A Defining Start: My Post-College Hustle and the 50-Peso Realization

After graduating from college in 2016, parehas ra siguro ko sa ubang bag-ong graduate — chill mode sa. 😅 After all those sleepless nights and puyo sa classroom, murag deserve man pud ang gamayng pahulay. For the first few months, okay ra ang life nga walay pressure — tulog, kaon, laag, repeat. Pero after a while, nagsugod na kog ma-bored. Kay halos tanan nakong classmates kay naanay trabaho, and I started thinking, hala, basin ako ra’y nabilin sa waiting area sa kinabuhi. 😅

So I told myself, “Dili pwede ani. I need to move.” Mao to, ni-decide ko nga mubalik sa BIR — mao tong government office nga didto ko nag OJT. Nag-volunteer lang sa ko samtang nangita ug permanent job. Para at least, productive gihapon ba, ug naa koy connection sa field nga gusto nako sudlan.

While nagpadayon ko sa pagpang-apply, nagsugod pud tong endless process — gathering requirements, preparing for interviews, ug syempre, practicing unsay isulti. Then, the day of my first ever real interview came. Grabe, mixed emotions! Excited pero kulba kaayo. This time, dili na practice-practice lang — this was it, the real deal.

Pag-abot nako sa office, kalma pa unta ko. Pero pag gawas sa interviewer, murag na-shock ko gamay. 😅 Dili man sa pag-judge, pero honestly, iyang appearance kay medyo intimidating. Gamay siya, medyo nakuyos ug lawas, ug seryoso kaayo ang aura. So imagine unsa akong gibati — heart racing, hands sweaty. Pero gi-remind nako akong self: “Hoy, focus! You’re here for your future, not for fashion show.”

So I smiled, sat down, and answered every question with all my might. Asa ko ni-graduate, unsay skills, unsay ma-offer nako. Then out of nowhere, giingnan ko nga naa silay opening for secretary. I thought, hala, mao na ni? Excited pero curious pud.

Pero mao ni ang twist — probationary daw, ug 50 pesos per day lang ang allowance. FIFTY. PESOS. 😭 Internally, ako na lang giingnan akong self, “Okay, kalma lang… experience ra ni.” Pero deep inside, nagkatawa ko ug gamay kay murag pamlete ra man ni padulong trabaho.

Lunch break came, ug while sakay ko ug rela pauli, I kept thinking about it. “Fifty pesos a day? Mao na to akong sweldo? Murag mas dako pa akong allowance sauna.” 😅 I couldn’t decide kung magkatawa ba ko or maguol.

Pag-abot nako sa balay, I told my Mama everything — from the interview, the offer, and yes, that famous 50 pesos. Pagkadungog niya, iyang reaction kay priceless: “Ha?! Singkwenta pesos ra imong sweldo sa usa ka adlaw?!” 😳 Murag naa gyud siyay nakita nga injustice sa kalibutan.

She looked at me seriously and said, “Aha man na inyo office? Adtoan ko na, ayaw nag balik didto.” Then she added, “Naa kay number nila? Tawagan nako!” — classic Mama moment, haha! Pero bitaw, naa siyay punto. She told me nga mas dako pa akong baon sauna kaysa sa sweldo nga gi-offer. And that hit hard.

That day, I realized something important — starting your career doesn’t mean accepting anything that comes your way. It’s about knowing your worth and finding the right start. My Mama’s words were a wake-up call, ug nakasabot ko nga dili lang basta makasulod ug trabaho, dapat makasulod sa saktong lugar.

So I doubled down on my job hunt — apply here, apply there, send resume, check emails, repeat. Every rejection hurt, pero I didn’t give up. Then one day, a call came from my Papa’s cousin — my aunt. She said, “Nag-hiring amo company. Try daw apply.” Hala, murag gihatagan kog paglaom balik.

Excited kaayo ko. Nag-prepare dayon ko ug requirements, gi-set akong mind nga this could be it. Pag-abot nako sa venue, I was shocked — daghan kaayong applicants! My first thought: “Aguy, grabe nga competition ni.” 😅

Pero pag-abot sa orientation, kalit lang giingon nga — accepted na diay tanan! 😭 I couldn’t help but laugh. The tension instantly melted away. Gi-explain sa amo nga ang trabaho kay magbutang ug stickers sa cellophane para sa export nga saging. Dili man siya glamoroso nga trabaho, pero it was a start. A humble, grateful start.

And that’s where my real journey began.

This is only a sample output of our work

That experience was something else. It was far from easy—applying stickers to cellophane all day, with our pay based on the weight of the work we completed. The more I did it, the more I realized just how tough this kind of work really is. It wasn’t mentally challenging, but physically, it was exhausting. It amazed me how demanding the job was, and it gave me a new level of respect for the people who do this kind of work every day.

It was a real eye-opener for me, showing that no matter how simple a task might seem, there’s always hard work behind it.

This was my first paying job, and it turned out to be a memorable experience. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot along the way. From the initial excitement of securing a job to the reality of physically demanding work, it was a journey full of surprises and lessons.

I met a diverse group of people—some with college degrees, others with only high school education, individuals from abroad, married folks, and singles. Despite the hard work, we shared many laughs and built a sense of camaraderie. Listening to my colleagues’ stories and experiences was a valuable part of the job, teaching me not only about work but also about life.

Mao to nga this job taught me a lot. It taught me perseverance, nga bisag kapoy, padayon lang. It taught me not to settle for less, nga okay ra magsugod sa ubos basta di ka magpabilin didto. And most of all, it taught me the joy of connection — nga bisan unsa pa imong background, kung magtinabangay mo, mahimo ra gyud ang lisod.

That job — simple as it was — became one of the best starting chapters sa akong career. Kapoy, yes. Pero rewarding kaayo. ❤️