Proud daughter of a “kargador” honors her father for his hard work by finishing college

• Seeing her father’s hard worked motivated her to fulfill her dreams of graduating from college
• Manilyn did not leave all the responsibility to her parents, while studying hard, she also tried her best to earn extra income
• Many had doubted and mocked their family for being too ambitious in sending Manilyn to school

Knowledge is the only legacy that parents can give to their children that no one can take away. And parents are willing to do everything just to give good education to their children.

Though life was hard, a daughter graduated from her college degree and honored his father who worked hard as a “kargador” just to let her finish her college education and have a better life.

Manilyn Esquelito Akoy comes from a poor family and her father works as a “kargador” in a construction site. Seeing her father’s hard worked motivated her to fulfill her dreams of graduating from college, so she can provide her family with a better life in the future.

“Lahat ng hirap na pinagdaanan ng mga magulang ko ang syang nagsilbing inspirasyon ko para pagbutihin ko ang aking pag-aral. Dahil si Papa isang kargador samantalang si Mama naman ay syang nag-aalaga’t nagaasikaso sa aming magkakapatid.”

With their family’s situation, they managed to live in a squatter’s area while enduring sleepless nights during the rainy season because their place was always flooded. There was also a time that their house was included in a fire and her mother acquired burns on her arms to save them who were inside the burning house.

“Naalala ko pa noon, halos 10 years kaming nanirahan sa squatters area ng minsang masunog ang aming bahay. Hindi alintana ni Mama noon ang maiwan sa loob ng lumalagablab naming bahay, mailigtas lamang kaming magkapatid, kaya nag iwan ito ng malaking marka sa kanyang braso.”

Despite her young age, Manilyn did not leave all the responsibility to her parents. While studying hard, she also tried her best to earn extra income and instead of using it for her extra-curricular activity contributions in school, she would rather use the money she earned to buy their food.

“Upang makatulong ako sa aking mga magulang, nagtututor ako, gumagawa ng mga project ng mga tamad na estudyante, nagpapaketi ng chicharon sa aming kapit bahay. naglalako ng gulay, namumulot ng plastik, bote, bakal at minsan ding naging working student ng sa ganon may pangbaon at pambayad ako sa mga babayarin ko sa paaralan.”

Schooling wasn’t that easy for her. Because of poverty, she had to stop for a year after she graduated from high school. But then it did not stop her and Manilyn was able to obtain a scholarship from TESDA, taking up Computer Literacy at the Nuestra Seniora de Candelaria Parish Church in Sultan Kudarat.

And when she passed the entrance exam at Sultan Kudarat State University-Tacurong City Campus, she immediately enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. To pay her enrollment fee, her mother loaned from a ‘5-6’ shark, and which meant her father needed to work even harder to pay the loan.

Many even doubted and mocked their family for being too ambitious in sending Manilyn to school.

“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 kargador na kung tutuosin kulang pa ang kayang kinikita sa pang araw-araw naming gastosin dahil lang sa kakaramput nitong kita.”

But then, she used those words to make her strong and persevere in graduating from college, proving them all wrong. She also fulfilled her dream of giving her parents a better life. Because of her perseverance, she was able to obtain a CHED scholarship and an academic scholarship for being a Dean’s Lister. Indeed, God is really good.

Her father would always remind her to study very well and promised her that she would continue her studies while he still has the strength to work. For her father, she was the only hope of the family who can give them a better life. And she should not be ashamed that her father was a “kargador.”

“Bilin ni Papa lagi sa akin: ‘Anak, mag-aral kang mabuti dahil hangga’t may lakas pa akong magtrabaho, makakapag-aral ka. Wag mo akong ikahiya dahil isa lamang akong KARGADOR. Ikaw nalang ang magiging pag-asa namin ng Mama mo’.”

It was hard for Marilyn seeing his father carrying forty-kilo sacks of cement every time she went to school. Sometimes, he could not recognize his father because his body was covered with cement powder under the heat of the sun. She is so proud of his father, despite walking with a limp after breaking his leg when he was hit by a bus. He still continued to work for his family.
“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.”

Although Manilyn would not receive an award for her coming graduation, she wants to share her story as an inspiration to all the youth who also experience poverty. That all it takes is a lot of courage and perseverance, and most of all, trust in God in facing all the challenges and trials. Now, with her head held high, she proudly says my father is a “kargador.”

“Kahit hindi man ako Cum laude, at hindi rin ako honor student at wala man akong matatanggap na kahit anong award at kahit audience nanaman ang lola nyo sa nalalapit na parangal, masaya ako na ilahad ang aking kwento hindi para may maipagmayabang dahil malapit na ako sa katotohanan ng tagumpay, kundi para maibahagi ang kwento kong ito para magsilbing inspirasyon sa mga kabataang katulad ko na salat sa buhay, na anak ng isang kargador, na kahit anong hirap ay kayang lampasan lahat ng pagsubok, mapagpursige at mapagsumikap na anak at isang istudyanteng kailanman hindi nauubusan at nawawalan ng tiwala sa Puong Maykapal.
Dahil kung ikaw ay may hangarin maaabot at maaabot mo ang iyong mga pinapangarap. Dahil ako? HINDI AKO NAHIHIYANG IPAALAM NA ANG TRABAHO NG AKING AMA AY ISANG “KARGADOR.”