I stumbled upon a poignant reminder today: my old name tag from Jollibee, a relic of my days as part-time crew at the now-closed branch near Prime Hotel back in 2003. The rate then at Jollibee was 21 pesos an hour. After wrapping up my shifts around 11 PM to 12 AM, the challenge of getting home loomed large. If I took a taxi, it would cost around 100-120 pesos, more than I earned in a 4-hour shift at Jollibee. So, I often found myself in the lounge of the Victory Bus Station, where seats were available for waiting passengers. I was cautious, tying my Nokia cellphone and any spare change to my waist before napping on the seats. It was summer, so the nights weren’t too cold.

After a few hours of rest, I’d catch a jeepney home around 4 AM, arriving by 6 AM. After a quick shower, I’d start my library job from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM, grab a hurried lunch, and attend classes at SLU starting at 1:00 PM. Evenings would see me back at Jollibee for my 7 PM shift.

The only physical evidence remaining from those days is my worn name tag.

At 19, driven by the need to save for tuition and prepare for my On-the-Job Training, I threw myself into the grind. However, the toll of sleepless nights and physical exhaustion led to my first burnout within a month. (So my tenure at Jollibee lasted less than a month )

If this were today, there would likely be many selfies from my time at Jollibee, but back then, cellphones were limited to devices like the Nokia 3210.

PS: If you notice in the photo, there’s also a VIP invitation from then US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas to a Round Table discussion (2011). Finding it today brings back another memory, another story for another time. My life isn’t just about the challenges of those days; it’s also filled with moments like these, reminders of the opportunities and experiences that have shaped me.

To anyone out there who might be a service crew today, a working student, or facing financial hardship to the point of being homeless—hang on tight and don’t give up. Many of us have come from where you are now. While not all of us have made it big, the certainty that our children will not experience such challenges is success enough.

#JollibeeMemories#PartTimeJob#WorkLifeBalance#Nokia3210#StudentLife#MemoryLane#FirstJob#HardWorkPaysOff