Bios

My name is Merl. I was born and raised in a poor family. I am from the Philippines. My father worked as a janitor to feed a family of seven. I have four older sisters and I am the youngest and only son. My mother was a full-time housewife. My father could only afford to rent a single room in a boarding house for the family. Three of my sisters had to live elsewhere with other relatives. Life was difficult back then.

I grew up with my parents struggling financially to provide for the family. Most of the time my father had to borrow money to put food on the table and miscellaneous school fees. My siblings and I were fortunate to be enrolled in a private school because my father worked at a university that offered free tuition to dependents. My siblings and I would attend school without food allowance. I developed low self-esteem because I was ashamed to make friends. My parents who had great faith in God made me understand our situation and to be content with what we had. At a young age, I yearned to make something out of myself.

My father continued working as a janitor until all of us, his children and my mother were able to graduate from college. He retired at the age of 65. My mother graduated with a Bachelor’s in Theology. My oldest sister is an engineer, followed by a teacher, and three nurses. Life had greatly changed for the family. We were able to acquire a 2 storey 6-bedroom house as a gift from one of my sisters to our parents. Sadly, my mother passed away three years after the house was built. Now, my father is 81 years old and is well.

My father’s hard work and perseverance greatly impacted my life. I strived to make him proud. I finished a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and worked as an Operating Room Staff Nurse for more than five years in the Philippines. I migrated to Canada with my wife and daughter under a Permanent Resident Visa. My career shifted as I am currently working as a Community Representative. I am a part of a property management team that manages four apartment buildings. It is a job that I have learned to enjoy. I am happy with my life and looking forward to becoming a Canadian citizen someday.