Mara Salvacion first saw the sun in Tacloban, Leyte on October 7, 1986. Her parents moved to Metro Manila when she was only 5 years old. For a few years, they shared a home with her aunt’s growing family in Tayuman until her father decided to build their own house using his carpentry skills at the Smokey Mountain in Tondo.
Mara’s father Maciano worked hard daily to put food on their table while her mother Anita did what was common trade at the slum area – produce charcoal to augment the family’s income. But the smoke from charcoal-making proved to be hazardous to the children’s health and so the family decided to distribute the younger ones to other relatives, with the eldest Mara left behind.
“Kapag nag-uuling, mahirap makahinga, mausok. (When we are making charcoal, it’s hard to breathe, it is smoky),” Mara shared.
When the children were growing up, they dreaded Thursdays because it was the day of the week when they would no longer have money for food and they would end up asking from their neighbors or just endure their hunger pangs.
But through the hard work of her father, the family survived and Mara was able to go to elementary school at General Vicente Luna. When she reached Grade 4, the family were relocated to temporary housing at Road Ten, Bitas, just across her school.
“Nag-focus talaga ako sa pag-aaral. Lagi akong umuuwi sa bahay, sumusunod ako sa mga magulang ko. (I focused on my studies. I always went home and obeyed my parents),” Mara reflected on the past.
Being a good student, Mara was granted a scholarship by the Educational Research Development Assistance Foundation which allowed her to finish high school. Through ERDA’s recommendation, Mara also became a PGMA Scholar and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree major in Cooperative Business Management at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Her family was also blessed with a permanent home at GK Paradise Heights in 2004.
“Nung pumasok ako sa GK, mas lalo akong napalapit kay Lord, especially yung pamilya ko (When I came to GK, I grew closer to the Lord, especially my family),” Mara said.
After graduation, she served her community as part of the staff that starts livelihood programs there. She also serves as the Water Officer in their building’s homeowner’s association where she deals with all kinds of issues such as swindlers and syndicates – so brave for such a young petite girl willing to face such challenges.
In 2009, she was taken in by GKonomics International as the executive assistant of GKonomist Rose Cabrera. Now also an entrepreneur-in-training, Mara manages Bayanihan Rentals which rents out tables and chairs during special gatherings and events.
“Dati ang iniisip ko lang yung para sa mga kapatid ko, pag laki nila matutulungan ko ba sila? (Before I was only thinking of my siblings. When they grow up, will I be able to help them?),” she shared.
“Gusto ko rin mabigyan yung family ko ng magandang buhay. Pero ngayon iniisip ko na rin yung mga tao sa community ko, yung mga tao na gusto kong tulungan. (I also want to give my family a beautiful life. But now I also think about my community, the people I want to help),” Mara said.
“Matutulungan ko sila in a way na mapasok ko sila sa trabaho, para sila din tumulong sa iba. (I can help them by helping them get jobs, so that they can help others too),” Mara said.
Her dream of helping others more was granted when Mara received a scholarship from Spanish foundation CODESPA, providing her with training in social entrepreneurship.
Along with 21 entrepreneurs from all over the Philippines, Mara underwent educational training this year on business principles, accounting, marketing and human resources.
During the training, Mara was inspired by one of her co-participants from Mindanao whose business was marketing Tinalak merchandise and products from the Tiboli tribe.
“Nakita ko na hindi lang mayaman ang gustong tumulong, na may mga mahirap din na gustong tulungan ang kapwa nya mahirap. (I saw that not only the rich wants to help, but the poor also wants to help their fellow poor),” Mara shared.
Her work in GKonomics has exposed Mara to a very different world – the world of the privileged, where monthly rent of a residential unit equals the entire purchase price of two housing units in her building; a world where a single restaurant meal is equal to one week of food for their family of 7 and that a price of a dress is comparable to her younger sister’s annual tuition fee. Seeing such disparity however has not made her bitter but has rather strengthened her resolve to work even harder in GKonomics as her own little contribution towards narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor.
Now armed with lessons learned from CODESPA and with the guidance of her mentor GKonomist Rose Cabrera, Mara sets her sights on growing her social enterprise.
“Pag-pinalaki ko yun, makak-employ pa kami ng marami, marami ring matutulungan. (When I make the business grow, we can employ more people and we can help a lot more),” Mara dreams.
Her hidden talents are also being harnessed in GKonomics as she assists in other social enterprises such as the GK Performing Arts Group and Mich Dulce’s business where she helps the internationally famous hat designer find good sewers from GK Paradise Heights.
“This is the essence of empowerment in GK,” GKonomist Rose Cabrera said, “Having the poor develop their potentials to the fullest and enabling them to actively seek opportunities for themselves and their community.”
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| Mara Salvacion with her mentor Rose Cabrera |
With the support of the growing GKonomics family, greater things are in store for Mara and her community.
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