Driven by a dream: Court Aide works as trike driver by night

Working as Court Aide for years has somehow influenced Jojie Cabrillos, 35, to dream that one of his seven children will become a Court Judge someday.

Driven by such dream, Jojie of Lagtang, Talisay City, doesn't mind working another six hours as a tricycle driver by night, from his regular office hours as a court aid of the Municipal Trial Court in Talisay City, under the plantilla of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

His tasks at court include cleaning the chamber of Judge Mario Manayon and the whole MTC office early in the morning.

Afterwhich Cabrillos would serve as a runner for official errands of Judge Manayon and Clerk of Court Susan Bono.

With a very meager salary, Cabrillos oftentimes drives tricycle units in Tabunok since he cannot afford to buy one for his own.

However, fate was favorable to Cabrillos as Judge Manayon, whom he considered as his "Idol", assisted him in finally owning a tricycle unit. That was in 2003.

Since then, an hour after punching out of his daily duties at the court, Jojie transforms into a tricycle driver by night.

To add another P100 to his pockets, Jojie rents out his unit to an extra driver during the day. He now earns an average of P200 daily and as big as P400 during peak nights like Fridays and Saturdays with his tricycle driving.

For working an additional six hours each night, Jojie said its proceeds will already relieve him the school costs of his two high school children studying at a private school.

Two of his children are also in elementary but have lesser expenses as they are enrolled in a public school.

The bulk of the family's expense, Jojie said, is on daily food consumption.

At least a kilo of rice is cooked for every meal and two kilos of fish or a kilo of meat a day.

But thanks to his equally industrious wife, Josie Teves-Cabrillos, they still manage to slowly put up a little savings monthly for the future of their kids.

Jojie is even slowly putting up an investment for another tricycle unit and sewing materials for his wife.

Jojie is also sewing school uniforms, office and sports uniforms in between her motherhood tasks.

Jojie said he will continue to drive for as long as his health limits him to.

"Who knows, this mere secretarial graduate will a have a child who will be Judge someday, so I'll never stop dreaming and driving," Jojie concluded.