1. Full name:

                   REDEEN ISABEL ZAMORA BIENE

2. Where are you from? 

                   PUROK LAWAYAN, BARANGAY BANAGO, BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL      

3. Where did you finish high school and college? 

                  La Salle University, Bacolod City (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration)

                  Domingo Lacson National High School (Sta. Clara Subd., Banago, Bacolod City)

4. What jobs did you do to support yourself and what was the salary range for each? 

                   Grade 9 - Personal Tutor (Php 1000 / month)

                   Grade 10-  Ukay-ukay Saleslady and cashier (Php 200 / day)

                   Grade 11 - Ukay-ukay Saleslady and cashier + Service Crew at Hyksos Seafood Restaurant (Php 150 / 5hrs)

                   Grade 12 - Service Crew at Hyksos Seafood Restaurant (Php 150 / 5hrs)

                   1st Year College - Cashier at a Convenience Store (Php 250 / 8hrs) + Cleaner at a Condominium (Php 200/room)

                   2nd year College - Cashier at a Convenience Store + Cleaner at a Condominium + English Online Instructor (Php 50 / hr)

                   3rd Year College - Brgy. Encoder + Brgy. Asst. Secretary (Php 8000 / month)

                    4th Year- Brgy. Asst. Secretary (Php 8ooo / month)

 

5. How did you manage to have such many jobs on top of your school requirements? Did you have a favorite and why? 

                    Even myself, I couldn’t believe that I was able to do all of it - maybe it’s just that I had to do it, coz I don’t have a choice. When I was young, I do not consider myself an industrious                      person, much more a hardworking one. But I have no other choice but to work, I had to. To be honest, I don’t like working at all, it was tiring. Yet, if asked what I want my job to                          be - I want a job that I could transfer from one place to another…like I would just check the place and go on to another one haha I love travelling. But since I haven’t found a job                          yet, I would just tell myself that If I can’t have what I love, I’m going to love what I have.

6. Most remarkable lesson you learned throughout the process? 

                    I always believe that every day may natututunan po tayo and all of it are important. Well, I’m just 23 years old but it felt like I was 47 or maybe older than that, maybe because                        I’ve been through a lot. And with all of those experience, the most remarkable lesson would be PATIENCE. Sa iba po kase parang andali-dali lang nung college, sinasabi nila na                      ang bilis ng panahon, parang kailan lang tapos gagraduate na sila… But for me, it seems I need to feel every minute when I was studying. For me ang tagal tagal, that any                                moment I would just collapse, but God did not fail me. He strengthens me and gave me a lot of PATIENCE that I need.

7. Advice or practical tips you can give to our out-of-school youth communities who want to go to school but are having difficulty for whatever reason. 

1. Sure, it’s good when receiving your salary but believe me there’s a different satisfaction when finishing your education.

2. We can’t always choose what we love, but we can choose to be happy. If we can’t have what we love, let’s try to love what we have.

3. Work Hard, Pray Harder - always ask for the Lord’s guidance

8. Your biggest inspiration/s

                    MAMA

9. Your near future dreams and goals in life and how do you envision getting there?

                    I really want to be rich hahahaha living in this life, my family - our family mahirap po talaga, so I wanted to be rich. Also para I can also help people. Ang hirap po kaseng                                    tumulong pag ikaw, walang-wala din po. We can’t give what we don’t have.  

Thank you for being such an inspiration, Redeen! Mabuhay ang kabataang masisipag at pursigidong makapagtapos. For inspiring youth stories you might have, send them to [email protected] to be featured.