Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mary Rose V. Benaro. My college and high school friends call me Yesh but my best friends call me Perot because I am so petite. I was born on the 25^th day of May 1998 as a premature baby (6 months and 2 weeks). I was supposed to be named Venice. However, as my father was praying at a certain chapel near the hospital where me and my mother was confined, she saw a single rose at the altar near Mama Mary’s image. He couldn’t describe why a single rose made the whole chapel so fragrant. For him, that was a sign of hope. So he named me after Mama Mary and that rose. So even if my name is so common, I always consider it as a unique name like no other.

I grow up in the province and every morning, my late grandmother would always give me, my siblings, and my cousins “pinaig bugas and 🤬” for our “pamainit.” My grandparents will bring us also to Church every Sunday and since public transportation is still few that time, we had to walk two hours just to get to the church. 

As a kid, I also remember not being allowed to watch television not until Friday evening. My father wanted us to study in our free time or after doing the household chores. He wanted us to focus on our studies and I could not blame him for it. At an early age, my tatay has been doing heavy works. He was still seven years old when he was tasked to plow the farm. My lolo would always mock how unimportant education is, just a waste of money. Even if my lolo had that perception, my tatay has been able to enter college through his hardwork. That is the reason why he always makes it sure that we understand the importance of education

Oh, did I mention that I have 4 siblings? Yes, I have! Proceed next column to know more. :)

 

Before I was born, my father worked as an inter-island seafarer but he had to stop due to heart complications. Our way of living was just so simple yet happy. I have 2 older brothers and 2 sisters. I am the only one who has the longest gap among them. I am seven years younger than my ate Glor, the fourth child. We had one sister, ate Maria, who was also a premature baby who died minutes after she was born.

My siblings are my safety nets and I am so blessed to have my Manuy Jo, Undong John, Ate Glor, Ate Jan and if ate Maria was alive, I know she’ll also be one of my protectors. They have been so caring, protective, and loving. As siblings, we are so close to each other. Even Kuya Jo and Ate Glor already have their families, nothing changed. Right now, I am in the province with my parents, my 2 nieces and 2 nephews and I take good care of them just as how my siblings take good care of me.

Life was never been easy growing up but with the sacrifices of my tatay and nanay, they were able to provide us the basic needs. My tatay experienced working as a farmer, a carpenter, a welder, anything legal just to earn money to be able to send all of us to school. That is why we promised to give them the life that they deserve now that we are all working. My parents deserved to be pampered and we are slowly doing that for them. Slow progress is still progress. We just need to keep on moving.

 

In college, my friends would call my life “boring”. I never do hangout nights, I never go with them to do chilling moments. It is not that I am not friendly but I am saving up. I know how hard my parents were working just to send me money for my school expenses. That is why instead of going out, I prefer to stay in. Read some books, watch my sister paint, or do my laundry. Growing up in an average family mold me to become responsible especially in terms of expenses. I had to be wise in spending. 

As I college student, I also had to double my effort in studying to be an academic scholar and pay the fees not covered by my government scholarship. After four years, hardwork paid off. I graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Tourism from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. I am a proud CHED StuFap grantee, a UNIFAST TES beneficiary and an academic scholar. 

My first work was a Passenger Service Agent under Jeju Air. When my mother got sick, I had to go back to Daanbantayan. Right now, I am working under the Local Government Unit of our municipality as a Tourism Staff. I decided to stay here for good and be with my parents. It was a big move; giving up my aviation industry dream, but I need to. We were so busy growing up that we sometimes forgot that our parents are also growing old. And I wanted to stay here as a way of thanking them for all that they did for me. Now is my turn to be the one to take good care of them.

My other experience includes travelling internationally. Yes, I know you could not believe it! But my first travel was a flight bound South Korea. When we were in college, we had this international tour on our last year. So what I did is that I negotiated with my parents. I told them that I will not go to acquaintance parties, I will not join the regional and domestic tours. The money intended for those events must be saved. The money that I saved for not going to those events will serve as my payment for the international tour. So it did! That tour was a product of four years of saving up. You know what, that trip made me realized that something is possible when you are disciplined enough to achieve it.

 

I know my sudden career change will put some things at stake especially my current work. However, I know that nothing worthwhile comes easy. I had to take a leap, to try and reach for my dreams. I am a motivated person. When I wanted to achieve something, I really would go after it even if that will be risky. For as long as God is with me, everything is possible.