Rise from rags to richesBy Ana Felicia Dulay
IN THIS day and age, rags to riches stories are relegated to bedtime stories, as Aesop becomes an alien entity vis-a-vie Manga anime.
But rags to riches stories still abound.
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Myrna Padilla, the woman behind a successful business in information technology, was once a domestic helper (DH) in Hong Kong.
With three employees when she started in 2006, Mynd Tech Management Services is now a thriving small scale business with an office at the ground floor of Landco Bldg., Bajada, Davao City.
Padilla was born and raised in an undeveloped fishing village in Bohol. Poverty drove her to work abroad and her main goal was to provide better education to her two children. She worked as a domestic helper for 12 years, reaching three different countries.
In 1996 while in Hongkong, she had her coup d'grace.
"Ang trato sa domestic helper abroad is the worst. You are treated like a slave, not only because you do menial jobs but there is also ridicule since they think you know nothing. You are treated like a machine, you slept late and had to wake up early," she said in an interview.
"Karamihan naman ng mga DH tapos ng college. Dumating sa point na inisip ko paano to lift up your personal values. We are more capable in other things aside from answer calls or cleaning the bathroom," she said.
The hardest part she said was not being able to assert themselves for fear of their employers.
"Pinakasakit sa buot (What hurts most) is not to exercise our rights as human beings," she said.
Her first challenge to better herself came when she became a nanny to a nine-year-old boy. Her ward constantly tinkered with his laptop.
Padilla was amazed with the gadget and even asked why the mouse was called as such.
"I was already in my past 30s and here I am asking a boy bakit mouse ang tawag dito," she said, lifting a computer mouse. Padilla said that her amazement with the computers propelled her to enroll at a Basic Information Technology course. With her one day off a week, she took the course which lasted for six months.
"I had a dream, but it was also a realistic dream," she said. She also studied advanced cosmetology with the hopes of opening a beauty parlor when she came home to retire.
But another challenge awaited her.
During a meeting with other Filipinos working in Hong Kong, lawyer Jolly dela Torre, then the Labor Attaché of the Department of Labor and Employment, handpicked her to spearhead the Mindanao federation of workers.
"This was another challenge for me. If other people believed in me, I should also start believing in myself," she said.
Padilla then headed the Mindanao Hong Kong Workers Federation, starting with five members. The organization has now 12 affiliated organizations of Filipino workers in Hong Kong.
"Dumami lalo problema ko after I headed the group. They all came to me for help, advice," she said. It was then that she decided to explore technology some more to help her fellow Filipinos in distress.
Lauding her efforts to help other Filipinos for free, her employer gave her a laptop and internet access to support her endeavor.
Upon her return home, she decided to settle down in Davao City as most of her sisters are already based here.
She also decided to try the information technology business instead of a beauty parlor.
"I knew that there would be more internet users in the future," she said.
Mynd Tech Management Services offers all types of computer services both for home and office.
"It is possible in life to overcome fear. There is no finishing line in learning. When you open a business, you have to make sure it is going in the right direction," she said.
The lessons learned working as a domestic helper has been valuable to her.
"It is important to have ethics, character and honesty in your work. When you reach out to people, you do not just "copy paste". You must have passion and love for your work," she said.
This girl from a small fishing village has indeed come a long, long way.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on October 3, 2009.
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