Hi everyone, I am Jelaica Bobier, and here is my story, a simple account of how I was conceived, how I came into this world, and how time and our life experiences shaped who I am today. Every part of my being began with the story of two people who loved, endured, and sacrificed, my parents, who became the bridge for me to be formed and to live this life.
Let us start my story with Grace, my mother. She was the third of eight siblings and the eldest among four sisters. Being the oldest girl, the heavy responsibility of being an older sister was placed on her shoulders since she was young. She says life was extremely difficult for them back then. Due to the various struggles and situations her siblings faced, almost all the work inside the house fell to her, and she did everything. It was not just simple cleaning or cooking that she had to deal with; even heavy and exhausting tasks like fetching water from far away and chopping firewood for fuel were done by her alone. This was the repeated cycle of her life, full of work and taking care of others, a routine that seemed endless and without rest.
Because of this heavy burden and her desire to help her family and find better opportunities, when she turned 24 years old, she decided to travel to Manila to seek employment. Thankfully, she quickly found work as a cook for a Chinese family. It was in Manila that the person destined for her entered and shaped her life, Albert, my father.
Papa was originally from Bicol, but they moved and settled in the province of Aurora, and during that time, he was also working in Manila as a truck helper.Mama and Papa met through their work, it was like a casual introduction or just being introduced by others at first, haha! but as time passed and through their daily interactions and meetings, they understood each other, found common ground, and eventually fell in love.
One day, Papa invited Mama to go home with him to his hometown in Aurora. Papa only said and promised that he would just introduce her to his parents. But that was apparently not Papa’s only true plan. When they arrived in the province and stood before his parents, he simply announced to everyone that they were getting married, and that is exactly what happened; it became official and reality, haha!
One year after their wedding, my eldest brother arrived, bringing even greater joy to our family. Three years later, my second brother came into our lives. Then, another three years passed, and finally, it was my turn to arrive and join them, hahaha! You see, I can say they had a system and followed what we call family planning well; the gaps between our births were perfectly spaced.
I heard and learned many stories from Mama about the time when she was pregnant with me. She said I was conceived with a craving for pineapple and chicken liver. She shared that during her pregnancy cravings, she spotted a pineapple plant growing in our neighbor’s yard and wanted it so badly. She told Papa about it immediately, and my kind father approached the neighbor and asked for one, explaining that his wife was craving it for the pregnancy. At that time, the pineapple they got was not yet fully ripe, so Mom kept it hidden inside a cabinet. Dad thought she was just storing it there to let it ripen properly before eating it, but the truth was, she kept it hidden because the smell alone was enough for her, and that was really all she wanted. Until such time that it took too long and reached the point where the fruit was overripe, Mama no longer wanted to eat it, so she just told my brothers to eat it since she could no longer want it.
It was the same story with the chicken liver.Mama thought of and desired for Papa to serve her chicken liver, so she asked him to slaughter a chicken just so she could get and eat the liver. But do you know what Papa did? Instead of killing one of their chickens, he just went to the market, bought half a kilo of liver, and cooked and served that to Mama. Such a practical and smart move from Papa, right?
Mama said that the scheduled date for my arrival and debut into the world was supposed to be January 28. But I guess I really enjoyed and felt too comfortable inside Mama’s womb, so I stayed there a bit longer and was finally born on February 2, 2006.
Did you also know that the name they originally planned for me was Amelia Rose? Wow, that sounds so flowery and formal, haha! Mama got it from her favorite television series that she used to watch every afternoon while she was still pregnant with me. But back then, elders advised them that I might become lazy or struggle in life if I had such a long and hard-to-write name, so they changed it and decided to just call me Jelaica, the name I have grown used to and love today.
I have many fun memories from when I was a child. When I was about one year old, they said I was always seen playing on the floor. No matter where I ended up, whether on sand or soil, I would roll around and apparently end up “bathing” in the dirt myself, haha! It was a good thing I was bald back then, so Mama did not have a hard time cleaning and bathing me. I still clearly remember what Mama used to do: whenever she bathed me, she would rub aloe vera leaves on my hair and scalp. She said it was meant to make my hair thick and beautiful, and it actually worked; my hair grew healthy and strong because of it.
From the time I was born, we lived in Aurora and stayed there until I was in Grade 1. But a time came when we needed to change our environment. We sold our land and house there so we could use the money as capital and a fresh start for a new life. We moved here to Isabela because my grandmother passed away back then, and there was no one left to take care of Mama’s youngest sibling, who has special needs. It was here in Isabela that I grew up, matured, and became a young woman; I also finished my studies here, from elementary to high school.
When I reached Senior High School, Mama and Papa decided to go back to Aurora. It was difficult for Papa to find stable and decent work here. We needed enough money for our daily needs and school allowances because, at that time, my brother and I were both still studying. In Aurora, there were more opportunities and jobs coming Papa’s way. He works as a construction worker and a carpenter, and since Aurora is near the sea, there are many people building cottages, vacation houses, or resorts, where he was often hired to work. Until now, they are still there, working hard; my mother, meanwhile, is busy and happy raising her pigs.
Today, I am a 2nd-year college student and continue to chase my dreams. My second brother will be graduating this year and will soon have his own job, while the eldest is currently applying to work abroad.
I admit, life as a student, especially in college, is hard. Sometimes it feels tiring, exhausting, and there are moments when I just want to give up because of the amount of work I have to do. But whenever I think about the hardships and sacrifices of my parents, and the experiences we went through, my strength returns. I have already experienced harvesting corn under the scorching heat of the sun, where my skin felt almost burnt, and working amidst plants that caused itchiness and scratches. Because of that experience, I made a promise to myself: I will study hard and finish my education so that I will never have to experience that kind of hardship again, and also to secure the bright future I dream of.
Especially seeing what is happening in the Philippines right now, I have realized that our country does not seem to be progressing; life is hard, and it feels like it is becoming even more difficult for people like us who belong to the marginalized sector. That is why I promised myself that I will strive hard to achieve everything I want and dream of—not only for myself but also for the family who loved me, raised me, and sacrificed so much for me.
Jelaica Bobier
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