Pushing Boundaries: Real-Life Success Stories of Anak Expats

MANILA, Philippines - Having one’s priorities straightened out early in life certainly does have its advantages as these set of young Pinoy achievers prove. Through their passion and determination, they’ve been able to rise above life’s challenges, make their family proud, and serve as good examples to the youth.

With so many temptations and distractions nowadays, it’s easy to fall off track especially for those who are still young and highly impressionable. This is why it’s important to set goals for one’s self and to have a solid support system to help stay focused. That said, this year’s awardees of the Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children – young achievers who are on their way to helping shape a more positive future for the country; share their inspiring stories that guide and encourage them to succeed and work harder even while their parents are away, earning a living in other countries. The Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children are recipients of the Ibang Klaseng Talino, Ibang Klaseng Entrepreneur, Ibang Klaseng Community Leader and Ibang Klaseng Athlete awards.

While other young people opt to spend their time sending out tweets 24/7 or hanging out with their friends even on weekdays, the seven recipients of the Ibang Klaseng Talino award chose to excel in their studies. These college students who are from different parts of the country each has his/her own story to share in how they are able to show their gratitude for their parents’ sacrifices through their academic achievements. Lynn Migel Q. Estoque (Ateneo de Davao University), Maria Angela H. Mariano (UP Diliman), Kirsten Therese T. Lestor (UST), John Jefferson V. Besa (DLSU-Dasmariñas), Lord Leomer B. Pomperada (De La Salle College of St. Benilde), Reynold L. Orsua (St. Louis University), and Richmond G. Calunsag (Philippine Normal University) aren’t only academic achievers but they’ve also made it a point to help out in the community.

“Realizing how fortunate I was to be a daughter of an Expat Pinoy opened my eyes about the realities of life. There are hundreds of people my age who were not able to go to college like I do. I am fortunate that my parents were able to send us to good schools. I believe that this will be an edge for me in global competence. Good education equipped with hard work will surely help me succeed in life, for education, is a pot of gold that will never be taken away from me,” shares Kirsten who’s a freshman taking up BS Microbiology at the University of Sto. Tomas.

Meanwhile, Richmond, who is taking up BS Physics at the Philippine Normal University, is an aspiring teacher – a profession that he is sure his parents would become proud of. “Moulding the minds of the next generation for the better, equipping them with appropriate skills to cope with social demands and gearing them with proper life values will make the distinction of turning the course of our country into a brighter one,” he says about why he wants to become a part of the academe.

As for the Ibang Klaseng Entrepreneur awardee, Erilyn Marie Dagan, a parent’s absence never becomes her hindrance to grow up with the proper set of values and to dream big in the entrepreneurship field. She was so inspired by her father’s outstanding entrepreneurial skills that it actually led her to put up her very own business – while still in school. In fact, it was her own father’s humble beginnings and eventual rise to success in his business in Japan, that prompted her to have high aspirations in life. “Having a parent who is an Overseas Filipino Worker brought out the best in me as a person. I learned how to be independent and mature by facing the challenges and obstacles that came my way without having to always ask for my father’s help,” she explains. “It’s more satisfying to bond with friends after a hard day’s work than partying all day and flunking at the end. Doing well in academics is a short-term sacrifice with long-term results. Doing my work well also makes other members of the school community satisfied with their work and inspires them to do their job better,” she adds. Now that she’s already in her senior year at the University of Asia and the Pacific where she’s majoring in BS Entrepreneurial Management, she is looking forward to expand her business to offer her gift delivery service not just in Japan but as well as to other OFWs across the globe.

The Ibang Klaseng Community Leader Award is given to Florence Marie Bayer, a junior in Assumption College and an active member of her school’s various organizations and non-profit organizations such as Gawad Kalinga, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and Asia America Initiative. Counting herself as one of the “lucky ones” especially because of her tight-knit family, Florence started out with simple volunteer work which eventually turned to a passion for community service. She was only five years old when her father, Lito, left to work overseas, while she grew up with a strong support system, Florence has always been well aware of the harsh realities of life and this led her to work selflessly as a student leader. “As an Anak Expat, I want to serve as a leader in nation building.” She adds, “As member of the Assumption Community, my goal is to encourage my fellow students to work together, empowering each other’s capabilities, love for the country, and passion for service to initiate change and development of our country. Nation building is about accompanying, encouraging, and motivating one another to achieve this one goal that we have for the country, that one goal that we ought to achieve in the coming years.”

From brainiacs, a young entrepreneur, and a student leader, now comes the recipient of this year’s Ibang Klaseng Athlete award, Jose Renato Unso, a junior Psychology student and scholar at the De La Salle University. He is an award-winning athlete, having earned Thomasian Athlete of the year, Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award, Most Valuable Player of the University of Sto. Tomas in 2008; PGMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Athletics in 2008; and UAAP Seasons 69 and 70 Most Valuable Player for Track and Field Juniors. Both his parents are athletes. His dad, Renato is a former representative to the Southeast Asian Games and holds the country’s record for 400 hurdles since 1993 while his mom, April Maria Milagrosa is a former member of the Philippine Basketball team not only did his parents inspired him to excel in sports but they were also able to instill in him the discipline that comes with being an athlete. While his mom is currently teaching in Singapore, Jose, who is a self-confessed “mama’s boy” took this as more of a challenge to make his mom proud by excelling in school – and in life; even if she’s not always around to watch over him. “I never settle for just earning passing grades for my academic courses or merely being a scholar in sports. I make it a point to make my mom and dad proud of me, with every single chance that I get to prove this,” he asserts.

Young as they are, these students have already made a significant mark in society. As children of the country’s modern heroes, they are the pride and joy of many Filipino parents who are working abroad.

Now on its fourth year of recognizing exceptional young achievers from OFW families, the Bank of the Philippine Island’s Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children awards hopes to inspire the Filipino youth to be the best that they can be by putting importance on education while also showing gratitude for the sacrifices that their parents have made to give them a better life. It also aims to instill the value of saving for one’s future, just like the ten awardees who grew up knowing the value of hard work and how important it is to save. The awards ceremonies were held last November 8 at the Intercontinental Hotel Manila in Makati City, all the awardees were given a cash prize of P50,000 each that were deposited to their BPI savings accounts.