Ronilo hails from San Fernando, Pilar, Capiz and is the fourth among the seven siblings in their family.When he was just two years old, Ronilo was adopted by the sister of his grandfather. Her Lola Anita have no family of her own, so Ronilo was treated like her own son. It was his Lola Anita who sent Ronilo to school, from her meager income gained from hog raising and kakanin business.

But life was not easy for them. There were times when he would go with his Lola Anita to sell kakanin just to sustain their daily needs and put food on the table. He would often go to school with minimal amount of allowance.

Their strength was tested when a tragedy happened. His Lola Anita got hit by a motorcycle that fractured her feet. So Ronilo had to become the family’s breadwinner.

Despite the challenges he encountered, Ronilo always carry the advice of her Lola Anita. “Magbakas ka guid magtuon kay amo lang na ang manggad nga mahatag ko sa imo. (Study hard because education is the only thing that you can inherit from me).” This motivated Ronilo to strive harder. Even with scarce resources, he finished a vocational course on Bread and Pastry Production in Leon Ganzon Polytechnic College in Balasan, Iloilo.

When he learned about the DSWD-Sustainable Livelihood Program, Ronilo took the opportunity. He became one of the beneficiaries for the Skills Training on Housekeeping NC II conducted by Khryz Vocational and Technical School in Bingawan, Iloilo in 2017. He gained the Certificate II on Housekeeping awarded by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) after completing 55-day sessions and assessment. Being an NC II holder boosted his self-confidence. Later on, he tried his luck in applying for a job to some of the establishments in Iloilo City.

Bringing with him the knowledge he learned and skills he developed, he sent an online application in one of the fast-food chains in Iloilo City. Fortunately, the company then informed him to work on his requirements. He was hired by Teds Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy as a service Crew in April 2017 with a daily wage of Php 300.00.

As time passed by, he gained additional knowledge and the trust of his employer. He was then promoted as the chief cook in March 2018 with complete benefits like SSS, Pagibig and Philhealth. He also have a food allowance from the company. Now, he is earning an average net income of PhP12,000.00 with his current post.

As payback for all the hard work of his Lola Anita, Ronilo supports the medical needs and food allowance of her grandmother. He was also able to renovate their comfort room and bought a television.

At present, Ronilo still works at Teds Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy at Gaisano Capital Lapaz Branch and lucky to have retained his job amid the pandemic.#

“Mula sa PagSibol hanggang sa PagSulong!”