Feature: Affirmed individually, but likewise firming up collectively By: Gervacio Dauz, Jr. Everyone’s too busy, but at least we were able to strike a common time and meet we did during rush hour one early morn at a cozy parlor in Langihan’s Public Market in Butuan City. I was supposed to interview Ms. Josa Candol first inside the parlor. But because she’s busy at that time tending to her client’s request for hair trimming and coloring, I therefore settled for Mr. Ronnie Erwin P. Gonzaga. Both were sought after by this writer with the hope of milking testimonies from them as representative members of a group organized by the office under the TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP). Mr. Gonzaga, 39 years of age, married and a resident of Baan Riverside in Butuan City said, “I am an itinerant, on-call masseur who got several regular clients to boast.” His passion for massage therapy was awakened while he was still a small boy; his beloved grandpa would tenderly caress and press his body with soothing touch. Afterwards, he would do the same with his grandpa. This went on almost every night before they go to sleep. The experience instilled in him the belief that massage is indeed therapeutic. Years later, while working as a monitoring staff at the Industrial Timber Corporation in Lumbocan of this city, he was privileged to undergo a free skills training dubbed as foot reflex therapy courtesy of the outreach program of the Department of Education. The said training, which was done only every Sunday, but spanned to about six months, armed him with a more methodical and logical approach of handling with care his clients’ respective therapeutic needs. But having finished at least one year of schooling at the Saint Joseph Institute of Technology here under the course Associate in Marine Transportation, and likewise holding credentials such as SOLAS, Seaman’s Book, and Firefighting training, he resigned from his job and tried his luck at the asphalt jungle of Manila in year 2010. His purpose was indeed to go abroad. While waiting, he was again privileged to undergo further skills training in Body Massage at the Sto. Niño Parish Building in Caloocan City under the tutelage of trainers from the Asian Touch International. It took him at least 20 days of rigid training until he was confident enough to apply Sweddish massage and other related techniques. But as fate would not allow him to go abroad and with resources running low, he scoured places in Luneta Park, settled near shipping agencies, and started marketing his expertise through demonstration. Soon, droves of tired and bored seamen sought his services as if he hit jackpot with no less than a thousand bucks per day of income. Only his wife’s call prevailed upon him to stop plying his trade and come home to rebuild his client base. Up to this day, he’s still into massage therapy and striking an average net profit of at least PhP400.00 with enough free time for other personal concerns. He need not worry about his wife’s upkeep as she’s getting a stable income too as a Private Secretary to a lady dentist in this city. Armed with Massage Therapy NC II, he can confidently respond to those who would pooh-pooh at him or try to challenge his depth of knowledge in massage. When asked if he regretted not when he resigned from his stable, regular job before, he responded assertively that “I earn more with my massage skills; I leisurely own my time; and I can easily go places.” Ms. Josa Candol, on the other hand, is likewise married, with five children to feed and support. At 43 years of age, she insisted that life has had always been hard, though it blesses them that perseveres. “I sought education as a working student since Grade 1, but managed to finish only up to 1st year high school.” Finding no better recourse due to poverty, “I started hanging around at a small-time parlor back in our hometown in Magsaysay, Lanao del Norte. Good that, at that time, the all-around gay beautician was hospitable and ‘motherly’ enough to mentor me on how to trim hair, and do pedicure and manicure until such time that I have become proficient.” Later, “my elder sister brought me here in this city, where I eventually got married too and settled down for good. Through all these years, I and my family could have been helpless had I not acquired through experience the beauty care expertise. At least, with my income from the parlor and my husband’s regular wage as a jack-of-all-trades employee at a local construction company here, we have managed to stay afloat. My eldest daughter, by the way, who is taking up Business Administration and majoring in Financial Management, would be graduating this school year from the Father Saturnino Urios University here.” In terms of credential, she shared that she had acquired a Certificate of Competency for Beauty Care. This TESDA document, according her, is very important as it officially recognized “my expertise as a technically competent skilled worker.” While the duo are fairly confident of their respective line of technical skills, still they both agree that collaborating with other equally skillful and certified individuals would be far better. The scheme would be synergistic and could boost more income in quantum leap. That’s why, they – Mr. Gonzaga and Ms. Candol – and the rest of those like-minded fellows deemed it beneficial to join ranks and start their own enterprise. Thus, for them, TSTP was the answer . . . and they hope that their initial step would go a long way in alleviating them from the hapless grind of being mere workers in order to become owners of their collective enterprise. For such reason, TSTP was born – first in their hearts and minds – and then in their midst – as a real entity. But that was just the start; the growth is still too far to behold, and it would not happen unless they invest collectively through their toils, tears, and sweat in a sustainable manner. (RER/GDJ, TESDA-Caraga)
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 03:44:26 +0000
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