A young lady who graduated from college thanked her ‘kargador’ dad for sending her to school despite the difficulties he had to face and the sacrifices he had to make just to do it. But she was proud of her ‘kargador’ dad – and everyone loved that!
Mailyn Esquelito Akoy wrote a lengthy note of thanks to her father, a noble ‘kargador’ who did his best to send his children to school. But it was also her drive to succeed and help her parents that truly helped Mailyn finish her studies and graduate from college.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
Sila:
“Papa ko, Pulis!”
“Papa ko, Seaman!”
“Papa ko, Doctor!”
“Papa ko, Teacher!”
Ako? “Papa ko, KARGADOR.”
Oo, anak ako ng isang Kargador. Pasan dito, pasan doon, yan ang araw-araw na ginagawa ng aking butihing Ama. Bawat pasan nya’y pera ang kapalit. Oo, mahirap sa tingin ng iba ngunit kahit kailan hindi ko ikinakahiya ang kung ano ang trabaho ng aking Ama.
Kaya, bata pa lamang ako, hindi na lingid sa aking kaalaman ang hirap ng buhay. Sa murang edad pasan ko na ang mabigat na responsibilidad bilang isang anak.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
The hardships they had to face in life as a family made Mailyn strive harder to succeed. She didn’t receive a lot of awards or recognitions throughout her student life as she was unable to attend extra-curricular activities due to lack of money. Yet this young lady tried her best to work hard in school to give her parents a better life in the future.
Due to poverty, Mailyn was not immediately able to enroll in college after high school graduation. Though she’s a Muslim, she grabbed the opportunity offered at the Nuestra Seniora de Candelaria Parish Church, a Catholic church, to study a vocational course provided in cooperation with TESDA. She managed to graduate from the Computer Literacy program.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
Hanggang sa dumating ang pagkakataon na binigyang muli ako ng chansang makapagpatuloy ng pag-aaral. Inutang ni Mama sa 5’6 at si naman Papa sa kanyang pinagtatrabahoan ang pang enrol ko at pang entrance exam sa Sultan Kudarat State University at may ipang down payment narin para sa paunang babayarin.
Marami ang nakapagsabi na hindi ako makaka-abot hangang 4th year college dahil hindi na raw kakayanin ng aking mga magulang ang magiging gastusin sa paaralan. Hanggang 1st semester lang daw ako dahil si Papa isa lamang na kargador na kung tutuosin kulang pa ang kayang kinikita sa pang araw-araw naming gastosin dahil lang sa kakaramput nitong kita.
Ang ginawa ko noon? In-applyan ko halos lahat ng mga opisinang tumatanggap ng skolar. Yong init, pagod at hirap hindi ko alintana makapagpatuloy lamang sa pag-aaral. Hindi ako nagpatalo sa aking hiya kahit alam kong walang kasiguradohan kung matatangap ba ako o hindi ngunit sumubok parin ako.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
Because they didn’t have electricity at home, Mailyn would do her assignments and projects in school, only going home when she was done. But her classmates ridiculed her because her dad would only use a bicycle in picking her up.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
Sinusundo lamang ako ni Papa pag ako’y tapos na. Minsan, may natanong sa akin. Isa sa aking kaklase: “Di ka ba nahihiyang bisikleta lang ang taga-hatid at sundo mo rito sa paaralan?”
Imbis na mainis ako, ang sagut ko lamag sa taong iyon ay, “Yan lang ang sasakyan na meron kami at HINDI ko ikinakahiya kong anong sasakyan ang susundo sa akin dito sa paaralan dahil maswerte akong anak na may amang nag-aalala sa akin sa tuwing gabihin ako sa pag-uwi at nagtatyagang ihatid at sundoin ako kahit na minsan sya’y pagod galing sa trabaho”.
Mailyn understands the hardships her father has to face at his job.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
Alam kong hindi biru ang magiging isang kargador. Masakit makita ang iyong ama’y nahihirapan sa kanyang trabaho. Napapaluha ako sa tuwing nadadaanan ko si Papa kanyang pinagtatrabahoan papuntang paaralan.
Buhat-buhat ang halos 40 kilong sako ng semento, na halos hindi ko na makilala dahil sa alikabok na babalot sa kanyang katawan at nakabilad sa ilalim ng tirik na araw. Minsan kahit may dinadamdam sya, pilit parin syang nagtatrabaho. Ang rason nya kasi “Kung hindi ako magtatrabaho, wala tayong kakainin sa isang araw”.
Aside from thanking her dad, she also thanked the other people who were instrumental in helping her succeed in life. She promised to work hard and help bring her family out of poverty so that her parents could finally experience a better life.
Photo credit: Mailyn Esquelito Akoy / Facebook
She even thanked her detractors and those who ridiculed her family! What a strong young lady…
Sa mga taong nangungutya’t umaapi sa pamilya ko, maraming salamat dahil kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagsusumikap. At lahat ng pararangal at papuri ko sa amang Dyos na syang sandigan ng lahat, Maraming salamat sa walang sawang pagsubok na iyong binibigay sa akin dahil don, mas lalo akong naging matatag, nagpursige’t nagsumikap. Maraming, maraming salamat sa iyong mga biyaya.
Congratulations, Mailyn!
Congratulations, Mailyn. You break my heart! As I read your story, you are one in a million who deserve to be followed, to be praised, to be honored and highly regarded for the things that you did for your family.
You are an epitome for the youth! A perfect example!
God bless you more and may our dear Lord give you a job the soonest to make your father the happiest Dad in the world. Good luck!
Patuloy kang sumulat sa mga ganitong storya na nakakainspire tagos sa buto at nakakaiyak…para naman yong ibang kabataan mabibigyan daan ang kanyang naudlot na pag aaral dahil sa kahirapan.
Makakaasa po kayo Ma’am Tess Fino. Yan po ang aming hangarin sa Buhay Teacher.