13/07/2025
I’d like to share with you my story from April 2011 up to the present. But please, go easy on my English in the old letter I’ve attached. That was my English 15 years ago. Hahaha. Alright, let’s begin. Are you ready? 🙂
Humble beginnings
I was born into a family of farmers. Life was tough, and from a young age, I knew that if I wanted to study, I’d have to carry that burden on my own. To finish 4th year high school, I worked as a dishwasher and cleaner at a small canteen in our province. Basically, yung tinatawag na “boy”. I also worked part-time packing bread in a local bakery. Babayaran ako ₱0.10 sa bawat tinapay na mabalot ko. Nakakarami din naman. It was backbreaking work, but I managed to graduate high school.
Determined to pursue college, I moved to Naga City and found work as a janitor and house help for the owner of a private school. I enrolled in BS Accountancy, but balancing my job (cleaning toilets, lobbies, and classrooms) with my classes proved nearly impossible. Hindi ko naman naiintindihan. May mga auditing subjects na ako noon and wala man napa*ok sa utak ko. Palagi akong gutom na gutom at pagod na pagod.
One of the kindest people I met that time was the owner of a canteen below the school building. She would give me leftover soup, and sometimes, if I was lucky mga natirang gulay na langka o laing. When I had extra food na binigay niya, I’d share it with beggars kasi parang pareho lang kami that time. Hahaha. That was my little way of giving back. Masaya na ako sa ganoon lang.
Then at night, after cleaning the school, I still had to serve at the owner's house. Maglilinis ng bahay. Then at dawn, I’d wake up by 4 AM to prepare breakfast and open the school building again. Ganoon palagi ang aking routine.
The lowest point
One day, driven by intense hunger, I stole food. Gutom na gutom ako that time. I got caught and ended up in jail for 24 hours in Naga City. No one opened the school that day kasi nasa kulungan eh. Hahaha. But I don’t regret that moment because it taught me so much. And I believe God used even that low point to steer me in a new direction. At ito na nga!
Taking a leap of faith
Eventually, I felt deep in my heart that I had to leave Naga. I decided to seek new opportunities, sabi ko kahit saan basta malayo dito. So, before I left, I wrote letters (see the sample) addressed to top universities like University of the East, La Salle, Ateneo, UST, and UP. Naka blank lang yung ibang letters. Yes, I was aiming high that time. Libre naman mangarap eh. I even told myself, “I don’t mind being a servant as long as it’s in a prestigious school.”
Para makaluwas, nakiusap ako sa bus driver na payagan ako makasakay nang libre (kuya, if you’re reading this thank you so much, sobra!).
I didn’t go straight to Manila. Bumaba na ako sa Turbina, which is one of the few places I was familiar with, and went to Los Baños where some relatives lived. But I didn’t stay with them. I didn’t want to be a burden. Ewan ko ba basta ayaw ko maging pabigat sa ibang tao. Tsaka alam ko din naman ang kalagayan nila that time. Instead, I slept in an abandoned train station near the LB market. Napakabaho at napakaraming lamok. May mga a*o pa na galisin. Hayss. For two weeks, I lived like that bathing from a public tap at night kapag wala ng tao.
Planting seeds of hope
The day after I arrived, I began distributing printed copies of my letter to any school I could find, big or small basta madaanan ko. I sent a letter to Colegio de Los Baños, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in Calamba, Trace College, and Letran. I realized then—maybe I had aimed too high with UST, La Salle, and Ateneo. So sabi ko wag na don. Malayo at wala akong pera. Ang CP ko nga noon eh wala ng case, Nokia 3310 ata yon. Basta yung malaki na mabigat na may antenna pa 🙂
Finally, I gave a copy of the letter to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
On the same day, I submitted a biodata to Jollibee Olivarez. Sakto! They were hiring that time! Oh diba you see kung paano gumagalaw si Lord? I took the test, got interviewed, and got the job. Maraming salamat Jollibee Olivarez peeps! Jollibee!
The very next day, I received a call from a lawyer at UPLB. She was kind beyond words. With the assistance of the CFNR college secretary, she helped me take the UPLB entrance exam and field test (pinaakyat sa Mt Makiling). I passed the exam and interview, and with the Chancellor’s blessing, I was admitted.
The course I never chose
I originally wanted to study business or any course na may kaugnayan sa pagnenegosyo kasi BS Accountancy ang dating course ko sa Bicol. But that wasn’t allowed for my case. Instead, they offered me a slot in Forestry. Honestly? I didn’t even know that course existed, and I wasn’t excited about it. But I reminded myself “this is UP already”. Aarte pa ba? So, syempre tinaggap ko na. I began attending classes from 7 AM to 4 PM, then worked at Jollibee from 5 PM until midnight sometimes until 1 AM. I’d get home by 1:30 AM, study for exams, and often, not sleep at all. My secret weapon? Nescafé sticks. Those little sachets kept me awake through many long nights. Maraming salamat NESCAFÉ!
To support my parents in Bicol, I took on extra work at a computer shop during Jollibee rest days, and as a student assistant at UPLB. At one point, I juggled three jobs while studying full-time. Oh diba?
Sometimes, I slept on campus. Minsan sa isang kubo nearby. Life was still hard pero ibang iba na kesa dati. Nakakapagpadala na ako sa mga magulang ko that time eh.
Breakthroughs and blessings
Eventually, I graduated cm laude kasi siguro dahil napamahal na ako sa kursong binigay sa akin. Sobra ko na siyang nagustohan. That title opened doors right after graduation, I was hired as an instructor at UPLB. Later on, I earned a master’s degree in Korea. Then I got promoted to Assistant Professor. Then my salary increased.
Napaayos na din ang bahay namin sa Bicol, fully paid off my own house in Los Banos, bought a car, and made other investments through hard work. Even better my sibling also graduated in Forestry, like me. Nagtuturo na din siya.
Today, I’m also a content creator with almost 1 million followers something I never imagined possible. Please follow me if you are interested in contents about plants, nature, or environment.
To everyone who helped me along the way, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This story is not just mine. It’s for every student, worker, and dreamer fighting against the odds. Don’t give up. You never know how far grit, kindness, and a little faith can take you.
Now kung bibigyan niyo ng pamagat ang kwento ko, ano ang magandang pamagat sa tingin niyo?
