, tumagal pa siya for 6 years. So parang,
talagang nakatulong din. Iyon, parang sabi nga samin ng doctor, its either genetic or ano nga
daw… yung parang… use of… yung parang… kung ano yung kinakain ng parents at kinakain ng
anak…so, parang ganon. Liver cirrhosis yun yung nagtutubig yung baga. So hindi na siya
nagfufunction, yung baga, nagstock nalang yung water. So hindi na niya nadedetox yung dapat
idetox. So… yun. Marami eh… so for me kasi kung ano yung ano eh… kung ano yung
opportunity, ay sorry; kung ano yung oppotunity to… to work at the same time to study, dun ako.
Parang… parang that time kasi, may opportunity ako to work sa Unilever, sige grabe kasi arang
I’m… I’m… yung purpose ko that time kaya ako nagwowork is to earn money for my studies.
Parang ganon. So that time, kaya ko nagwork sa Unilever, para magipon. Kasi alam kong hindi
kaya kasi alam ko ano kami eh, ahmm… hindi kumbaga yung work namin, any time. May
madaling araw, may gabi so hindi ko nakita yung opportunity to study. Kasi ano ba yung priority
ko that time kasi, so parang tumitingin ako kung saan ako dapat. Sobra. Nung nag… iyon, nung
nag ano na ko, di ba parang hindi ko na kinaya yung sa Unilever, so I decided to trans…parang
to stop and look for… ano actually, hindi naman talaga ko nagstop because of I don’t see
anything. Nagstop ako kasi namatay na yung dad ko. Yung nag Unilever na ko. So, yung
namatay na yung dad ko, sabi ng boss ko, which is bestfriend ng dad ko, sabi if I’m planning to
go back. Hindi ko nalang din sinagot kasi nga, parang anu ba yung purpose ko that time? I mean,
why am I earning this money? Because of just earning nalang ba? Or what? Syempre mas
parang… parang gusto ko ring makatapos at the same time. IT… I don’t have a choice actually.
That time. Kasi sabi ng mom ko, o sige magaral ka. Pero ano…ahhm. Pero anong choice, anong
work ba ang gusto mo right after? So sabi ko kasi, I’m a fan of Gloria. Gloria Arroyo. So since
AB Economics siya, syempre parang… you’re a fan of someone… tapos syempre gusto mo rin
ganun ka. Parang ganun. Icon mo siya eh so parang gusto mo maging ganon ka rin and I’m fond
of reading articles, parang I’m a fan of watching news, news in current affairs so yun. Nag AB
Economics ako. And so happen lang na magttransfer ako, I’m looking for University na
nagooffer din ng AB Economics which is wala kong makita can afford… I mean affordable for
me. Wala sila. So… kasi may iba naman school may BS pero walang AB kasi iba na yung BS
more on financial na kasi yung BS ang AB kasi more on politics parang ganon…more on
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government stuffs. Oo yun. Bihira lang kasi yung nag aAB. So, nung… sabi ng mom ko, mag
Trinity; anung bang course ang inooffer aside from magandang work after studies its either… its
either parang nursing o HRM lang nakikita ng mom ko ay Nursing or IT ang nakikita ng mom
ko. Kaya nga rin ako nag AB kasi ayoko ng science; wala kasing science sa AB. Oo so parang…
naganu nalang ako sabi ko, sabi ko sige HRM; walang science luto luto lang. So, ayaw ng mom
ko sabi niya, magastos nagttravel, tapos mahal pa nga daw yung parang nagppresent present
mahal daw. Ayaw ng mom ko parang nadidiscou… parang tumagal eh. Tumagal bago ako
nakapagdecide na, sige na nga anu nalang… IT. To think na… tingin ko kasi before talaga, since
you’re coming from AB Economics, kasi parang iba yung teaching samin that time na pag AB
Economics ka, you have to analyse everything not just because eto yung sinabi ni book, eto yung
sinabi ni graph, hindi ka dapat nagsstick to that. Sabi sakin ganun. So yun talaga yung teaching
samin talaga dun. And we’re not after na kung ano yung sagot ni book, yun dapat yung sasagot
namin hindi kasi talag kami tinuruan ng ganun don. So ako more on analytical. Based on your
own understanding. Yung yung samin kasi everytime eh pag nagpapano sila, recitation, ang
sagot mo is based on the book, hindi ka nila papaupuin. You have to answer based on your… on
what you have understand. Oo. Ayaw nila yung maririnig nila yung sinabi mo eh naririnig nila sa
book. So you have… kahit… sabi nga, kahit irephrase mo na as long as hindi galing sa book
sabing ganon. Basta yung thought makuha mo not because of the book sabi saming ganon.
Very… in a very simplest way parang they don’t care about it as long as… ganun yung teaching
talaga samin. So hindi talaga kami nagrerely sa book. So parang tingin ko sa IT that time, bobo,
ganun parang ano, IT?!? Parang ganon. Parang di ba pag mahilig ka sa computer, IT kagad. Yun
kagad naisip kasi namin before. So parang ayoko kasi nga parang nasanay na ko sa standard ng
UST na ah ganito ganyan ganito ganyan. So eh pagdating ko naman pala sa UST sa Trinity na
IT, ay hindi pala. Sabi ko, mahirap pala. Oo. May Math sila tapos yun nga when it comes to
concept, oh gumawa kayo ng system. Ganito… wala palang sinusunod. Based on your own din
pala. Sabi ko, ay ganun din pala. Sabi kong ganun; so challenge. For me that time, parang
hinahanap ko lang is challenge. Eh kasi sa cooking di ba you can cook with… with on the way
your di ba parang ganun yung gusto mo. So yun yung hinahanap ko nung lumipat kasi ako.
Yung… kung panu ba… kasi yun yung turo sakin bago ako magcollege; hanapin ko yung hindi
ko gusto para may challenge. Mm. Mm. kaya napunta ko sa AB Economics na which is
magaling ako sa Math. Sabi nila, wag kang mag… kasi nag BS Math dapat ako nun… BS Math
its either Engineering or something na may related sa Math. Sabi nila wag daw mag something
daw ako na may challenge pero related pa rin sa Math which is, yung Economics, related sa
Math kasi may graph kaming inaaral na ippresent lang yung graph, now tell me what…
what…ano yung graph na toh ano tinutukoy niya kaya sabi ko, ah challenge. So I decided na
mag AB Economics. So dun ako nag ano… yung IT kasi nagexcel talaga ako. Sabi ko, I’ll try
hanggang magexcel kasi ganun yung ate ko eh nagnursing siya kasi gusto ng mom ko. Parang
nagexcel din naman siya in two years… parang in two years sabi ng ate ko I try niya daw.
Hin…planning ko sana that time nung nagenrol ako eh I’m taking 36 units sabi ko hindi ko
kakayanin toh. Muntikan na kong magscholar that time kasi naka 1.91 ako eh. In 36 units. Sabi
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nila sayang nga daw. Pero for now kasi, hindi ko na ginagrab yung scholarship. Di na rin. Kasi
sabi ko, ang priority ko now, is to finish na kasi I’m too old to ano.. parang to… alam mo yun…
to target that ano… that stuff na mag scholar pa eh ang kailangan ko lang is to finish as much as
possible. Advantage ko as... kasi yung nga rin… iniisip ko rin talaga yan I’m 27 paggrumaduate
ako, ang tendency makakalaban ko 18, 19, 20 syempre normally ganun hahanapin nila di ba? So
for me, based on my experience on how I deal with people, syempre yung ethics nandon
kumbaga naexperience ko na siya instead of parang sa school learning ka palang eh parang wala
pa yung supplication… wala pa yung application mo when it comes to work. So siguro yung
advantage ko talaga is when I… yun nga… yung experience ko na sa work. I mean kasi sa work
ko ngayon, I’m talking to vice president, to secretary ng vice president, so hindi…parang for me,
hindi ko naman din siya minamaliit. To think na, hello they’re… they’re… parang they’re that
high for me… parang to communicate with them mga ganun. Oo. Oo. Oo. Kasi lalo na…
a..actually ang kondisyon ko sa Trinity laging nakikiusap every enrolment every exam kase nga
ahm… before parang may utang akong 15 mageenrol ako, nakikiusap talaga ko na payagan na
kong magenrol with a balance. Ganun lagi. So ang nangyayari, let’s say, 40,000 babayaran…
ang kokondisyon sayo, bayaran mo yung kalahati iaallow ka naming magenrol. So may
matitirang 20 mageenrol ako, papasok sa 35,000 so 50,000 parang ganun. So ang three…ang
parang bigat for my side na ah… ang hirap. Oo. Sabi ko nga may times talaga na sabi ko nga, oo
nga noh, nakikita ko sabi ko, ang laki ng binabayaran ko sa Trinity pero, ang laki ng binabayad
ko sa Trinity, hirap na hirap ako. Pero parang dumating na rin talaga sa isip ko na bakit hindi
nalang ako mag… yun nga… I mean, nakapagearn ako ng malaki sabi kong ganun, na kumabaga
nakita ko na yung capability ko as a work… as an employee that time na oh I can earn this much
without degree parang ganon na yung isip ko that time eh. Even God, I’m… talagang sabi ko,
Lord, anu ba parang every time nalang na mag ano ako… na mag… na mageexam pinoproblema
ko sa tuition fee… every time nalang na mageenrol ako pinoproblema ko sa tuition fee. Actually
dati malaki. Ngayon kasi parang half day as in from month and klase ko sa thesis, Monday to
Saturday. So we have to say na half day na. half day nalang ako sa work ko. Ang sinasahod ko,
ang last na sahod ko, because ang pasok ko lang sa kanila is 2 days 1,300. Dahil… dahil nga ang
dami kong… ang dami kong kailangang gawin sa school ang dami kong kailangang i’make up
especially yun nga may mga project din kaming kailangang tapusin. And ang point ko na nga
lang eh which is my priority? School or work? Pero the question is, pero bakit k aba
nagwowork… nagaaral? Di ba? I mean, you have to provide for your own. So, dun lang ako
nagkakaroon ng struggles. That’s why I enter a lot of… ahhm…yun nga… side lines and all, dun
ako bumabawi. Mmm. Oo. Nagaaral. Trabaho. Oo. I mean, instead of encouragement ang
nakukuha mo di ba? Discouragement. To be honest, ginanyan din ako ng boss ko. Sabi ng boss
ko, kasi nga nakita nila yung potential for me. Kasi nga I can talk to vice president nga even I
can close an account nga with our… with the company. Kasi nga nakapag close ako, I’m nan a
kasi to… parang… to exit na sa working industry na talaga. Sabi ko kasi parang I can’t na and
the schedule itself sabi ko kasi if its Your will, bigyan mo ko ng magandang schedule. Kasi sa
binigay sakin ni Lord is every day kasi sabi ko, how can I work? Sabi kong ganon. Eh since He
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promised naman. Eh hindi pinromised naman sakin ni Lord kasi nga I mean, sorry ah if I can…
by faith. Kasi nga sabi niya sakin, parang I attend ano eh night watch sa church namin eh
nagflash Jeremiah 29:11 which it says na… yes. So yun yung promise niya sakin that time so I’m
holding on with… on that promise sabi kong ganon. So if its… ako talaga, every time ngayon
don, hindi ko ineencourage na I’ll choose ahm… ahm… certain ahm… day lang kung kailan ka
magwowork so sabi ko, Lord if its Your will… if its Your will talaga I won’t do anything to…
parang to make something na i’compromise ko sa Kanya kasi its His will eh kung talagang will
Niya na toh na talagang hindi ako magtrabaho, eh He will provide for me. Maybe not in the
sense na mag work ako as an employee. Maybe mag work ako in the other side of me. Kasi
which is nakikita ko rin naman yung… even sa work kaya nga gusto nila ako maging agent.
That’s why they… parang sabi nga nila, o Kevin after that anong magiging trabaho mo? You’re
27. Do you think na you’re capable na… I mean advantage to parang ano… lumaban which the
other college… ah… with the other employee na fresh grad which is more parang competitive
than you kasi nga sila tuloy tuloy yung knowledge nila when it comes to their majors; Ikaw,
paputol putol. Tendency is… naiintindihan ko naman yung sinasabi ng boss ko na, oo nga noh
parang pagdating ko ng employment baka naglalag ako kasi nga review, review kasi nga sila
tuloy tuloy eh kumbaga nasusustain yung knowledge nila when it comes to their fields ako hindi.
Kasi may times talaga na… ang mahirap pa talaga pag irregular ka hindi sabay… hindi ano… oo
yung parang kumukuha ka, o sige for third year may pang second year ka may fourth year ka.
Kumbaga hindi naeenhance kasi nga hindi sa standard yung school kumbaga halimbawa, nagset
yung school ito kukunin mo for first year, second year to enhance your knowledge para alam nila
yung sta… process ng development mo parang ganon. So, yun yung pinapakita sakin ng boss ko.
Sabi ko, oo nga pero sabi ko nga eh, kung will ni Lord na hindi ako magaral then go sabi kong
ganon. Pero sabi nga sakin ng group leader ko, ahm… group leader ko eto yung bible study
namin, sabi niya sakin, ano ba yung will ni Lord nung that time nung pinangako niya sayo?
Parang di ba to give you rest? And hope na parang ganyan ganito ganyan so kung yun pinangako
ni Lord, then go for it. I mean, sabi niya nga saken eh seek first His kingdom before ka mag
decide sa mga bagay na ganyan kasi nga pag yung ano lang… pag by your own lang, by your
own knowledge talaga, tendency ang dami mong doubts sabi niyang ganon. Oo. Kami naman
from CCF, evangelical. Yun so from there sabi kong ganon, ah okay sige sabi ko thank you,
thank you kay Kuya Neil kasi nga parang siya na yung parang spiritual father ko that time, I
mean until now. So sabi ko, okay and open naman ako about everything sabi ko kuya Neil nag
stuggle ako sabi ko parang every time nalang na may enrolment eto nanaman pumapasok si ano.
Ayon. By God’s grace talaga kasi for three years na I’ve been doing it talaga, I don’t know kasi
nung first year ko kasi sa Trinity, parang tinulungan pa ko ng dad ko parang ano… eh ng dad ko,
ng mom ko tsaka ng ate ko. Nagbibigay sila ng monthly three thousand pero it so happen lang
talaga sa ate ko na nadiagnose yung anak niya ng mild autism so mas kailangan ng development
don sa anak niya syempre, priority nga di ba God first, then your family, then…so on and so fort
so parang ganon. Sabi ko naiintindihan ko naman bakit hininto din ng ate ko yung parang yung
tulong niya sakin and yun na rin yung gusto ko eh. Sabi ko nga, instead of na dumepende ako sa
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tao, why they don’t help me? I mean providing… parang I’m not providing for my own, I mean
God provide for my needs pero I mean kung ano ba yung kailangan kong gawin to provide for
something na ano ba yung kaya ko gawin so yon. Nag didirect selling ako. Yes. Even until now
kaya may mga dala kong bag na malalaki kasi nga pupunta pa ko sa Natasha, MSE, sa
Boardwalk, sa Dakki, sa Avon just to get yung mga order. Oo hindi eto nga sabi ko eh kung ano
bang will ni Lord and it so happen may tindahan kami, so tendency may tao, may tauhan so ako
naman nagapproach lang ako, nakita ko kasi may pumupunta samin, nagpapaorder sakanila
Avon so ako nakita ko, why don’t… bakit hindi toh? Eto na yung opportunity ko; sabi ko, nasa
paligid ko nalang; nasa boundary ko na yung pwede kong maging source of income. So parang…
ah sabi ko… parang eto na yung wisdom na binigay ni Lord sakin. Eto na eh bakit hindi ko pa
siya igrab? It’s about time for me to move hindi lang dahil, o Lord, Lord, Lord, hindi naman
kasi pwedeng ganun lang. if you don’t move, its useless. Oo. Oo, gumawa ka yung part mo hindi
pwedeng puro Lord nalang so yun yung ginawa ko. And its so happen din na, meron din
kaming… may isa pang direct selling na mas malaki income din yun yung sinasabi kong
pupuntahan kong kliyente. Mas malaki naman yung income niya pero for me kasi, syempre as a
Christian, you don’t want them naman to lie to the… to your client as much as possible. So, as
much as possible, kinocorrect ko din yung wrong motives of this. May pinasok kasi akong isang
marketing strategy. I don’t know if you know Herbalife. So, pinasok ko yung Herbalife. It’s a
marketing stuff. Pero as much as possible ayoko kasing manloko. So may idea rin kasi dun na
yung upline ko… medyo parang may salungat sa sinasabi. So as much as possible ayoko kasi
nga… Oo. I mean, ippresent ko yung ganito and to think na alam ko yung idea of why mali yon.
So, parang for me siguro way of din ni Lord na o baka masharan mo siya. So ganun nalang rin
yung iniisip ko. Syempre kumbaga, opportunity; you have to disciple them di ba? So maybe in
this way of… I mean, while you’re earning, you’re also discipleship. Pero yun nga lang din ang
inaano ko, sinasabi ko sa group leader ko, just pray for me na not to parang… prioritize money
kasi when I prioritize money, baka mawala na ko. Kasi even sa work namin, hindi ako agent.
Worker lang ako sa company, so every time I close… every time yung I close a deal with a
client, pag ahente ka kase malaki nakuha. May mga kumukumisyon nga dun nga 90 thousand,
pero sabi ko nga, thank God kasi nga yung prioritize ko… I mean yung knowledge ko is not
about money. Kung ano ba yung will ni Lord for me kasi sabi ko tinuruan na Niya kong matuto
with what I have now hindi na ko naghahanap eh… hindi na ko naghahangad. Sabi ko as long as
He provide for my tuition fee and for my needs, that’s it. That’s fine. Wala na kong hihingin.
Yes. Yun yung ano… yun yung… siguro yun lang talaga. I mean, guidance, guidance ni Lord
and yun be active din talaga. Bible reading. Kasi sabi samin, sabi sa church, when you pray,
don’t just pray. Prayer, may katumbas yan na bible reading. Why? Kasi ang prayer, hindi mo
alam kung kelan ka… kung kelan na will ni Lord, kung kelan sagot ni Lord, kung kelan ba yung
kailangan mong kumilos kung hindi ka nagbabasa. Dun ka kasi Niya sasagutin. Oo. Panu ba tayo
natuto? By teachers, panu ba natututo ang teachers? By books. Tayo ba, pano ba tayo matututo
kay Lord? Panu ba natin makakausap si Lord? At panu ba tayo kakausapin ni Lord? By bible. So
yun yung tinuturo ko rin sa mga kasama ko even dun sa upline ko. Na… nakakatulong talaga.
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Kasi even them eh sabi nila parang pagnagsheshare ako nagtatanong sila about praying… about
prayers. Tapos one day, natanong ko sila, o panu mo nalaman na sinagot ka ni Lord sa prayers
mo? Kasi nga inallow Niyang mangyari sabi ko. So meaning to say magnanakaw ako inallow
Niya? Will ni Lord? Sabi kong ganun. Oo. Sabi ko, its your free will. Pero sabi ko may free will.
Pero sabi ko, may mga free will, so parang share share nalang ako so ganun ganun. Maganda rin.
I mean, ang gandang opportunity rin na nagagamit ko siya as disciple… kumbaga, for me di ko
na totally kailangang mag bible verse pero kailangan talaga kasi nga, how can you prove to them
na biblical na kasi mamaya madisalign ka sa mga sinasabi mo sa kanila that’s why you have to
align din with the words of God. Education. Yon! Tendency talaga is to educate people to
educate the student I mean, anu ba… what do you mean by education? I mean, just to learn lang
ba? Kasi ang maling concept sa mga classmates ko ngayon, ah etong mga toh tinuturo lang toh
pero din naman natin maaapply. Akala lang nila hindi inaapply. Pero pagdating talaga when it
comes to employment, lahat ng tinuro don, hindi man totally yun yung tinuro sa inyo, pero may
makukuha ka dun sa tinuro nila sa pagdating mo sa employment. That’s why ang education
talaga napaka importante. Kasi dun una, hindi lang naman dahil para lang ituro sa inyo eh; to
enhance your skills. Kaya nga tayo may mga major kasi nga may mga certain… may mga certain
ano tayo parang… skills na hindi natin nadidiscover pero from this… from this course, ah okay
im good with this. Yun lagi kong sinasabi sa college namin, na hmm di naman tinuturo yan wag
na tayong pumasok; I mean, I don’t know pero alam ko kasi takbo sa IT. Parang petiks talaga
lahat ng tao. Sobrang petiks nila.
Tapos kasi… I don’t know ah. Minsan kasi mas inaatupag ko yung order, order, order
puro order. Kasi as much as possible, ayoko rin namang mawala yung order kasi, hindi ko naman
sinasabi na o pag… kumbaga may will din ako na to do with my own. Syempre kailangan kong
asikasuhin since pinasok ko yung work na toh. So, yun yung inaano ko kanina, kanina pa. sabi
ko, oo. Kaya sabi ko iniisip ko, anu ba? Pero eto namang client ko kukuha na siya pero as much
as possible I want to take care of his rin kasi nga baka may mga… sa Herbalife kasi, more on
plant base. So tendency, baka magkaroon ng… effects kasi nga you’re changing your lifestyle
from… for example, your rice, you’re into rice, you’re shifting into different healthy healty food.
I’m not saying na, yung normal na rice eh hindi naman siya healthy; kina cut lang naming yung
calories. Pwedeng brown pwedeng black. So, I mean, meron kaming mga meal na binibigay sa
kanila. Na iniingatan lang din namin. Kasi may kliyente na ko na nagsusuka. Oo. Eh sabi ko,
normal yun sir, sabi ko, kahit san niyo naman dalhin yan eh. Ikaw dalhin kita kunyare sa Mars,
magiiba lifestyle mo. Parang ganon. So, binibigayan ko nalang din sila ng my very optimistic na
reasoning pero just to get it lang naman my point. Kasi minsan mahirap din talagang mag… mag
ano… mag alam mo yun mag benta lalo na mag marketing staff. Yun nga eh! Sabi ko, sabi ko
nga, bakit hindi nalang kaya ko mag marketing since work ko ngayon, marketing staff. Oo. Work
ko nga ngayon kaya nga nakakapagclose ako ng deal. And they’re planning nga to ano nga daw
parang itrain… maging trainor nalang din daw ako sa mga agent. Since parang ano eh… well I
guess ayaw din naman nila kong agent kasi pag nag agent ako, tendency, aalis ako sa company.
College talaga? Di… sakin, for me, kung anu talaga desire ni Lord, I mean ang desire ko naman
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is not to earn money na eh. Is to serve Him kasi nga, yun pa. kaya sabi ko panu ko kayo
pupuntahan kasi sa Sunday magtuturo pa ko ng Kids church eh hindi ko rin maaattendan yung
practice namin. Tapos sabi ko, pano ko gagawin eh by Monday, ako pa maglelead ng bible study
namin. Tapos by Tuesday, may presentation pa kami sa system na ginagawa namin sa school. So
sabi ko, pano ko kayo ipapasok eh ano pa may event pa kami sa school kasi foundation ng
college namin. So sabi ko, pano ko ipapasok lahat toh? Sabi kong ganon.
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Appendix B
Thesis Consultation
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Checklist for Research Class
Title of Research: Lived Experiences of Working Students in Trinity University of Asia
Name of Proponents:
Precious Haziel T. Del Rosario
Crisostomo de Assunção da Costa
Hatice Eynalli
Name of Adviser: Teresita K. Capacete Ph. D.
1. Gave chapter 1 to 3 to the adviser ___________________________
2. Consultation date to the adviser ___________________________
Date
Signature of the Adviser
March 7, 2016
__________________________________
March 10, 2016
__________________________________
March 14, 2016
__________________________________
March 17, 2016
__________________________________
March 21, 2016
__________________________________
March 24, 2016
__________________________________
April 4, 2016
__________________________________
April 7, 2016
__________________________________
April 14, 2016
__________________________________
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April 18, 2016
__________________________________
April 20, 2016
__________________________________
3. Gave chapter 4 and 5 to the adviser ____________________________
4. Final draft approved by the adviser for present