by Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN CITY, October 8 (PIA)- - The hard life of being a vendor, working student, farmer, waiter, tricycle driver, and mechanic have greatly contributed to the success of this year’s regional winner of the search for the “2011 Model Overseas Filipino Worker Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) land-based held in Lantaka Hotel, Zamboanga City on October 4.
City Councilor Arnold Robes Gavenia, 47, who received a plaque of recognition, certificate and total cash of P25,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) recounted his very difficult life during his childhood that forced him to work abroad.
His deep concern and commitment to help his family motivated him to work so hard at an early age.
Arnold, second of the five children of a farmer and a plain housewife lived a simple life. Their family’s earnings has never been enough to provide for his educational needs so he started to work at the age of 11 when he was then a grade 5 pupil in Sta. Maria Elementary School, Bulacan.
Being a ‘pandesal’ boy, he had to wake up at 3:00 am to prepare and to sell hot pandesal around the neighborhood until 7am. He also sells ice candy and other stuffs during weekends and in the churches during Sundays to support his schooling.
“Dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay ako ay natutong magtinda ng pandesal para matustusan ko ang aking pag-aaral (Because of poverty, I learned to sell ‘pandesal’ to fund my schooling),” Arnold said.
“Walang takot na tinawid ko araw-araw ang ilog ng ‘Kikema’ na nakahubad lukdo ko ang karton na puno ng mga pandesal para maipagbili ko sa aking kapitbahay (Without fear, I crossed the ‘Kikema’ river everyday carrying a box filled with pandesal to sell it to my neighbors),” Arnold narrated.
Arnold had stopped schooling when he was in 2nd year high school due to financial constraint. He then decided to do farming and helped his grandfather in tilling the 1.6 hectares of rice land which the family owned.
After he graduated his secondary education in Mac Arthur Academy, he stayed in his uncle’s house in Novaliches and worked as a tricycle driver. He studied in the afternoon at the Pioneer Radio Electronic School taking up Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Technician.
He was hired at the Pioneer Texturizing Company in 1982-1985, as an air-conditioning technician and still drives at night for additional income.
Arnold applied at the Aries Promotion Agency in Makati City, as an overseas worker. He was first assigned in Damam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He served as waiter in a Safari company where he earns $450 a month and also earns in some other additional sidelines like gardening and occasionally serving some officers of the military forces in Saudi earning additional money which he put into savings.
He was proud to have been chosen as one of the workers who served King Fahad from among his co-workers from Bangladesh, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand.
“Hardships, pressure from work and homesickness never stopped me from struggling since I still have to help my 2 brothers and 2 sisters for their schooling,” Arnold said.
They are now gainfully employed and enjoying the fruits of hard work and determination to succeed in life. One of his sisters is now a radiologist and works in the US. His eldest brother is a pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist, his other sister is now happily married and living a comfortable life while his younger brother is working in Libya.
When he came back to the country in 1988, he decided to travel to Pagadian City and asked help from his uncle Mr. Jerry Gavenia, one of the stockholders of Southern Mindanao Colleges where he enrolled and worked taking up Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
The five fruitful years in college have never been easy for Arnold to cope up but despite the difficulties, he was a consistent honor student and received the 3rd highest honor in 1993 when he graduated.
In the same year, he flew to Taiwan and worked as a factory worker/ production staff in Hai Pa Wang company. He did part-time work in a bicycle company to earn additional income.
“With my savings in working abroad, I started to buy properties. I bought a lot in Napolan which I acquired through a loan,” Gavenia said.
Aside from that, he earned P15,000 a month as a dictionary and book distributor.
Valuing his education, he took the board examinations in 1997 and luckily passed. He is now a full-fledged civil engineer.
Arnold ventured into the motorcycle business. With an initial capital of P87,000, he established “GLAVY’S Enterprises”. After 3 years, the business had expanded and he decided to put up 2 more branches.
His latest business interest is “Pinoy Grill”, a four-storey restaurant in Lumbia District which he recently opened.
In 2007, Arnold decided to join politics where he has served for two terms.
He attributes all his success and achievements first to God, and second to his wife Juvy P. Lacar, with their 4 children who are very supportive and gives him enough encouragement to pursue his goals and ambitions in life.
As Model Overseas Filipino Worker Family of the Year regional awardee, he encouraged his fellow OFWs to work hard and with strong determination, coupled with prayer and believe that success can never be too far away.
He further inspires everyone with his favorite quote, “ No one is rich enough to buy back yesterday, but if you have the character to do better things today, you will be the richest one tomorrow”.
Another Pagadianon, Mr. Leandro Villacanas and family won the MOFYA sea-based category.
Gavenia and Villacanas are the officials nominee for the land-based and sea-based category for the MOFYA national level, respectively which is slated on December 7, 2011.
