31/08/2021
BE EPAL ENOUGH
isang medyo mahabang nobela
BASAHIN BAGO MANGHUSGA
by ABOGAJOE
I have been .
I am beaming with happiness to share with you all that I will be attending the University of Westminster to study Master of Science in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics this September. While I have received the good news more than two months ago, June 24 to be exact, my spirits are still flying knowing that out of 64,000 applicants all over the world, I am one of those who get to study and live in Central London for a year. Tuition fee, housing and living expenses, and airfare covered- all made possible by the UK Chevening Awards (FCDO), one of the most prestigious and sought after scholarship programs in the world.
Another breakthrough ika nga ng aking kaibigan na si Tanya Merrera. I am truly blessed! Pero paano ko nga ba naabot ang mga wins and breakthroughs ko sa buhay kahit sandali pa lamang ako sa aking propesyon? This is what a good friend of mine asked me after I shared with her this good news. And to be honest I wanted to tell her “wala pa naman ako masyadong naabot sa aking buhay” but I was reminded that we have to acknowledge our blessings be it big or small. Kaya ang sinagot ko sa kanya, epal kasi ako sabay tawa. Why did I tell her this? Alam niyo noong ako ay tumakbo bilang Presidente ng student government ng San Beda University College of Law someone told me “tumakbo ka lang naman kasi epal ka.
If you’ll ask me then how I felt, mesheket po. LOL But then we become more mature as we grow older and whenever I am reminded of that, I would like to be brought back in time and answer the person back with “totoo naman yan, aren’t we all?” Dahil aminin man natin o hindi lahat tayo every now and then mapapel o pumapapel for different reasons and in different ways. Kaya para sa akin ung mga success ko sa buhay kasakasama ko ang kaepalan ko. But do not get me wrong, hindi ako basta bastang epal. Kaya nga BE EPAL ENOUGH kasi guided ang kaepalan ko at hindi lang epal dahil gusto ko umepal.
BE EPAL, with purpose. Dapat bago ka umepal sa isang bagay alam mo na may maitutulong ka at magagawa ka. Alam mong mayroon kang galing at talento na magagamit mo. The first step is to identify and know your skills and talents. Sa mga kapwa ko abogado lalo na sa mga nagsisimula pa lamang sa propesyon, marami tayong pwedeng fields na pasukan. Hanapin mo ung field that will excite you at kung saan mo makikita ang iyong purpose bilang isang abogado.
Dati rati ay gusto ko maging isang Judge at eventually ay Justice subalit ng mapasok ako sa National Privacy Commission naiba ang aking landas. It felt like fate brought me there. Little by little I discovered that I like it and it excites me every single day. Pumapel ako sa mga bagay na alam kong may ibubuga ako and it is also through my kaepalan that I discovered that knowledge of the law is not enough and this is the reason why I am taking an MSc in cybersecurity and digital forensics. Kaya sa mga nagsisimula palang sa propesyon or sa ano mang propesyon trial and error din ang mga bagay bagay pero kapag nahanap mo na iyong gusto mo, pausbungin mo ang iyong sarili. And also please do not limit yourself ikaw man ay abogado, g**o, doktor, NGO worker may mga talento ka na pedeng tumulong sa buhay mo. Alamin mo ang mga ito, pagbutihin mo at gamitin mo. Hindi iyan ibinigay sayo para lang sa wala.
BE EPAL, but humble. You have to remember that in this life, hindi lang ikaw ang may talento at kakayahan. Maraming tao ang magaling. Maraming tao ang mas magaling. I am not saying don’t be assertive. You have to be assertive sa hirap at gulo ng mundo ngayon. But practice humility in your everyday life be it in your family, friends, or work. It will lead you to wonders.
BE EPAL, but strong. Para sa isang taong tulad ko na isang abogado at miyembro ng LGBTQ Nation , it wasn’t always easy. There are still people who will judge you just because you are you without looking into what you can do. But you just have to face it headstrong and remain true to yourself because eventually things will flow naturally. Also, I wasn’t born into a family of wealth, power, and influence. Nag-Amerika nga ang nanay ko para mapagtapos kaming magkakapatid sa pag-aaral. Everything that I enjoy now I worked hard for it. Kaya ako umeepal sa mga bagay bagay na alam kong kaya ko cause I had to build myself. Lalo na dito sa Pilipinas na more often than not, talo ng makapangyarihan ang magaling. Kapag ikaw ay myembro ng LGBTQ+ tapos hindi ka pa mayaman, eh talagang you have to work hard, be epal enough and be strong at the same time.
BE EPAL, TODAY. Why? Because tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. Lagi mo nalang sasabihin sa sarili mo na balang araw magagawa ko rin iyan? O balang araw pag-aaralan ko iyan? What if that someday never comes? I have come to realize that you will never find out if you don’t try. If I didn’t apply for Chevening last year even if I only had less than two weeks to do my essays before the deadline, I will not be catapulted into this would be amazing . Be epal today sa matagal mo ng gustong gawin o abutin. You might fail and that is a FACT. Pero totoo ung mas mabuti na magfail kesa dalhin mo araw araw ung palaisipan na papano pag ginawa ko. Go for it and surprise yourself!
BE EPAL, with a grateful heart. Kung si Pia ay merong confidently beautiful with a heart ako naman ay may be epal with a grateful heart. Kung asan ka man ngayon ito ay dahil may mga tao o isang tao na nagtiwala at naniniwala sayo at binigyan ka ng pagkakataon ipakita ang galing mo at pinagbigyan ang kaepalan mo. I will not be where I am now, though hindi pa naman malayo ang aking narating, pero I will always look back with gratefulness sa mga taong pinagbigyan ang kaepalan ko at nagtiwala sa kakayahan ko gaya na lamang ni Congresswoman Stella Quimbo at Commissioner Raymund Liboro. Sa totoo lang madaming tao ang magagaling hindi lang nabibigyan ng oportunidad. Kaya kung matayog ka man ngayon, hindi lang Iyan dahil sa galing o kaepalan mo, dahil iyan may nagtiwala sa iyo. Pasalamatan mo sila.
So yes I am epal enough but I am also grateful kaya sa pagkakataon na ito I want to say thank you to the Lord Almighty. Thank you for granting my heart’s desires and for leading me to where I should be.
Sa aking mga magulang na si Jose at Corazon, maraming salamat sa pagmamahal na walang kundisyon at sa pagtanggap sa kung ano man ako. Kayo ay mabuting magulang kaya ako ay mabuting tao.
Sa aking mga kapatid na sina Jogan Rae Belarmino-Tamayo at Hasten Earl at s pamilya nila Lorraine Cuesta Paolo Inigo Tamayo, thank you for the love and prayers and for the joy brought about by your wonderful kiddos.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Chevening Awards (FCDO), and British Embassy Manila for this life changing opportunity.
Thank you to then Commissioner and now Congresswoman Teacher Stella Quimbo for taking a chance on me to serve as your Chief of Staff back in 2018 kahit hindi mo ako kilala ay nagtiwala ka sa akin. Higit sa lahat salamat for putting in a good word to Commissioner Liboro. I know that during my interview with Comm. for the HEA position he called you up. Pagbalik niya he told me “when can you start?” At yun na ang simula ng isang malaking pagbabago sa buhay ko. Thank you so much Commissioner Liboro for trusting me to be your HEA even if you didn’t know me personally. More importantly, for all the opportunities you gave me during my time at the Commission. Lahat iyon natulungan ako in so many ways. Maraming salamat Comm! And to my NPC family particularly Rashy Rellosa-Saguiguit, Madel Presquito , Dee Rico, Donna Atienza Tavora and Vandelft Idanan at sa lahat ng mga nakatrabaho ko sa komisyon.
To Atty. Bern Sioson, thank you for pushing me to apply to the program. I will forever be grateful for the trust and for the vote of confidence. We made it! Maraming salamat! To one of my idols, Atty. Anjo David, salamat sa suporta at tulong. While we don't share the same color (you know this) we are bonded by our stories and desires to be better for our families.
To all my friends, while I am sad that I couldn’t say goodbye personally, I am happy as I know you share my success as I am in all your wins and breakthroughs in life. Laban!
Last and definitely not the least, I want to thank myself for being epal. LOL We owe it to ourselves to acknowledge how we survive each day. How we continue to strive to better ourselves for our families and loved ones. You only have yourself, maging mabuti ka dito.
To everyone, whatever your status in life is, whatever your orientation is, whatever challenge you are facing right now, BE EPAL ENOUGH and DO NOT DOWNPLAY YOUR STRENGTHS because you will never know where it will take you. Malay mo ikaw na ang susunod na magbibigkas ng mga katagang, “I can’t keep calm, I have been chosen for Chevening.”
Sa mga nangangarap tuparin mo na iyang pangarap na yan. Applications for the 2022-2023 cohort is now open. Visit https://www.chevening.org/scholarship/philippines/
PS. At dahil gusto kong pasalamatan sina Rizal, Bonifacio, Lapu-Lapu, Mabini, Heneral Luna at iba pa sapagkat pumapel sila noon.
PPS. Thank you to Francis Libiran for this beautiful Barong and to Atty. Guiller Asido for accommodating my request to be able to shoot this photo at the beautiful Fort Santiago. Sarado kasi dahil MECQ. Sinunod naman po namin ang health protocols. Tignan mo nga naman ung kapelan ko may Barong na may venue pa. 😜 Thank you as well to Heyday Photography Ph for this beautiful photo!
