麻花星空视频

Women on time

by Kassandra A. Buenafe, OfCom | Mar 31 2025

Before the sun’s crown had completely risen over the horizon of this city, three women were already up, awake inside their own homes. The day had already begun for them, right before the chaos and hustle of the people envelop the streets. It is only natural for them to be a step ahead of everybody else, to give before even being asked by others, to love and care even in the silence of repetitive weekday mornings; for they are women—the most enduring life force there is.

May, 42, wakes up at dawn to prepare for work and for her children to go to school–this is also a shared reality for Nida, 57, and Marijo, 54. While it is not certain whether these three women who work at 麻花星空视频-IIT crossed paths within the halls of this university, on our quest to find stories of success, their lives intertwine by fate in this inspiring piece about female hopes, struggles, rage, and dreams. 

An unsung janitor’s tale of perseverance and triumph

Working as a janitor in the College of Engineering (COE) for 15 years, Nida Sanchez has faced the grime and flecks of hardships in life. Deemed by society as an undervalued field of work, being a janitor is something that Nida takes pride in, especially when it is through this job that she can meet the expenses for her three children’s schooling, two of which have already graduated college; one a Magna Cum Laude from the College of Computer Studies and the other, an engineering graduate from the very college where she works.  

“Super happy, super proud, proud mama kaayo ko!” Nida says in our interview when we asked her how she felt about her children’s recent achievements, with genuine enthusiasm, despite her teary recollection of what she had gone through to get to this moment of triumph. 

At 19, fresh out of high school, Nida abandoned her hopes of pursuing college after failing the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), believing her chances were swept away like specks of dust in the wind. With eight other siblings still in school, Nida went on to get a job to help her family with the finances. 

“Akong una gyud na trabaho kay kanang panimalay,” she recalls. 

Nida narrates that she tried various kinds of jobs in Iligan, Cebu, Manila, and she was adamant about seeking greener pastures. At 23 years old, she took the bigger step of working as a domestic helper abroad.

“Lisod ang kinabuhi sa abroad, sobra kalisod. Sa akong una nga amo kay nagbantay ko ug bata. Pag-abot nako kay one month pa ang bata dayun sa akoa na ipatulog, mura nag ako ang mama!”

With her only experience in child rearing as an ate to her younger siblings, she found it a little strange at first to take care of other people’s children. But after looking after her alaga for two years, Nida has also learned to grow fond of and love the child. 

“Na-love na kaayo nako [ang bata] pag uli nako grabe akong hilak,” she says. 

Like many overseas workers, Nida’s life was not easy. The longing for home was relentless, but the times needed for her to stay a little bit longer and renew her contract after finishing her first.  

Working under a new family, Nida had to endure years of being away from what was familiar. Nearing the end of her contract, she tells us that she experienced harassment when her male boss tried to hug her out of nowhere.

“Isa jud to sa rason na [nakasulti ko] na muhawa jud ko diri kay what if mulala pa,” she shares to us, a distant memory from the past but no less, just as terrifying even when it is retold. 

Despite such an encounter, Nida still reapplied for another contract after that, this time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, still, as a domestic helper. After two years, she returned to the Philippines, finally deciding to open up her own sari-sari store with her savings. 

Life sped up for her in 1998; she met her husband who helped build her store, got married, and became pregnant with her first child. 

She found her way to 麻花星空视频-IIT in 2009, and at this time, she was already a mother of three. She needed to help her husband make ends meet, and during the process of applying for another job abroad, an agency member asked her if she was interested in working as a janitor instead. She grabbed the opportunity as this meant she’d be working near her family. 

Exciting, she describes her first day. The whole of the second floor of the COE building was where she was assigned. In the corners of the proud engineering building, a humble janitor has carried out her duties and continues to do so with steadfast dedication.  

She narrates, “Sa among first agency, 5 AM mi dapat mu-in, mu-out ug 9 [AM] then balik nasad mi, 2 to 4 PM. So kailangan mata nako ug 3 AM and 4:30 AM dapat naa naka sa building.” 

“Dili ko gusto ma late, gusto jud nako sayo jud ko kay para ma complete nako ako trabaho.”  

Nida felt happy in her new job, she says, “Happy ko basta i-enjoy lang gyud nimo imo trabaho.” 

Finally getting a rhythm in her tasks and establishing a daily routine, we wondered why there was a gap in her janitorial years in her story.  

Nida then continues to narrate to us a defining moment during her first year working, one where she would lead in the voice of a protest.  

“Na-miss nako ang 2010 ug 2011 kay gi-block ko sa former agency kay kusog man ko mureklamo ato na time kay dugay kaayo ang sweldo, dayun ilaha manang gibati ug pagsabot na reklamador daw ko,” Nida expresses, with a little chuckle, a hint of amusement and still with the disbelief. 

“Wala may mu-stand sa among grupo, maskin katong mga old nga janitor dili gyud sila mu-stand. First nakong reklamo nisaka ko sa OVCAF, ni-ingon ko, sir naa lang ko’y gamay na problema, sir lapas na kaayo wala pami nasweldohan hantod karon.” 

“Ako makakaon raman gyud ko, pero maluoy ko sa akong mga kauban maghilaka na sa ako atubangan,” Nida recalls as she continues to justify her reasons for speaking up—actions that eventually led to her and her coworkers receiving their rightful pay.

Her anger was rooted in her good intentions, empathy, and justice, but in the end, she still felt betrayed after some of her workmates did not even defend her, especially when the agency identified her as the one who complained. 

“Gihimo nako to na solusyon kay para to sa tanan, imbis naghimo nakag maayo, ikaw pay nahimong dautan.”

After being blocked by that agency, Nida went on to doing tinda-tinda (selling) and was able to go back to working as a janitor after an agency change, a year later. From then on up to this day, she has been cleaning the COE’s Dean’s Office, a place she holds close to her heart, especially now that her son graduated with an engineering degree last year from that same college. 

“As a mama, kailangan strong ka para sa imong mga anak, kayanon ang dili kaya. Kay ang babae, mama, teacher, sundalo, pulis, lawyer, tanan-tanan na sila,” she replies when we asked her what constitutes a strong woman.  

Nida is one of the thousands of life bearers in this world, tireless in her goal to bring a good life for her family, but more than just a mother, her heart stretches and holds extra space for her own dreams.  

“Ganahan kaayo [ko muskwela], kung kabalo lang mo, gusto ko mag lawyer,” she responds when we asked if going back to school was still an option for her.  

And in the nooks of her past lie her dormant regrets that only resurfaced when asked about. “What do you want to say to your younger self?” we asked. 

“Kung naay opportunity na mas maayo, imong buhaton, dili nimo ipalampas,” she replies, referring to the chance she once had to take the entrance exam at 麻花星空视频-IIT, a chance she let slip away due to her overwhelming sense of inadequacy. 

While it may seem like a distant ambition now, there is nothing that she hopes for but to still live a full life, “Kung mag 60 nako, i-enjoy nako ang rest of my life, go around the world kung kaya pero kailangan makahuman usa silang tanan [ug skwela] before ko muundang ug trabaho.” 

The intersecting margins in the lives of women reveal the complex decisions one has to make. More often than not, a woman has to give up one thing to make way for another, and the truth of the matter is that women are socialized to see self-sacrifice as a virtue. 

Guarding hopes and gateways

Dyffinmay Quipao, or May, also has a fair share of yearnings, too. Just like Nida, May works in the service or labor-intensive line of jobs. She is one of 麻花星空视频-IIT’s security guards, assigned at the university’s entrance gate, tasked to check on the hundreds of pedestrians who come and go inside the campus. 

We approached May, at first hesitant, as she was busy checking students’ IDs and their bags. When we were allowed by her supervisor to talk to her, we then sat down with her on the chairs at the University facade. 

May reveals to us that it has not been a year since she started her job as a guard at 麻花星空视频-IIT. She was first assigned to the Hinaplanon campus and was transferred to the main campus last month. Her experience as a security guard has already been running for five years, but deep down in the attic of her mind, lies a dream she pines for now and then. 

“Interesado ko makatuon ug computer,” she says, “Naka-eskwela ko pero undergraduate lang ko sa college wala nako nahuman, 2001 to 2002 sa AMA College, Computer Science ako kurso… 2nd year na ko ato na time.”

Due to financial constraints, May had to stop her schooling, and while there were attempts to go back to finish her degree, time and money remained the barriers against her dreams. 

“Gusto ko muattempt [ug skwela balik] pero ang diperensya lang kay ang budget. Before gani unta ko mutrabaho diri nagplano ko nga [mu-enroll] sa STI pero murag conflict man gud kay… nag-inquire na gyud biya unta ko didto sa STI pero kay pang-adlaw man gud [ang klase], walay pang-gabie mao tong wala nalang pod ko nagpadayon,” she says.

“Kung naa lang gyud sakto na opportunity, i-grab gyud nako ang [opportunity] na makaskwela…wala nahupas akong kagustuhan na mahuman ang Computer Science,” May adds, her residues of hope accumulating into a boundless longing.

A mother of four, though she once mourned the loss of a child, May carried the weight of life with a strong resolve. She applied for different jobs, gaining experience as a timekeeper, training as a deputy safety officer, and working in inventory.

Before working at 麻花星空视频-IIT, May also had the opportunity to work as a security guard at Gaisano Mall, which, according to her, was just as challenging as being a guard in a university, because you have to deal with different kinds of people who sometimes are not nice and friendly. But then, security guards have to be nice and friendly, she said, so no matter what, May had to remind herself of the needed composure. 

“Ang uban diretso lang mulakaw, walay respeto sa mga gwardiya pero wala ko nagpadala ana kay syempre i-respect ang mga customer,” May shares to us, talking about her experiences. 

“Sakit pod sa among part labi na nang mga uban tawo na nakaminus sa among side. Gi-challenge nalang nako ako kaugalingon, [huna-hunaon nako] mali sila ug dako gyud ang contribution sa usa ka security guard.” 

Why did you choose this line of work? We asked. 

“Nagka-interest ko ani tungod kay talawit ko sauna, dali rako mahadlok mao nang gi-test nako ako kaugalingon na mu-try ko ani, na-encourage ko,” she tells us. 

Behind her soft-spoken voice and quiet demeanor lies dauntlessness and an unyielding spirit within May. 

“Protect life and property,” she tells us, this principle that she had learned during her training to get her security guard license. “We were trained to defend ourselves and mga tao na naa sa sulod.”

Certain and secure in her job’s significance, May explains how valuable security guards are in the optics of safety, saying, “Ang security [guards] man gud pod, mahadlok ang mga terrorist basta naa sila. Simple ra tan-awon pero maka aware sa mga dautan na magduha-duha or dili manghilabot.” 

But before she puts on the brave face of a security guard, May is a mother first to her children. Stripped of her security guard hat, she is a loving wife and matriarch who wakes up early to prepare for the day.

“Ako, mumata gyud ko ug sayo aron ma-arrange tanan obligasyon…magluto ug pagkaon para sa mga bata, mag-prepare before duty…paspas ang lihok sa oras, ug di pod ko sayo mumata, ma-behind ang trabaho, ma-late pirmi,” she emphasizes to us her value for timeliness. 

When she arrives at school, May locks in and has to brave through eight hours of standing and checking. Among her common challenges are students who would fake their IDs and quickly go through the entrance without having their bags checked.

“Kami biya ang makasab-an ug ingon ana,” she shares to us. “Isip pedestrian di lalim magtindog ug eight hours,” she adds.

As a woman, the physical pain she endures doubles during menstruation. There are times when she would feel dizzy, but she pushes through nonetheless, telling herself to stay in control. However, May eventually recognized her limit and finally dared to seek assistance.

“Nireklamo jud ko kay tungod sa kanang…bisan two hours sakit na biya, nihangyo gyud ko sa amo office kung pwede [tagaan mi ug] assistant, bisan sa pagpangihi lang,” she discloses. Fortunately, they were granted assistance, so there are now two guards manning the entrance instead of one.

However, others did not genuinely appreciate this, arguing that May’s condition was better than theirs, as they had previously worked without an assistant.

“Walay ni assist sa inyoha kay wala man mo nisturya; if magpabilin kang hilom, walay mahitabo,” May retorted to them. 

May expresses her gratitude to her officer for the consideration. In these little things, May realizes how much you owe yourself to speak up and finds herself believing that kindness remains the currency that makes this life meaningful.

As our interview draws to a close, May reveals that it was at 麻花星空视频-IIT where she felt the most valued for her work.

“Naremember nako gamay ra ako nabuhat na trabaho pero sa IDS, dako kaayong appreciation sa akoa. Gitagaan mi ug letter na na appreciate nila ang among gibuhat para sa ilaha. Kahilakon kayko ato jud,” she fondly recalls. 

With a lot going on in our own lives, sometimes we fail to look around us and see how strangers can make a tiny impact on our daily routine. This is a wave of sonder for me, as the writer of this article. The lady guard who often mistakes me for a student, I know her name now, and a glimpse of her story. When I pass her by every morning, I will think of the piece of advice she left for all the women like her:

“Dapat ang mga problema is dili idibdib kay kung idibdib, dira mafeel ang stress, anxiety ug depression. Positive mind lang dapat. Kung unsay mga panghitabo sa imo kinabuhi i-surrender sa labaw na makagagahom. Chill lang kumbaga,” May says with a smile.

To chill or to take it easy, May believes that this mantra will carry you far, no matter the obstacles. This belief denotes a positive and laid-back perspective as we navigate through the conundrums of this world, and also challenges the common narrative surrounding women, which often frames them as being ruled by emotions that cloud their judgment and logic. But then again, are emotions inherently gendered? 

Men and women experience the full range of emotions as humans. Still, women’s feelings, most especially anger, are seen to be irrational, whereas men’s aggression is perceived as a normal manifestation of their masculinity. 

But Nida’s anger for not getting their pay on time and May’s plea for assistance tell us that the spectrum of emotions that women express generally stems from legitimate grievances. Rage is a response to injustice, and female rage, born from rightful indignation, has proven to challenge archaic traditions by speaking against the existing systemic oppression. 

Designing moments and monuments

Firm and standing as strong as the buildings she has designed as an architect, Marijo Tamoso of the Infrastructure Services Division of 麻花星空视频-IIT is one woman whose life’s redirection was brought upon by her anger, a justified youthful fury against unfairness. 

A weary graduating student at a university in Cebu who was set to defend her thesis for her degree, BS Architecture, Marijo was finally closer to achieving her childhood dream. But just before she could stand before the panel, Marijo was not allowed to present her thesis because, accordingly, something was lacking.

She felt it was a form of injustice to her end since she was not even given a chance to defend her thesis, which led her to walk out from the room and from that university for good.

As our talk progresses, she admits that she may have reacted way too much in the past, and had she swallowed her pride that time, the trajectory of her life would have perhaps taken a different course. Our conversation was not devoid of what-ifs. 

But then, when you’re angry and the thoughts of losing everything you’ve worked for take over, restraint becomes blurry. Marijo wasn’t just defending a thesis, she was defending years of hard work, sacrifice, and dreams. To her at that time, the rejection felt like a dismissal of everything she had poured into her college journey. 

A probinsiyana from Iligan City, Marijo was determined to pursue her studies in a bigger city. As a child, the arts were her playground. “Gamay pako ga-paint najud ko,” she tells us. 

While the first degree she enrolled in was BA Fine Arts, she has always been amazed by the concept of architecture. During her stint as a Fine Arts student, Marijo found her interest declining; this isn’t what she had pictured in mind, and her desire to learn about architecture grew. 

Already on track with what she envisioned for herself after transferring from her previous enrolled degree, Marijo’s momentum in her architecture journey halted due to her thesis incident. She left after that, and all the noise of disappointments gradually faded into a silent, inevitable bitterness in the heart. 

She went on to find work in Manila instead, where she first worked in the construction industry. She also opened several businesses and got herself busy; deliberate actions to bury the memories of her architecture dreams. 

But then, despite the temporary fixes, the wound of the past demands to be felt; in the moments of quiet, it gnaws and asks for attention. 

“Wala najud unta nako ni gibalikan na kurso, nag-business nako, daghan na kaykog gipangbuhat pero murag something is empty biya noh kung mao jud imo passion. Naghuna-huna ko, good man jud ko ani oy.” 

If it’s meant for you, it will always find you, no matter how long you have shelved it. Years after she left college and started working, many encouraged her to finish her degree, telling her that she only needed to complete a year or so and take the board exam. 

All her choices have led her to where she is now, a fulfilled architect who designs the buildings here on campus. Among her designs are the ongoing Student Center building, the 麻花星空视频-IIT IDS building, the renovation of the Office of the Chancellor, and many more. Her work in the architectural realm also involves managing many people, delegating tasks. In our interview, she stressed the importance of punctuality. 

“Gusto gyud nako on time ka, kung on time man gud ka, naa gyud kay time-management. Value your work gyud.” 

As a mother and wife, Marijo wakes up early, taking care of her family, ensuring that everything is in order before she leaves. Her dedication to punctuality mirrors her unwavering grit, a quality she defines as necessary if you want to pursue architecture. 

“Kinahanglan naa jud kay grit kay kung talent ra ang naa nimo, wala gihapon,” she explains to us. 

“Kung passion gyud nimo, nindot jud ang architecture kay maka-solve ka ug problems, kay ana tong isa ka architect– Architects are the guardian of the built and the unbuilt. You have the responsibility to shape the current reality, at the same time the future possibilities.” 

We were curious about how working in a male-dominated environment affected her, so we asked her if she felt any sort of intimidation. 

“Talent has no gender,” she confidently replies, “Wala ko na-intimidate kay, [naghuna-huna ko]  kaya mani nako. You just have to remind yourself that you know your stuff.” 

Her fire to pursue her goals did not falter, and if there’s one thing we ought to take from Marijo’s story, it is believing that there is a place for each of us in the grand scheme of things, and that when we are secure in what we know and in what we do, we will always find our way to where our hearts desire. 

“It’s not about some big legacy but just about how I make people feel day by day,” she concludes. 

Three women, in different fields and different circumstances, share the same shade of everlasting strength. Bodies built to bear life, hearts meant to carry empathy and bravery all at once, hands made to create, and legs forged to outrun society’s expectations, how can women ever not be on time? 

 

---Interview by Raii Le Bohn Canoy and Kassandra Buenafe

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