My Father, Our Hero
He came from a big family, and a poor one at that. His father was only a fisherman and his mother was a housewife. However, he was not content at ending up like his father. So he did his best to go beyond high school - fishing at night and going to a technical school at day. A pair of slippers was a luxury so he had to go to school barefoot and only wear his only pair at school. He even took the work as a laborer at the port of Tagbilaran City to pay for tuition.
But all these wasn’t enough so he moved to Iligan City to work at a factory. He met my mother, they got married, while he and my mother continued their way to finish college. Due to his hardwork, he was also taken in as a regular employee and moved up in rank at that factory.
Their family started to grow (with the arrival of 3 children, me, on top of the list) and decided that it’s not good to just rent off a room. He was given an opportunity to work in Saudi Arabia. He chose to leave his family and go to a foreign land to give us better choices. And true indeed, we were given far better choices than he and his siblings had.
My father was the only one among his family who was able to go to college. I could also say that we led an easier life compared to our cousins. Thanks to my father’s hardwork and his love for his family… if it not for him, and of course, with the help of my mother, I wouldn’t be here…
Today is my father’s 60th birthday. For 27 years of being my father, I’d say that I could never ask for a better father. For me, he’s the best father in the whole world. ^-^ No matter how many times I fall, he’s always beside me, urging me to go on…
Happy Birthday!
My father stopped working in Saudi Arabia years ago. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. More than 10 years of being away from my mother is more than enough. Now, it’s my time to bring the torch. ^-^
* The picture above was taken 24 years ago - my father, my mother, and me. ^-^
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October 24th, 2007 at 10:59 am
happy birthday to a true hero. what an inspiring story. it echoes the struggles of every globe-trotting filipino worker.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Happy Birthday To Your Papa Girl…
October 24th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
happy birthday to your papa pael! … very heart warming story!
October 24th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
hapi birthday to ur pa.
i wouldn’t want to be separated from my partner that long…
October 25th, 2007 at 12:30 am
@fortuitous, gwapasila, charm, rose
thank you, ladies. ^-^
October 25th, 2007 at 1:35 am
happy bday to your beloved daddy
October 25th, 2007 at 6:16 am
@idel
ありがとう。＾－＾
October 26th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Happy Birthday Mr. Shiera
I’m sure he’d be happy knowing you honored him today.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
@rolando
Thanks! Actually… no one in my family reads this blog. ^0^
I still haven’t told them about this…
October 28th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
now that’s a father. your papa’s story is somewhat like mine. i mean, my dadiyo is from antique. not contended with life in the province, braved manila to seek fortune. not contented with just an HS educ, sought out a college degree at the same time as a soldier in the military (haha, air force XD~). -long story- hehe. now, he’s a pensioned man. ahaha. Happy BDay to your Beloved Papa. oh yeah, what a coincidence, my old man’s BDay is the 23rd of October. haha. cool. =P Thanks.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
@rollchan
Happy Birthday to your beloved Daddy, too. ^-^
Airforce? Cool!
November 1st, 2007 at 8:46 am
awwww… i love dads! it seems like our fathers are our heroes!
belated happy birthday to your papa.
many more to come!
May 19th, 2008 at 5:37 am
[…] In honor of the greatest father in the whole world, here’s his life story: My Father, Our Hero […]
June 8th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Your tribute to your father is very admirable…
Unfortunately i doubt if i will have a writing such as that from my children….as i owe them a lot and havent been anywhere close to how your father was to you his children…
GOD Bless you as you journey on thru life without him…
June 25th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
[…] 31, 2008: My father, Papa Pael, was entombed in Ma. Cristina Gardens. It was painful beyond words and I knew that part of us died, […]