Messages of love pour in during Father’s Day on Sunday on social media and one tribute to a father stood out. It was from a son of a bottle collector or ‘magbobote’.
TJ Tenedero started his lengthy and now viral post by remembering how difficult their life is.
Born from a poor family, TJ narrated that they live in a slum near the or train railway.
“Laki ako sa hirap. Magbobote lang ang tatay ko. Sa tabing riles lang kami nakatira–sa squatter’s area. At hindi ko ever ikinakahiya ang lahat ng ito dahil dito nagsimula ang pagbuo ko ng aking mga pangarap. Lalo na ang makagraduate sa UP,” Tj said.
His father started working as bottle and newspaper collector in 1995 and has been doing this job for a living for 24 years now.
TJ recalled how his father always wake up early and leaves the house using his pushcart.
He narrated: “Dadating ang tatay ko ng mga alas nuebe hanggang alasdyis ng umaga. Nakakarga na sa kaniyang trolley ang sako-sakong mga kalakal. May mga bote ng mantika, bote ng gin, bote ng ketchup, sirang batcha, mesang walang paa, bakal, sirang electric fan, karton at kung anu-ano pang pwedeng ibenta sa junkshop para mapakinabangan. Lahat binibili ni Papa. Pagdating niya sa bahay, aayusin niya ang mga ito sa labas bago magtanghali.
“Pag-uwi ni Papa, may dala na siyang bigas o panlutong ulam. Minsan may yelo at uling din noon. Minsan may Chooks-to-Go. Madalas kumikita ang tatay ko ng P300 hanggang P500 kada araw. May mga araw din na nakaka-P700 hanggang P1000 siya—kung susuwertihen.”
TJ has witnessed the hardships of his parents.
“Naranasan din namin na magkasakit si Mama noong 2005. Naubos lahat ng gamit namin sa bahay. Ubos din ang mga kalakal. Wala lahat, as in. Lugaw lang kinakain namin noon,” TJ said.
It was in 2005 when TJ started his dream of entering the University of the Philippines. It was his aunt who convinced him to enter the state university.
He later on took the entrance exam but failed at his first try. When he was able to enter the university, he applied in all possible ways to make sure that his parents will no longer shoulder the cost of his college education.
TJ is now a degree holder of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
