About The Author
JOSE GERVIC R. LABE JR.
Writer | Poet | Novelist | Story Teller | Digital Artist
I was born on the cold quiet evening on May 5, 1993 at Naghalin, Novalls, Tanjay, Philippines. At age 27, I am now more than what you will find on my birth record. I consider myself a dreamer, a writer, a designer, an artist, a programmer – but not to the maximum extent. I dabble on a wee bit of all those aforementioned. I can write, draw and sketch, do digital design, understand and do HTML, create landscapes, and others that I find interesting to do.
Delving into my life’s background, ours is a family of seven with my parents, me and my brothers and sisters. I am second among the five siblings. I always wanted to stay with my family but I separated since I went to other city for college. Living alone is no joke. I have to take care of everything before and after school. School years were the toughest. I struggled every day and often skipped meals just to save money for school expenses, books and projects. I can't even remember myself sitting at our University cafeteria for some snacks nor running and playing around at our University gym with a brand new pair of shoes. I often felt envious of my peers and classmates for having all those things which I do not have. But I realized that I'm not in school just for all of that. I have to think and consider deeply how my mother and elder sister sacrificed and chose to leave my younger siblings just to find a "care-giving work" to shoulder most of my schooling finances. Although I have a full scholarship (that's how the university says it, but it's not really full since it only covers up to 21 units of my load and I have 30) for graduating as class Valedictorian in High School, We're not privileged materially and this was what fueled me to study harder.
I studied Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at Foundation University. And guess what, this course is not a joke but rather a curse that prohibited me to sleep most, no, all of the time. But I don't like to tackle more about that, it's how it is and I had to deal with it. Despite all these, I managed to excel and earned recognition during my first and second years. However, that was only until everything seemed to be a meltdown. My dreams seemed to collapse and I can't help but cry in seclusion after my elder sister announced that she was pregnant. Not only that, I lost my scholarship because I have one primary subject that I failed to reach the cut-off grade. It was a tragic moment for me and I dramatically lost the urge to pursue it. So I stopped schooling and spent my arid and unfruitful months at home.
Months had passed and boredom hit me. Although I have books, paper and pen as my only companion, I realized that I needed to find and do something meaningful. I headed back to the other city and tried to find a decent job. I got hired as a Call Center Representative in one of the prestigious BPOs in our place. Although I had some frightful moments especially when dealing with angry customers, the experience was terrific. I am paid well with the job and I felt that I had achieved one great thing in my life – helping my parents. We could pay our debts, buy things that we can’t afford before, and feel the abundance of life. Things went way better-off.
Good things and blessings doesn’t end there. I received a call from my grandmother (my late grandfather’s sister whom I dearly call Auntie, since she isn’t married until now) inviting me to come to her place in Manila (the Philippines’ capital). She was actually dismayed at the notion that I quit my studies and decided to send me back to school with her own expense. Also, she is living alone and needed a hand on running errands. She offered to shoulder the plane fare, traveling expenses and all. I acquiesced at first then accepted her invitation. I prepared my school transfer certificate and other credentials then tendered resignation on my Call Center job.
Fast forward to my stay in Manila, there was a feeling of awkwardness and home sickness because everything was my first time – first time to ride in a plane alone, first time to stay far away from home, first time to stay in a city with all the hustle and bustle, and first time to meet my grandma. Not to mention the language that I had to speak. While waiting for the university to accept me, I spent my spare time scribbling, writing and composing poetry pieces. My stay there was fine but the university was not what I expected. It’s terrible! We only had few sessions and mostly no classes on some of my subjects. I felt that I am not learning at all. Because of this, my grandma decided to have me transferred back to my original university with her continued support. I was relieved after hearing this. I can finally go home.
Years fleeted in haste and I finally got a degree. Seeing myself march towards the stage was way unexplainable. It was my happiest day that I can finally grasp my most coveted diploma. Although I graduated not on the first program I took, I still felt accomplished. I got a degree on Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Management Accounting. This will be my gateway to various doors of opportunities beyond.
Presently, I am working on one of the known companies in our place. I won’t say that I am not satisfied with my current work but I continuously seek for many better opportunities – a greener pasture. I believe that there are always great and better things life offers. I’ll just let time unfurls what future holds for me, otherwise I’ll find a way.
I am always guided with the quote by Milton Berle, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”