Author: Janelle Lorzano

In a bid to financially help his parents after his overseas Filipino worker father got laid off due to a heart ailment, this 21-year-old man from Batangas transformed their bodega into a small coffee shop. But before establishing his own business, John Carlo Valencia initially tried his luck in dog breeding and buying and selling cars. “Ang sinabi ko is “Nay pano po kaya kung gawin nating coffee shop yung tindahan ng lola dahil wala naman ginawang ano nalang bodega” ganto ganyan. Sabi nya, “Ikaw kaya mo ba yan, maasikaso mo? Hindi basta-basta mag-aano ng business yan, hindi kasi…

This couple from Sulu proved that with hard work and dedication, nothing is impossible. After rendering their respective duties every day, Reyner and Nurhima Bahulluk, both security guards, would start reviewing for the Licensure Exam for Teachers. “Sobrang hirap po ng setup namin. ‘Yung preparation sobrang hirap. ‘Yung time na nagpreprepare lahat siguro ng paraan ginawa ko na– sulat sa papel, magsulat sa pader na rin at ‘yung mga notes, gumagawa ako ng mga notes sa papel, tapos binabasa ko ‘yon sa oras ng trabaho. Kahit nakatayo, kahit makita ko lang doon sa table ko, binabasa basa ko tinatandaan ko…

This woman from Northern Samar took 12 years to attain her dream of becoming a licensed teacher. Richelle Ann Arnesto Gonzales took her first board exam after her graduation in 2010. But she failed 14 times. In her many attempts, she recalled having to take the LET exam twice a year, but she still failed. But Richelle decided to continue reviewing until she was able to pass the exam last January 30, 2022. “Sa pangalawa, opo, maraming beses ko na pong inisip na sumuko at hindi na magtake ng exam. sa bawat exam ko, ang naiisip ko ay ang mga…

“Paano mo malalaman kung di mo susubukan?” This couple from Pangasinan shared another essential lesson in life: believe in yourself and disregard the noises around you. Rozelle Mae Benedito and Mawi Mendoza Rillorta admitted that they received several negative reactions after they announced that their 500 sqm property they bought in 2018 would be the location of their coffee shop. Since it is located in the middle of a rice field in the province, many people doubted their ability to grow their small business. But the couple held on to their vision and were determined to pursue their business. “Mga…

This home-based business started in the middle of the COVID- 19 pandemic in 2020. But with determination and hard work, Jomari Siongco and Denielle Hernandez were able to put up a food truck business with only P2,500 cash on hand. “Actually it started with him and his brother talaga…nung nagpandemic umuwi siya galing UAE kasi nawalan siya ng work so naghanap kami ng source of income. So tinayo namin ‘yung Tolit’s pero online orders pa lang. pre-order base siya,” Jomari said. When they were just starting, the couple had to loan money from their families to jumpstart their food business.…

Another proof that kids have the purest and innocent minds. A father from Quezon City heard his three-year-old daughter crying her heart out in their living room last January 24, 2022. Jerome Carpio immediately approached his daughter to find out what happened. “One morning, I was fixing up to go to work. I heard my daughter crying hysterically. So I rushed to her to see what’s going on. To my surprise, she was crying because she was scrolling to the feeds of TikTok when she encountered a video of Papa Jesus then her yaya told her that Jesus is already…

Someone did not get the memo! Traditionally, newlyweds are supposed to feed each other a small bite of cake, but this husband from Quezon City seems to have forgotten the important moment. During their civil wedding reception last January 9, 2022, bride Roviedelia Soriano – Villena was waiting for her husband to share the cake but Cristian Mar Villena instead took a big bite on his own. Roviedelia’s puzzled reaction was caught on camera while Cristian ate a slice of cake. After realizing what he had done, Cristian and his wife along with their guests burst into laughter. Cristian…

No doubt that grandparents are always there for us whenever we need something —tangible or intangible things. A 26-year-old seafarer found a small yet heartwarming way to give back to his grandparents last December 22, 2021. During their family gathering and birthday of Lola Rufina in Polomolok, South Cotabato, Mark Anthony Santos took the opportunity to pay back all the love and kindness that their grandparents provided to them through the years. “Ako po nag initiate nung plan na surprise po kinausap ko nga pinsan ko then nag bigay sila ng idea, ‘yung isa is money bouquet and na isipan…

Netizens lauded these proud parents after seeing their genuine and wholesome reaction upon knowing that their son passed the Radiologic Technologist Licensure Examination in Dec. 2021. Patricia Ann Hennigan Diaz started a random conversation with his mom, Catherine, to break the good news. At first, Catherine thought that Pat was just bluffing. But when she finally saw Pat’s name on the official list, she screamed with joy and excitement. “Kakatapos lang po ng work ko at ang sabi ko ‘yung results po ng boards lalabas ng January 4 bale buong araw po ng paghihintay habang nag wowork po as a…

Who would have thought that a single TikTok video would help a struggling small business amid the pandemic? Netizen SJ Wolf tried a food stall at the Makati Central Square after running some errands last February. She started filming her experience just to share a glimpse of her day on social media. “It’s actually the first time that I went to the stall since I always go to Makati Square, but I’ve never seen the stall open, so I was really surprised to see that it’s open and then ayon, it really caught my attention,” she recalled. SJ Wolf said…