This guy from Bohol went viral on social media after sharing his hardships as a working student.
Uploader Mark Esterado has been working in different fast-food establishments for several years now. He initially took Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology but then the COVID-19 pandemic happened.
“First year po ako nung 2019, then nung mag start na ‘yung COVID po, nagstart na rin ‘yung online class so medyo hindi ko po masyado maintindihan ‘yung sa online kasi may computer naman po ako pero sira. ‘Yun po medyo mahirap po talaga ‘pag IT ka tas wala kang mga gamit like laptop or computer,” Esterado told The Philippine STAR.
Esterado eventually decided to shift to hospital management at the Cristal e-College.
“Kaya naisipan kong magshift na lang tas pag pupursigihan ko na lang po makatapos,” he shared.
But it wasn’t an easy journey for him splitting his time with his part-time job and school requirements.
“So ngayon naman po, nung nag resign ako sa Jollibee kasi nag face-to-face na po ulit. So kailangan ko pong pumasok ulit tas naisip ko maraming vacant. Tinry ako sa Mcdo kasi magkatabi lang po sila,” he recalled.
Esterado wanted to help his adoptive mother financially that’s why he decided to keep his part-time job.
“Medyo naka-less po ako dun pero sa mga gastusin naman, about sa projects mga pagkain. Basta ‘yung mga pang daily basis po sa pang eskwelahan so kailangan ko po talaga magsipag. Hindi na po ako nanghihingi kay mama. Medyo nahihiya na po ako kasi, mag 22 na pero ganito pa, hindi pa nakaka graduate kaya ayun po nagsisipag,” he noted.
On his TikTok video, Esterado shared a glimpse of his life as a working student. One time, he decided to sleep inside a fast-food store to save money.
“‘Yung duty ka ng closing, tas bukas opening. So dito ka na lang natulog kasi wala pang sweldo, walang pang gas.Tipid-tipid muna, sipag at tyaga tayo. Hilamos muna bago mag-in ulit. Pagkatapos ng two shifts, papasok sa eskwela.Sana makayanan ko ‘yon medyo mahaba-haba pa kasi ang lalakbayin ko,” he said in the TikTok video.
Esterado shared that he’s grateful for his manager, who understood his situation.
“Nakipag usap ako kay Ma’am if okay lang po ba na dito na lang po ako matulog kasi ‘yun nga wala pa sweldo kasi first week ko ata po ‘yun. Then closing opening agad so naisip ko na “Ma’am, pwede bang dito na lang ako matulog para makatipid naman po kasi opening ako bukas.” So nag-yes naman po si Ma’am kaya ‘yun po naisipan kong matulog na lang ‘dun.‘Yung uniform ko nasa bag lang para pagkatapos ko mag duty diretso na rin po ako sa school,” Esterado shared.
Esterado is very hopeful about his future and aims to graduate soon to help his mother.
“Hindi po siya habulan. Parang kung sinong maunang grumaduate. Ganun po ‘yung nasa mindset ko na lang po. Basta pag pupursigihan ko na lang po na matapos. Iniisip ko na lang po na ‘yung mundo po is bilog. Swe-swertehin din po naman siguro. So I mean hindi naman po siguro ganito palagi, so baka sa susunod na araw o linggo o buwan baka swertehin,” he said.
