By Sara Grace C. Fojas
The idea of a second chance doesn’t always seem to be there for everyone, especially if one has had a series of misfortunes. But these stories show that, no matter what life throws at us, age, poverty, or ill fortune should never stop us from getting our second chances or trying a second time to go after our dreams.
Lauro Convencido, the man behind the famous isawan at UP, Mang Larry's Isawan
Dream Catcher
The man behind UP student’s favorite isawan Mang Larry’s Isawan, Lauro “Mang Larry” Convencido was the little boy from Camarines Sur who had big dreams. He knew there was a great life waiting for him beyond the boundaries of his family’s farm. So, at 17, he decided to try his luck in Manila.
“After grade school, I decided to leave my hometown and chase after my dreams. I wanted to be independent. I wanted to study high school but our family couldn’t afford it. So I decided to look for my relatives at UP and learned that my cousin was studying at the Miriam College Adult Education (MAE),” says Mang Larry.
Mang Larry was a janitor in a film company by day and a student by night. He finished high school in five years. His perseverance led him to become a janitor supervisor and, later on, the head of quality control in the company he was working for.
“When I graduated high school and started to have a stable job, I realized that my life was getting better because I was able to eat thrice a day. It was during these days, when I would pass by Cubao to get to Katipunan, that I discovered isaw. It was literally a street food then that only the poor would eat because you couldn’t even be sure if it was clean and safe. That was when I had the idea to study quality control for the product and make it a favorite not only of the people on the street but people from all walks of life. I opened my first isawan food cart at UP. I didn’t expect it to be a big hit. I just tried it and it worked,” says the 55-year-old.
For 33 years, Mang Larry slowly but surely achieved success in business. He was even able to open branches in other parts of Manila. A restaurant in Boracay even orders from him once a month. He pioneered the use of plastic cups when eating street food instead of using sticks and double dipping it into the sauce container to avoid contaminations and the spread of diseases. For R5 per isaw, and now other products such as fish balls, grilled tilapia, grilled squid, grilled bangus, and many others, Mang Larry was able to provide for his wife and five children.
“MAE helped me get my dream of finishing high school. Knowledge really is power, and everything you’ve learned, you’ll always have with you, unlike material things. Don’t let your dream be just a dream. Work for it, believe in yourself, and don’t forget to pray. I’m still not done chasing my dreams. Someday, I want to have my own restaurant. I always tell myself that if I want something, I should get it,” he says.
Ramil King Pacheco, a failed entrepreneur turned into a successful businessman
Try and Try Again
Ramil King Pacheco lives by the saying “try and try until you succeed.” It has been his personal motto. True enough, out of the seven businesses he ventured in, only one succeeded.
“My first business was a burger stand, it failed. Then we tried catering, jewelry selling, pharmacy, then back to food, and then back to pharmacy,” he intimated.
Erich Pharmacy now has four branches in Rizal and three in Cebu. He is the proud owner of Stone and Concrete Restoration in Cebu and Kindell Jewelry. He also teaches financial literacy on the side.
“Maybe some of the businesses failed because of lack of passion. I wasn’t giving my 100 percent to every business I tried, until I met my wife and she helped me get back on my feet again. She runs our pharmacy business and I run our construction business. I also teach financial literacy to people, like how to invest, how to get the proper insurance. We also encourage OFWs to do proper investing,” says Ramil.
But the drive to try and try again came from Ramil’s experience. He started working as an apprentice when he was 12 years old until he mastered the craft of jewelry making from his father. He wasn’t able to finish high school because, at a young age, he needed to help in providing food for his family. But he wanted to finish high school and be successful in the field he would choose, so he decided to work while studying.
“My option then was to enrol in a regular school and find out how I could balance it with my work, but a friend suggested MAE’s night school to me. At first, I was hesitant because Miriam College is known as a girl’s school, but since it would make it easier for me to work while studying, I decided to push for it. I envied my classmates then, as they were already high school graduates, while I, at 17, haven’t even started freshman year. Eventually, I was able to graduate when I was 21,” says the 32-year-old Ramil.
After high school, Ramil took up Entrepreneurial Management at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He decided to stop after his freshman year and try his luck in business. Now, with his businesses booming and opportunities knocking at his door, he wanted to give back to Miriam for giving him the chance to try again.
“I want to put up a foundation that will help sponsor students who wanted to study at MAE. MAE changed me. This is where I met my wife, where my faith grew, and it is the foundation of everything I have right now. I want people to know that they should not be afraid of failure because it is part of the process of success,” ends Ramil.
Mharwin V. Cabangon, a young professional chasing after his dreams
One Step at a Time
Three thousand eight hundred and seventy two steps—this is what took Mharwin V. Cabangon to get to his school at MAE from Krus na Ligas every day. He would rather save his fare for the things he needed at school while he was taking up the techvoc course Hotel and Restaurant Services.
“I’m from Macalelon, Quezon Province. My parents are farmers and then my father became a janitor at UP. After graduating high school, we came here to Manila so I could take up a techvoc course. My class was from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. By 4 p.m., I would start walking to school. I needed to save my fare because we needed to buy a lot of things for this course,” says the 21-year-old Mharwin.
Life was never easy for Mharwin even when he was a child. He says he considered himself lucky for getting involved in an organization where he could get food allowance, as long as he taught the children in the coastal areas of their province about their rights and disaster risk management.
“I would use my food allowance as my allowance for school. When I was in high school I was an ambassador for our theater group and we were sent to Manila. I only had two pesos as my pocket money then, but I wouldn’t let anyone see how hard it was for me. I wanted people to see that I was strong and that I could endure this hardship,” he says.
Mharwin moved to Manila after high school, just as planned. Wearing his old polo, a pair of pants from his brother, and a pair of shoes borrowed from his dad, he soldiered on even without knowing what was ahead of him.
Manila was a whole new world, but his fear didn’t hinder him from finishing his studies. Soon, he began getting the attention of his professors because of his skills.
“One of my professors helped me obtain an OJT at the Asian School in Hospitality Arts in Kamias where I learned how to be a barista, a receptionist, and a housekeeper. I also had another OJT at Cravings where they made me an eco-ambassador because I always tried to recycle everything. Now, I’m working at an events place in Greenhills. I just didn’t let my situation get the best of me, instead I try to make the best of every situation I find myself in,” says Mharwin.
Maria Jessica T. Solano, a house help who went to become a fastfood chain manager
Sacrifice and Success
Leaving home is never easy for anyone, especially for Maria Jessica T. Solano who had to leave her family in Aklan at the age of 16 just so she could fulfill her dreams.
“I wanted to finish my studies so I went to Manila and worked as a house help in Marikina. My employer helped me enrol in MAE. I wanted to be a chef and to own a restaurant someday,” says Jessica.
At the time, just when she got her scholarship, her mom and her sibling both got sick. Fishing was the family’s only source of income, and most of the time money was never enough.
“I forced myself to be strong so that I could reach my dream and help my family. I was 19 when I enroled in MAE and studied Hotel and Restaurant Services. There was never a day I didn’t pray to God to help me get through all of this. At first, I wanted to be a teacher but then my love for cooking told me that my calling was in the kitchen,” she says. Now, after all the hardships she’s been through, she is able to help her family as a manager for one of the branches of McDonald’s.
“Everything I learned will stay with me until I grow old. Not only was I able to help my family, I was also able to buy a small lot for them and help them start a business. I’m getting married this year and my perseverance and sacrifices to fulfill my dreams have been worth it,” says Jessica.
Armenio L. Gallardo, a passionate teacher who never gave up on his dreams
Fruits of Sacrifice
Armenio L. Gallardo wanted to become a teacher. Maybe the profession wouldn’t make him a millionaire, but he knew that through it, he would be able to touch a lot of lives.
“It’s been a dream to become a teacher since I was young. I would teach the kids in the neighborhood,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to touch the lives of children and make their lives better as they grow up.”
Armenio used to work as a house help in Katipunan. He told his boss that he wanted to finish high school at MAE and his boss encouraged him.
“The assistant principal informed me that I should submit my documents proving that I was a grade school graduate. So I went home to Isabela to obtain my papers. Sadly, they were accidentally burned by my sibling. I started having doubts after that. Maybe it wasn’t for me,” he says.
Good thing the assistant principal told him that he could still take up a techvoc course even without his papers. He chose to study cosmetology and worked at a salon in Katipunan. But his dream of becoming a teacher never left him. He went back to MAE and said that he really wanted to finish high school, but since he lacked the documents he had to start from grade school.
“I studied grade school at MAE for one year then high school for five years. I was 30 years old when I graduated high school. After that, I wanted to go to college. I was able to get a scholarship from then President Joseph Estrada to study Education at Rizal Technological University. I accepted laundry and cleaning jobs from my neighbors just so I could have the money for school. I also volunteered here in MAE as a teacher,” recounts Armenio.
Finally, Armenio was able to achieve his dream. He graduated from college. While teaching at a private school, he studied for the Licensure Exam for Teachers. He passed and started teaching at Quezon City Science High School and then Quezon City High School. He also taught part-time in various colleges.
“I worked so hard to get this dream but I believe that my learning shouldn’t stop there. I studied Masteral of Arts in Education major in Filipino at National Teacher’s College. Then, I enrolled in a Doctorate of Philosophy major in Filipino at Panitikan at University of the Philippines. I am also planning to take up Law someday. I’m just glad I am now able to help my family. I’m glad I never lost hope,” says Armenio.