Despite facing hardships, a former janitor persevered in his pursuit of education and is now a lawyer with his own law firm.
In the “Good News” program, Attorney Ramil Comendador was introduced, who, at the age of seven, started helping his mother by planting, weeding, and making charcoal in Catanduanes to earn a living.
Even without a present father figure, Comendador found solace in the care and love of his mother.
“I never felt like there was an emotional void that needed to be filled because growing up, my mother was there, providing love,” Comendador said.
His mother single-handedly raised him and his five siblings, ensuring they all finished high school. However, they couldn’t afford to pursue college education due to financial constraints.
So, Comendador moved to Manila to seek stable employment to support his mother.
He secured a job as a merchandiser at a furniture company but had trouble getting along with his co-workers, prompting him to return to the province. However, he never let go of his dream of achieving success.
When an opportunity arose in Manila once again, Comendador seized it and joined a furniture company. He also took the civil service exam to secure a better position, and he successfully passed on his first attempt.
While working in the government, Comendador was assigned the role of a janitor at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to not having a college degree.
In 2007, he reconnected with a former classmate who was an engineer. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship, and they were blessed with a child.
It was through his wife that Comendador realized the importance of education in securing a good job.
He decided to return to school and enrolled in Public Administration at the University of the Philippines. He worked as a janitor during the day and attended classes at night.
“My faith in the Lord was strong. Hard work and lots and lots of prayers,” said the lawyer.
Comendador graduated and was promoted to a clerk. He continued his education and pursued a law degree at the age of 30.
“When I entered law school, that was it. I committed myself to it. My heart was all in. No matter what difficulties I faced, I continued. I had a job, I had a family. So, I had to balance everything,” Comendador said.
“My strategy was, ‘slowly but surely,'” he added.
Comendador graduated and passed the bar exam in 2017.
From being a janitor, Comendador became a full-fledged lawyer at the age of 35.
“We can break the cycle of poverty. It’s within us. It’s about what we do to change our current situation,” he said.
Comendador now runs his own law firm, providing legal assistance to those who cannot afford a lawyer.
“It was an extremely emotional moment for me. All the hardships flashed before my eyes. Then, you realize that everything has changed,” Comendador shared.