This student had seven different jobs from senior high school to college in order for her to sustain her needs in school. In 2022, she finally got her degree!
“Actually po, mahirap po yung buhay namin. Kahit dalawa lang po kaming magkapatid, wala naman pong stable na job ‘yung both parents ko po. ‘Yung unang job ko po is naging ukay-ukay saleslady po ako sa isang ukay-ukay,” Redeen Isabel Biene told the Philippine STAR.
Redeen started to juggle work and school when she was in grade 9. All of her free time was spent either for catching up on school requirements or earning a living to help her family.
“Naranasan ko nga po ‘yung nasa work ako na mag e-exam, pagka umagahan ‘yung mga reviewers ko dinadala ko sa work ko. Minsan nasa storage room ako, nagrereview pa. Maging sa pagtulog niyo dapat iisipin niyo pa. Nirereview niyo pa sa isip niyo kung ano po ‘yung gagawin niyo pagka-umagahan, pagkabukas sa makalawa dapat lahat nakaplanado po lahat,” she recalled.
During her educational journey, she worked as a personal tutor, ukay-ukay saleslady/cashier, restaurant service crew, convenience store cashier, cleaner at a condominium, barangay encoder and barangay assistant.
Thankfully, Redeen found a sponsor who helped her pay for her tuition fees in college.
Redeen graduated with a degree in business administration major in marketing from the University of St. La Salle Bacolod on May 29, 2022.
At the moment, she still works as a barangay assistant but plans to take a break before finding a regular job.
Redeen said that it was her mother who motivated her to get a degree.
“Kasi po iyong pag-aaral it means a lot to me and also to my mom. I promise, talagang kinaya ko po dahil kay Mama ko po kasi sinabi niya sa akin na, “Nak, sana makapagtapos ka ng pag-aaral kasi wala kaming maipapamana sa’yo ng Papa mo eh, sana matapos ka ng college kasi para din iyon sa’yo. Para maipagmalaki mo ‘yung self mo tsaka matularan ka rin ng kapatid mo, na naitawid mo ‘yung education mo kahit mahirap tayo. Basta nakapagtapos ka, malaking bagay kasi ‘yun,” she said.
She said that time management is the key for working students like her.
“Actually po very important po ‘yung planning po na imamanage niyo ‘yung time niyo dapat kada oras may plano kayo. Dapat ‘yung allotted time dapat mareach niyo po siya,” she said.
“Kung minsan kailangan niyo mag-absent sa work or sa school kasi mas priority niyo po. Minsan po priority po ang pag-aarala kung may mga importanteng mga quizzes ganun. Pero minsan priority din po na maka-kain kaya mag wo-work muna. Ayun communication lang po both sa professors, teachers, tsaka ‘yung mga managers at supervisors ko po,” she shared.
Redeen hopes that through her story, fellow working students will continue fighting for their dreams.
“Pwedeng magpahinga pero ‘yung pinaka importante sa lahat is huwag susuko sa buhay, kaya niyo iyan,” she said.
