The house where I grew-up...
I AM PROUD WHERE I CAME FROM BECAUSE GOD HAS GOOD REASON WHY I WAS BORN THAT WAY...
Early Childhood:
Poverty is not a hindrance to succeed! Laughter & tears, hardship, suffering, strong faith in God, sincerity, honesty, dedication, loyalty, perseverance and determination to succeed made me strong to face the challenges of my life.
I was born on November 20, 1963 under the zodiac sign of scorpio at Suarez, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental. I am the 5th from the eldest. I was born under the poor family who lived in remote Sitio of Kalitian, Barrio of Suarez, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental. I have two sisters and three brothers. I studied in Suarez Primary School from Grades I to IV, the school is located about 5 kilometers away from our residence. I used to hike from residence to school morning and afternoon. Through my determination to attain a higher education, I continued schooling. I studied in Calubo Elementary School from grades 5 to grade 6. The school is about 7-seven kilometers away from our residence much farther compared to the Primary School I last attended. Like in my primary school, I hiked to and from school every morning and afternoon just to graduate in elementary. I brought pack lunch “baon” only plain corn grits, sometimes sweet potato wrapped with banana leaves without viand. My mother usually gave me allowance of 25 cents sometimes 50 cents only, just enough to buy 1 to 2 table spoon of salted fish as viand for my lunch.
The Calamity:
On December 3, 1973, I was only 10 years old at that time, a strong typhoon “UNDANG” strikes in the greater part of Misamis Oriental rains lasted for almost a week with slight rain shower only on its first three to four days and on the last day, heavy rains began to fall from more or less 8:00 o’clock in the evening and lasted for more than 8-hours, that triggered severe landslides that almost all the hilly portion of the land in the areas affected by the typhoon were severely hit by landslide. On the onset of the typhoon there were only four of us left at home, my mother, older sister and a 7-year old younger brother; Afraid of being washed-out by the flood, my mother decided to vacate from our hut, and looked for a safer ground where we found a big rock and stayed on top of it, that was under a coconut tree with plenty of fruits, thanks God no coconut fruit fell down. Despite having an umbrella, still we were very wet due to the heavy rains and wind. We prayed the Holy Rosary until dawn with our mother who led the prayers, and luckily our prayers was heard and we were safe 'til morning. We never knew what really happened to our surroundings because of the darkness and thunderstorm. My father and uncle who arrived late from the town were stranded while they were heading home. Flood waters began to rise at that time, my father and my uncle got separated due to darkness and noise of strong flooding, heavy rains and the thunderstorms so my father climbed up a coconut tree and stayed there until morning.
When the sun started to shine, we saw our surroundings very badly hit by severe flooding and landslide left and right. Our farmland and our crops were damaged, our cow was washed-out, only the half end of the rope tied up the coconut tree was left. My Lolo Macario Salvani - a half blooded Spanish who lived in another village, died when his house was hit by landslide. Aside from my grandfather, there were so many lives and properties affected and badly damaged by the typhoon. Search and rescue operation started looking for survivors and unearthed dead bodies buried by landslide. The dead body of my Lolo was found on the seashore of Balingoan 2-days after. Months after that calamity, we transferred to a neighboring barrio of Salabao for fear that the incident might happen again.
My High School Life:
I thought I can no longer continue in High School because my parents were not capable to finance my studies. However, God is so kind to me that after I graduated in elementary, the National Government put up a National High School in a remote Village but still under the Municipality of Kinoguitan, it was called Kinoguitan National Agricultural High School (KNAHS). The school location is four times farther than the primary and elementary schools where I studied. It was located at the thickly forested mountain of Domagongdong, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental, about 25-kilometers away from the town proper of Kinoguitan. I stayed at the school bunk house, provided by the school, situated within the school campus. The students are required to go home once a month or more, depending on how long our food supply lasted. The temperature in that place is very cold, that even during high noon if you are on a shaded area, you need to wear a sweatshirt or a jacket in order to protect yourself from severe cold.
The tuition fee during my time was only P35.00 per year with free books, boardinghouse and free accident insurance. Before my graduation in High School, the entire graduating class took the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) at Talisayan, Misamis Oriental, that was September 9 (Sunday). In Monday, September 10, we went back to school boarding a 6x6 truck (the same vehicle being used by Military). At that time, the truck was fully loaded with students, teachers and school faculties. On our way to the school, and upon maneuvering uphill on a very slope road, the gear malfunctioned, causing the truck to run backward until it bumped to the road side cut and turned turtle. Many were hurt and severely injured including one faculty who died instantaneously. I was very lucky that I did not suffer even minor bruises and even slight injury. I graduated with honors despite my lack of the needed proper nutrition.
My Life after High School:
I learned how to cultivate the land and how to plant cabbage being one of our major teachings in school. So after graduation I did farming, mainly cabbage plantation. At first I enjoyed what I was doing specially in times when I got good harvest. I used to supply cabbage in the public markets of Kinoguitan and Balingoan. Later on the El Niño phenomenon strikes causing damaged to my cabbage plantation. I did not gave up and continued farming thinking more that I didn’t have chance to proceed to college due to financial constrained.
Again, God is so good to me. My sister Flor, who was already studying in Cagayan de Oro as a working student went to our home town and convinced me to come to Cagayan de Oro and look for a change to study college. Without hesitation, I leaved my farm and went to Cagayan de Oro and applied as a working student to Madame Lauriana S. Rosales – the owner of Cagayan Capitol College, now Capitol University. I was advised by the late Madame Rosales to proceed to Capitol College General Hospital, now Capitol University Medical Center, to inquire if they are still accepting working students. I was so lucky once again that I was accepted. I worked there from May 1, 1983 up to May 31, 1989. I was assigned in the dietary department for one year. I was also assigned to maintain the plants and cleaning the hospital surroundings for one year and a utility/janitor/wardman in the hospital. My longest job assignment was in Operating Room (OR) and Delivery Room (DR). My duties includes, preparation of the OR/DR, preparing the patient before and after surgical procedure assist the nurses and midwives in the circulation during surgical operation and even during delivery procedures. My normal working hour was from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only, so that by 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. I will be in school to attend classes, However, I was on call all the time, so when I arrived from school after my classes at about 10:00 o’clock in the evening if there is emergency surgical operation, after I ate my supper; I had to report for work. Sometime there were surgical operations that started at 10:00 p.m. and lasted until 6:00 a.m. on the following morning. I didn’t have time to study my lessons. Sometimes, I took the exam without studying my lessons and without proper sleep the night before the exam due to call of duties.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
Early Childhood:
Poverty is not a hindrance to succeed! Laughter & tears, hardship, suffering, strong faith in God, sincerity, honesty, dedication, loyalty, perseverance and determination to succeed made me strong to face the challenges of my life.
I was born on November 20, 1963 under the zodiac sign of scorpio at Suarez, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental. I am the 5th from the eldest. I was born under the poor family who lived in remote Sitio of Kalitian, Barrio of Suarez, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental. I have two sisters and three brothers. I studied in Suarez Primary School from Grades I to IV, the school is located about 5 kilometers away from our residence. I used to hike from residence to school morning and afternoon. Through my determination to attain a higher education, I continued schooling. I studied in Calubo Elementary School from grades 5 to grade 6. The school is about 7-seven kilometers away from our residence much farther compared to the Primary School I last attended. Like in my primary school, I hiked to and from school every morning and afternoon just to graduate in elementary. I brought pack lunch “baon” only plain corn grits, sometimes sweet potato wrapped with banana leaves without viand. My mother usually gave me allowance of 25 cents sometimes 50 cents only, just enough to buy 1 to 2 table spoon of salted fish as viand for my lunch.
The Calamity:
On December 3, 1973, I was only 10 years old at that time, a strong typhoon “UNDANG” strikes in the greater part of Misamis Oriental rains lasted for almost a week with slight rain shower only on its first three to four days and on the last day, heavy rains began to fall from more or less 8:00 o’clock in the evening and lasted for more than 8-hours, that triggered severe landslides that almost all the hilly portion of the land in the areas affected by the typhoon were severely hit by landslide. On the onset of the typhoon there were only four of us left at home, my mother, older sister and a 7-year old younger brother; Afraid of being washed-out by the flood, my mother decided to vacate from our hut, and looked for a safer ground where we found a big rock and stayed on top of it, that was under a coconut tree with plenty of fruits, thanks God no coconut fruit fell down. Despite having an umbrella, still we were very wet due to the heavy rains and wind. We prayed the Holy Rosary until dawn with our mother who led the prayers, and luckily our prayers was heard and we were safe 'til morning. We never knew what really happened to our surroundings because of the darkness and thunderstorm. My father and uncle who arrived late from the town were stranded while they were heading home. Flood waters began to rise at that time, my father and my uncle got separated due to darkness and noise of strong flooding, heavy rains and the thunderstorms so my father climbed up a coconut tree and stayed there until morning.
When the sun started to shine, we saw our surroundings very badly hit by severe flooding and landslide left and right. Our farmland and our crops were damaged, our cow was washed-out, only the half end of the rope tied up the coconut tree was left. My Lolo Macario Salvani - a half blooded Spanish who lived in another village, died when his house was hit by landslide. Aside from my grandfather, there were so many lives and properties affected and badly damaged by the typhoon. Search and rescue operation started looking for survivors and unearthed dead bodies buried by landslide. The dead body of my Lolo was found on the seashore of Balingoan 2-days after. Months after that calamity, we transferred to a neighboring barrio of Salabao for fear that the incident might happen again.
My High School Life:
I thought I can no longer continue in High School because my parents were not capable to finance my studies. However, God is so kind to me that after I graduated in elementary, the National Government put up a National High School in a remote Village but still under the Municipality of Kinoguitan, it was called Kinoguitan National Agricultural High School (KNAHS). The school location is four times farther than the primary and elementary schools where I studied. It was located at the thickly forested mountain of Domagongdong, Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental, about 25-kilometers away from the town proper of Kinoguitan. I stayed at the school bunk house, provided by the school, situated within the school campus. The students are required to go home once a month or more, depending on how long our food supply lasted. The temperature in that place is very cold, that even during high noon if you are on a shaded area, you need to wear a sweatshirt or a jacket in order to protect yourself from severe cold.
The tuition fee during my time was only P35.00 per year with free books, boardinghouse and free accident insurance. Before my graduation in High School, the entire graduating class took the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) at Talisayan, Misamis Oriental, that was September 9 (Sunday). In Monday, September 10, we went back to school boarding a 6x6 truck (the same vehicle being used by Military). At that time, the truck was fully loaded with students, teachers and school faculties. On our way to the school, and upon maneuvering uphill on a very slope road, the gear malfunctioned, causing the truck to run backward until it bumped to the road side cut and turned turtle. Many were hurt and severely injured including one faculty who died instantaneously. I was very lucky that I did not suffer even minor bruises and even slight injury. I graduated with honors despite my lack of the needed proper nutrition.
My Life after High School:
I learned how to cultivate the land and how to plant cabbage being one of our major teachings in school. So after graduation I did farming, mainly cabbage plantation. At first I enjoyed what I was doing specially in times when I got good harvest. I used to supply cabbage in the public markets of Kinoguitan and Balingoan. Later on the El Niño phenomenon strikes causing damaged to my cabbage plantation. I did not gave up and continued farming thinking more that I didn’t have chance to proceed to college due to financial constrained.
Again, God is so good to me. My sister Flor, who was already studying in Cagayan de Oro as a working student went to our home town and convinced me to come to Cagayan de Oro and look for a change to study college. Without hesitation, I leaved my farm and went to Cagayan de Oro and applied as a working student to Madame Lauriana S. Rosales – the owner of Cagayan Capitol College, now Capitol University. I was advised by the late Madame Rosales to proceed to Capitol College General Hospital, now Capitol University Medical Center, to inquire if they are still accepting working students. I was so lucky once again that I was accepted. I worked there from May 1, 1983 up to May 31, 1989. I was assigned in the dietary department for one year. I was also assigned to maintain the plants and cleaning the hospital surroundings for one year and a utility/janitor/wardman in the hospital. My longest job assignment was in Operating Room (OR) and Delivery Room (DR). My duties includes, preparation of the OR/DR, preparing the patient before and after surgical procedure assist the nurses and midwives in the circulation during surgical operation and even during delivery procedures. My normal working hour was from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only, so that by 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. I will be in school to attend classes, However, I was on call all the time, so when I arrived from school after my classes at about 10:00 o’clock in the evening if there is emergency surgical operation, after I ate my supper; I had to report for work. Sometime there were surgical operations that started at 10:00 p.m. and lasted until 6:00 a.m. on the following morning. I didn’t have time to study my lessons. Sometimes, I took the exam without studying my lessons and without proper sleep the night before the exam due to call of duties.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
My Failures & Accomplishments:
At last, after six years of sacrifices, I graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce –Major in Management. I graduated with awards – “Best in Management” despite my very hectic schedules. On June 1, 1989 I leaved the hospital and started working in non-life Insurance Company up to June 15, 2010. I was married on June 10, 1995 to Cristine and we were blessed with two sons, now a 15-years old, and a 5-years old. While working in Insurance, I also joined several MLM or Networking companies more particularly those carrying food supplement products because I love to take food supplement. I did it part time only for I am more tied-up with office works.
At last, after six years of sacrifices, I graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce –Major in Management. I graduated with awards – “Best in Management” despite my very hectic schedules. On June 1, 1989 I leaved the hospital and started working in non-life Insurance Company up to June 15, 2010. I was married on June 10, 1995 to Cristine and we were blessed with two sons, now a 15-years old, and a 5-years old. While working in Insurance, I also joined several MLM or Networking companies more particularly those carrying food supplement products because I love to take food supplement. I did it part time only for I am more tied-up with office works.
I never thought that I will again encounter another hard trials in my life. Last June 2010 I lost my job and we were not prepared for it, me & my wife didn't know what to do, to support our family, our sons who are still very young. But despite of all my trials and suffering, I never complain, I never blamed God for what had happen, I know he has better plan for us, because in Jeremiah 19:11 "...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...".
I strive more despite of the hardship and trials that I countered and never loss hope that someday I can break the chain of poverty that tied us from generation to generation because I believed in the saying that . . "If you were born poor that is not your fault, but if you will die old and still poor that is already your fault". I will just do my best for I know God will do the rest. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13.
God never leaves us in the dark, before the start of classes for School Year 2010 - 2011, we received a noticed from Philippine Science High School, Central Mindanao Campus that my eldest son qualifies for DOST Scholarship and two (2) weeks before I lost my job. All DOST Scholars are given P3,000.00 monthly allowance, plus CEPALCO additional P2,300.00 from Cagayan Electric Power & Light Company (CEPALCO) as their educational assistance to poor students. I thank God for this blessings! It helped us a lot during the time that we experienced financial crises.
On the same month when I lost my job, I met DLA Naturals, Inc. the timing is very good and I became a distributor right there and then. Now my big group already reached to more than 29th level deep. I certainly believed that DLA Naturals, Inc. is one of the instrument used by God to give us bright future.
Thank you Lord Jesus, I will bring you back all the Glory and Honor for I know that without you I can do nothing!
Thank you for reading...
to be continued...
I strive more despite of the hardship and trials that I countered and never loss hope that someday I can break the chain of poverty that tied us from generation to generation because I believed in the saying that . . "If you were born poor that is not your fault, but if you will die old and still poor that is already your fault". I will just do my best for I know God will do the rest. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13.
God never leaves us in the dark, before the start of classes for School Year 2010 - 2011, we received a noticed from Philippine Science High School, Central Mindanao Campus that my eldest son qualifies for DOST Scholarship and two (2) weeks before I lost my job. All DOST Scholars are given P3,000.00 monthly allowance, plus CEPALCO additional P2,300.00 from Cagayan Electric Power & Light Company (CEPALCO) as their educational assistance to poor students. I thank God for this blessings! It helped us a lot during the time that we experienced financial crises.
On the same month when I lost my job, I met DLA Naturals, Inc. the timing is very good and I became a distributor right there and then. Now my big group already reached to more than 29th level deep. I certainly believed that DLA Naturals, Inc. is one of the instrument used by God to give us bright future.
Thank you Lord Jesus, I will bring you back all the Glory and Honor for I know that without you I can do nothing!
Thank you for reading...
to be continued...
My life in Cebu City
to be updated soon....