Resorts Negrense

               Swimming is one activity which people of all ages can enjoy doing together. In pursuit of going somewhere new without exhausting everyone, we celebrated sis' birthday at Resorts Negrense in Punta Taytay.

          The Resort is a kids' paradise. It has a pool and a playground (with seesaw, merry-go-round, animal rides, slides, swings, a wall for climbing). 

              For the adults, they have a lagoon for kayaking, pool slides, pool table which we haven't had the chance of using except for picture-taking and a bonsai garden to die for.

       

   We checked in after lunch and lost no time in getting wet (even before we got our wrist bands to use the pool). Testing period lasted an hour when the 'titas of  La Carlota' had no other choice but to play in the kiddie pool. Summer and Rain's gurgling laughter filled the air and the huge grins that were plastered their faces were priceless.

         When Rain retired for his afternoon milk, Summer took courage venturing into the adult pool in her "floatee". We played pirate-made-up-games going around the pool until the light waned, stopping only to refuel with mommy's spaghetti and buko salad.

          It was a day to remember despite lola's finding only 50% enjoyment in the whole event.

       

LasalteChamps Razil and Ralf

           Siblings Razil, 31 and Ralf, 25, know how it is to be wanting in material things yet remain optimistic. Born 4^th  and 5^th, respectively, in a brood of seven to a carpenter father and a vendor mother in La Castellana. Both had to quit college to help their parents and to make ends meet.

            Razil and Ralf  have always wanted to work in a call center. The idea of spending an eight-hour day in a “laid back” environment where English is the language of communication felt both stimulating and exciting. To Ralf, it was rising to the challenge of getting hired in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company after so many rejections while Razil was inspired by an educational trip to a BPO when she was still an Information Technology student at Bago City College.

            They had very little information on how a call center works or what it takes to be an agent then. It was through their brother’s mother-in-law who works in Brgy. Haguimit that they learned about TESDA and its free training for aspitring call center agents.

            They both wistfully recalled having very little sleep during the training period. After spending the night at the training center, they still helped their mother sell “singkamas” and indian mango to provide food for the table and save some for their transportation to and from the training center. Dealing with hardships on a daily basis only strengthened their resolve to make the most of the 100 hours Finishing Course for Call Center Agents and redesign their future.

            Short as the training may seem but the language skills they imbibed lent them the fire and confidence to go through the rigors of getting hired in a call center.

            Working at PanAsiatic has dramatically changed lives. They were modest about their contribution to the family but their older brother, Ryan, proudly shared how they provided for the needs of their parents as the first two gainfully wage earners in the family.  He also added that their lives became living testimonies that being poor is not an obstacle to becoming financially viable and reaching your dreams. Ralf and Razil have inspired many of their young neighbors to work in the BPO industry too with the same end in mind.

            Ralf bought a DSLR camera with his savings. He often volunteered to cover the company events until his works got noticed. Bookings for weddings, birthdays and other occasions started to pour in and he now has a sizable portfolio of customers and offers.

            Education is still foremost in his mind that he is now in his 2^nd year at La Consolacion College under the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) taking up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing Management. He plans to put up his own studio someday. He is presently working at iQor after five rewarding years at Panasiatic.

            Razil, on the other hand, took an indefinite hiatus and invested her earnings into backyard hog raising. She is biding her time immersing in experiential learning exploring places around the region, honing her photography skills and meeting people. She does clearly know what she wants and that includes going back to extending customer service over the phone in the foreseeable future.

In Search for a Success Story

The bus just left when I got out of the door. It was after thirty more minutes when another one passed by. I sat in the middle of a three-seater and was glad that the man across the aisle alit somewhere in Haguimit. The trip was short or so it seemed.

The municipal hall was dominated by bright red and yellow colors. One of the staff was organizing a throng of men and women in the manner which suggested they are going to welcome visitors.

While wandering up and down the balcony, a local approached me. It was Felipa, an alumnus of the school. She gave me an insider's info. Bong Revilla was due to arrive that afternoon. With no certainty of getting a close encounter with the mayor, I left my letter for later and went to meet my subject for the long overdue interview.

Protected by the jacket Razil loaned me, off we went to that coffee "tambayan" up the boondocks, me with Ralf and Razil on their Kuya Ryan's bike. That must be my longest and uphill motorbike ride. It was exciting. The view took my breath away more than my fear of us flying off the cliff.


We had coffee, batchoy and arroz caldo. Ryan filled in the stories his little brother and sister chose not to mention for modesty's sake. He also got himself a tour-guiding job to do when the Palawan cherry blossom and rafflesia bloom comes.