MANILA, Philippines — Raul Balite of Pagadian City dreamed of finishing college and getting a well-paying job to support his family.

Today, even if he did not finish college but completed training in automotive mechanics, Balite’s family is enjoying a good life. Balite looks back and tells everyone the happy and sad stories about his boyhood that was lost in backbreaking days at the family farm; his schooling that was stopped because he had to help feed and send six other siblings to school; about his college dream that was abandoned in the face of an unforgiving reality.

Yet, Balite turns ecstatic when he tells you about his decision to return to school and take a two-year course in automotive engineering at the Kabasalan Institute of Technology in 1985. He then worked as a delivery van driver and was immediately taken in because of his skills in auto servicing. He was later on sent by the company to a series of skills upgrading programs for mechanics organized by Honda and Kawasaki, and was eventually promoted as maintenance mechanic.

As the company’s bet in the 2001 Mindanao Olympics for Auto Mechanics, Balite made it to the 10 best competitors and was promoted to chief mechanic, and then to service supervisor for Mindanao and parts of the Visayas.

FORMER FARMHAND

Today, the former farm boy and trike driver is now earning over R45, 000 a month including his percentage share in the total income of all service shops in Mindanao.

His one-hectare rice field in Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay adds R162,000 a year to the family income. The family owns three service motorcycles and a modest home in Bulatok.

As service supervisor at DES Mindanao, he provides hundreds of training places for on-the-job (OJT) trainees from TESDA-recognized training programs in schools and training institutions. He recommends top performing trainees for employment as regular workers of the company.

To this day, Balite has never gotten a college degree. But it does not matter so much now.

“Higher education is important but it gives no guarantee of a successful and rewarding life. Perseverance, hard work, optimism, ambition, and an enduring faith in God do,” he says.

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