According to the
great film producer, Walt Disney, “A person should set his goals as early as
he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough
effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more
rewarding. But in the end, no matter that the outcome, he will know he has been
alive.” This states that a person should have a goal in his life once
he was able to walk on his own. He can have all the time from his young age to
a slowly but surely way of achieving his dreams, continuing on his young
adolescent days where he is now mature enough to handle some problems,
circumstances and troubles that he may be able to go through while on his way
to success. There may be a lot of struggles that an individual may encounter during
the times he was achieving his goals, in the end it will all be worth it
knowing that you give your best shot and you already have received the fruits
of all the sweats you showered for the goals you also wanted.
Life is like a
roller coaster ride. Sometimes you are on the highest point, sometimes you are
on its lowest point. There are a lot of twists and loops that the ride must go
through but in the end we have to survive to be able to ride on to the next
ride you wanted to try. In relevance to the statement above, it states that
life is really unpredictable. You do not know what will happen next to you, to
your friends or even your enemies. You have to strive hard and work hard for
you to end chapter and start to open yourself again for another opportunities
that may come.
“There
are no classes in life for beginners; right away you are always asked to deal
what is most difficult.” – Rainer Maria Rilke. Life is a never ending
adventure.
Born
in a province where modernization was not that developed, where there is no
electricity supply a place that is fairly quiet and sparsely populated of course
because the farm is next to the community itself, and so there are not a lot of
resources, and with less fortune, Dado Banatao never made that a reason
for him not to attain his goals in life.
There are many life struggles he get ahead of because of his
determination and willingness to lift their family status. Growing up in a
rural place in the Philippines, he experienced the times when technology is not
that mainstream yet, he experienced the things that a family in a rural place
experiences too. He also experienced of being taught of Mathematics with just
the use of the bamboo sticks and moving them towards what problem was stated.
However, he still continued to soar up to his limit and finally he has achieved
the goal he always dreamt of.
Learning does
not only need to be taught in school. You can look for alternatives to use for
someone to learn something. Just like how Dado learns the basic mathematics via
bamboo sticks. This only means that there are no boundaries or restrictions
when you are eager enough to learn. If you are very much willing to learn you
have to look for other ways of learning because learning is not only taught
inside the four corners of a classroom. Using some things as teaching materials
can help and also the experience that you are going to look forward that will
be treasured by yourself. I remembered when the time I first stoop my feet
inside a classroom, it was like a huge playroom for me. There were a lot of
stuffs that I can play with and some playmates I had to bond with. Comparing my
childhood days to Dado and his childhood friends, I was lucky enough to
experience a better way of living since my childhood.
Like dado, I
also used to live in a place like his hometown. A place where you can only see
the wide rice fields and many animals that are working with their owners. But
unlike him, I did not grew up there, I only spent a couple of months because
that was vacation time. But, you can reallt feel the difference between the
city, where almost all of the people is using technology based devices, and in
the provinces, where almost all the people have to do all the things with the
use of the basics.
Being in a rural
place is not that easy because you have to strive hard for your daily expenses.
Unlike in the cities, living in a province, where industrialization is not that
well-run, was kind of a challenging thing because you have to put all the
efforts you needed in order for you to have daily supplies you needed and your
family needed especially when you are living where people only knows to plow
their rice fields, and take care of the carabaos they own. Though, living in a
rural place is considered as a sweet escape and a relief to the busy and fast
changing environment compared to the cities because you have the chance of
breathing the fresh air and have a look on how beautiful the creations were
made that in the city, somehow, does not have because of the modern technology
that is being used and implemented wherever you go. You can see the people that
they are striving hard under the sun, though you can feel the tiredness in their
body, they still put smiles on their faces saying that everything is alright
and they are happy.
Dado said that
after sixth grade his classmates and some batch mates have to stop from
attending school because they need to pay their attention on helping their
parents on the field works and or because their parents can no longer be able
to support them with their education. But his father never wanted him to stop
his education, his father never wanted him to be one of those kids who plows
their rice fields and gave up their dreams. “He wanted a better life for me.”
this statement was acknowledged by Dado saying that his father wants a better
future for him that even though his father have to leave and work abroad just
to support his educational needs. Leaving him and his mother, who is a full
time housekeeper, his father worked in Guam as an Overseas Filipino Worker to
provide the foods they needed and have sufficient income for them. Sad truth
but I agree with what Dado has said, there are kids who wanted to attain
education and pursue their goals but because of poverty they need to stop and
surrender their dreams. While on the other hand, some kids who are lucky enough
because of they have the things those kids who are in need doesn’t have, they
will just throw all the chances that were given to them. They cut class, puts
their selves on vices, got addicted on illegal drugs and some even got pregnant
at a young age. These kinds of kids did not know that there is someone out
there in the province would really love to go to school, would really wanted to
finish studies in order for them to help their parents and make their living
status better than what they are experiencing, but they, who had all the
chances to go school, would just throw it all the way because they are
yolo-ing.
Our parents only
wanted the best for us. The educational, financial, shelter, support and
emotional needs we require, they have given their all for us to have all of
these. They have to sacrifice their allotted budget for them because they want
to give us more and the best thing. All the bloods and sweats they have
showered just to give their children the best thing in this world. The only way
of giving them back is to know that you can now take care of yourself and have
the life they always wanted you to have and happy and contented enough. But, as
their children, nothing can be more precious than you, yourself, is taking care
of them when the time comes that they needed you especially when they are old
enough to take of themselves.
Dado’s father
gladly took the risk of leaving them because of what he wanted for Dado in the
future. Being separated by miles and the time difference is really hard and
difficult for someone who is so attached to his family yet he has to leave
because there is no sufficient and enough works to be given to the people who
are less fortunate that are willing to work here in the country. I merely
admire how Dado keeps on being encouraged to achieve his goals even though his
father has to leave for his educational sake and for their living sake. Dado
and I have the same situation in case of our father, though my papa is only
here in the country but he is miles away from our home. Due to his work, my
father was assigned in Samar as a member of the Philippine Army. He only gets
home for at least thrice a month or have an emergency break whenever there are
special occasions. Being away from him was once a problem to our family since
my mom was the only one who supervises us. Though, my father always calls us
every day it was still not enough. We can feel the longing of having a father
inside our house. If I feel that way that my father was only a few miles away
from us, how about what Dado feels about his father being away from them, not
just miles away, but his father was a country away from them?
He
graduated elementary and took his secondary education at the Jesuit run Ateneo
de Tuguegarao which is away from his home. Like the adolescent stage, mingling
with the city kids is kind of awkward when you are a kid from the province. You
can really differentiate how the two types of kids differ from each other. The
way they walk, talk and think. How classy their things are, and how classy
those cars who pick them up from school.
I, too, can feel how hard it is to be away
from home because I am also kilometers away from our home now for the reason that
we need to go beyond our comfort zone and have the courage to study and learn
something independently far. Though, the situation is hard since we can not
have the presence of our family when we needed them the most but we know that
they are supporting us and we got their back always. You only have few chances
of visiting them in the province and have a catch time because it takes time to
travel and the class schedule is also a factor. There are a lot of temptations
that may tempt you, loud and clear the people were not the same as what you
used to bond with back in the province and the fast changing environment
because of the how industrialized the city places are. But then, it takes of a
lot of determination and guts to study far from home and also the worth of
trust your parents have given you. In the end, all you wanted to do is to pay
them back for all the sacrifices they have made and make your life a successful
one.
School
is like a home. This is where you spent almost half of your life and your hour
for a day. You got to meet the friends you have to keep for the rest of your
life; the people who is going to be with you through tears and smiles,
excluding your parents. This is where your parents feel that you are secured
and you are learning also. Memories of me inside the school, elementary and
high school, are one of the things I would really love to share. Elementary day
were the days where I used to laugh out loud and play all day long without
restrictions from my mom. When in high school, I met the people I would really
love to keep for the rest of my life. They have been with me four almost five
years and the bond was really made that strong that we could feel we are
sisters and brothers at heart. Compared to experiences during my lower grade
years, I wondered if Dado has ever enjoyed his high school years where he was
only focuses on studying.
Dado trade his
leisure time with studying. He focused on studying things and keeps on learning
to the things he wanted to learn. He took up Bachelor of Science in Electrical
Engineering and graduated as a cum laude in Mapua Institute of Technology.
Slowly, he is unfolding his wings and he was soaring high, but unfortunately
there are no jobs that suited him in the country, no design jobs for the
engineers. So he decided to leave the Philippines. He took the risk on leaving
the country and look for some opportunity that he might grab to make his decision
of leaving the country all worth it. And he did! He had his masters on the
prestigious university, Standford University. He was intimidated to the people
over there and thought that they were smarter than him so he doubled his study
time.
One
problem here in the Philippines is lack of employment jobs. There are lots of
graduates with or without flying colors but they have no jobs. It is so
difficult to find regular jobs in the country because these graduates are clashing
to get a certain job and because our country is lacking of jobs even though
they say that the Philippines has a fast growing economy. Others have decided
to leave the country and work on other countries rather than staying here in
the Philippines with got nothing to do and waste the lessons they learned in
school because they did not get any job. If ever I will graduate and the
employment here in the Philippines will not progress, maybe I will consider of
leaving the country also.
His
journey says it all that each individual should not be afraid to grab some
opportunities that are coming along the way. Go beyond your limitations and
achieve what you wanted to achieve as a person, as an individual, as a dreamer.
Do not hide yourself in your comfort zone. In order to gain something better and
maybe the best, you have to know that you are capable of doing the impossible;
you have to take risks and have the perseverance and determination in order to
achieve the goals and dream you have always wanted to have; you have to trust
yourself that you can do it even though everyone that surrounds you looks
better and best than you.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less
traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” –Robert Frost
“I think I did well in engineering, but I was so bored. I was only 20
years old when I graduated from their 5-year program, so I guess at that age I
wasn’t happy with what jobs were being offered,” Banatao said. “I was looking
for something exciting and Philippine Airlines (PAL) was looking for pilot
trainees, so I applied, abroad.was accepted and started flying.” He was an electronics engineering graduate, a cum laude in fact, but
then he chose to be a trainee of the Philippine Airlines. Other than that, he
also declines some job offerings. But someone had recruited him to be one of
the design engineer but he have to leave and work. After Philippine Airlines he
was then hired by Boeing as a design engineer in the 1960s. Later that decade,
he landed on American soil like many other Filipino professionals. He landed jobs with different
technology-based companies including National Conductor, Intersil and Commodore
International.
He grabbed the
opportunity that was given to him to be design engineer and he was able to
design a chip and he also started to create a company, his startup company. But
then, it failed. Another chapter of his life was closed. He accepted his defeat
and moved on to the next chapter of his life. However, it never became a reason
for him to stop pursuing his dreams. With relevance to Jack Ma’s 10 rules for
Success, rules #2 and #9 which states that “Keep
your dream alive” and “Don’t
complain. Look for opportunities.” consecutively; Dado never let his dream
go down even though he failed and some people told him that he cannot do it but
he, himself, keeps on motivating himself that he could do it and so he did.
Also, he never complained why his startup company did not accomplish instead it
failed; he took some risks again and grab some opportunities that is coming
along his way to his success. Never be afraid to take risks for in the end,
maybe it will give you something bigger. Quoting another quote from Henry Ford,
he says “Failure is an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”,
thus Dado continued to seek after his dreams and tried to make another company
and even better company. When I was younger I also experienced some failures in
my life. I failed to keep my parents’ trust because I got addicted once to
computer games. I ditched classes, and spent my allowance on computer games,
stayed at the computer hubs. I failed not only my parents, the people who
trusted me but also myself. I blamed myself for being not responsible to the
things that I have done. But, I did not dwell on my failure; instead I gained
again the trust of my parents and stated to be responsible on my actions. I
even made a promise to myself that I won’t break my parents trust again. And so
I did!
He started inventing and pioneered some of the
things that is much needed by now. He was called an inventor but he stops those
people who called him an inventor and where he once said
“Innovation is more important because innovation
implies you are putting together a whole bunch of other elements beyond that
one invention. Innovation implies industry,”.
He was an
opportunity seeker and grabber. He knew he can do it then he grabbed it. Only
means that a before how successful Dado was, he was once the kind of person who
looks for the opportunities along the way. The thought that he was willing to
send is that never give up on finding opportunities. Giving up should not be
enlisted as one of your options. Your attempt may fail, but never fail to
attempt. This may or may not be the best for you but then at least you have
tried to do your best. If you achieved, then it is a blessing. If you failed,
then it is an experience. Nothing is wrong on trying, because when you knew you
tried, you will find your strengths and your weaknesses. And most importantly,
you will be able to find where is the spot you need to develop for the reason
that there are lots of rooms for improvement. Way back in high school, I and my
team were given a chance to create a food business. Though, it was still an
idea, we have this courage that we will be able to make this and soon launch
our business. We took every opportunity that comes along our way, from the
stall, to the equipments needed and even the ingredients that were needed for
us to start the business. We talked to some business people in our province,
but things happened and it came worse when we failed to launch our business. It
was a major turn off for the whole team to have business, someday. However, it
is in the past and I think that it was lesson for all of us that we should never
be contented of what we have but always try to persevere more so that in the
end it will be a successful one.
Dado is now a successful
man and as a matter of fact he was considered as the “Bill Gates of the Philippines”, the
monicker that really suits him since both came
up from a technical background, introduced technologies that transformed the
computer industry, and built large successful companies from the ground up.
He is one of the people who created the PC chipset which can be found inside
the PC. Besides from being successful, Dado never forgets to where he came
from. “My success is a direct result of
my beginnings.” he said. He still
has the concern of how a fast changing environment and how fast growing our
economy is. He also thinks of the people that is still suffering from poverty
and who is still experiencing the experienced he had years way back. He still
looks back at his roots and all his experiences from the past that motivates
him to be successful now. He never forgets about his country which he thinks
that is now one of the fastest growing economies in Asian Region.
Being humble out
of his success is what makes Dado Banatao a great man. He never forgets his
country and even started a foundation here in the Philippines, the PhilDev
Foundation or the Philippine Development Foundation, where he is the chairman,
which helps the students who deserve to be given the kind of education; that
they will never stop learning and achieving their dreams. The thought that
there is still 30% of the total population of the Philippines still suffers
from poverty, and still experiences the things Dado experienced way back then.
He gave those deserving students the scholarships they needed. All Dado wants
is that these students who had scholarships in his foundation, will soon make
some companies that will be able to create more jobs for all the Filipinos. He is helping
send brilliant young Filipinos to school to help them reach their full
potential. In his little ways, Dado is slowly helping the Filipino
community to arise from poverty. And he started it from the youth.
Throughout the
video, the life story of Dado Banatao has given me lessons that I will try to
keep within myself. Determination and hard work. These are the few lessons that
his life story has given me. Dado Banatao never gave up on his dreams. He has
this determination inside of him that no one can be able to lose it from him. He
pursued and pursued until he becomes successful. They were people who
discouraged him but he still believed in his self that he can do it. With that,
I realized one thing, never give up even though someone is putting you down.
People who try to bring you down are inevitable. It may be one of your closest
friends, may be one of your circle of friends or even then one who you truly
trusted. Those people who tries to bring you down has nothing to do with your
life, they will leave once they are fulfilled with their personal goals towards
you. You just got to go with the flow and enjoy life until you reach your
goals.
He was motivated
and determined to accomplish the things he want. He took a lot of risks. Grabbed
some opportunities. Got rejected but then he stood up, picked the pieces of
himself then continued on pursuing his goals. This also taught me that an
individual should never be limited of his resources. Continue to find chances,
opportunities that you think that can help you in achieving your personal goals
in life. Never be afraid to take risks because in the end, maybe the risk you
have taken may lead you to a better future.
Dado believes
that every Filipino has the potential. The potential of creating and managing
their own business the potential of being the boss. He even said that his story
should be the story of all the Filipinos. His story was kind of amazing of how
a simple boy who lived in a rural province made his way to success and is now
considered as one of the pillars of the how the PC works today. But the sad
truth is some of the Filipinos aim to be an employee only not to be the
employer. This was the biggest mistake that a Filipino mind has. We go to
school, we keep on learning, we keep on studying from midnight to dawn, but in
the end we ended up as an employee of a company. We never thought of being the
employer, of being the owner of a company because maybe it already is in our my
mind that as long as we will receive money, as long as we will be able to
provide our family of what they need, it is enough. But no it is not, according
to Banatao, everybody and every individual has the potential of becoming like
him. You just have to have the full determination and faith in yourself that
you will be able to achieve all of the things you wanted. Slowly but surely it
might happen. In the end, it will bear fruit. You just have to wait until the
time comes. Keep on dreaming big dreams.
Dado stated that
he is not special. He may not be, but for me he is. His story is very special.
It sends message that if you work hard on your dreams; someday somehow it will
bear the fruit you want. With the combination of hard work, determination and
perseverance, anything can happen. Even if you started from the bottom, you got
to go with the flow to be at the top. If I will be able to put all the lessons
I have learned when I watched his story and executes it in the real life, then
I think I can be able to build my own dreams too. However, I still have many
more challenges to go through to not to be as successful as Dado Banatao is but
somehow successful in the field I will be choosing in my future endeavors. According
to him there is a possibility that an individual can be like him, if only he
has the determination and skills and faith and perseverance Dado has.
With is life
story being shared to his video, you can really feel how helpful the
determination is. Being determined on finishing studies. Being determined of
achieving life goals. And being determined to help your parents to lift your
family status. It was a tough battle for Dado Banatao before he became filthy
rich and gave his family now a better and bright future. Lucky enough, his kids
will never experience the things Dado had experience when has a little child. A
Triumphant battle that he made through the years with insistence, determination
and faith. He may have fallen many times, but he never gave up. He stood up and
pick up the shattered pieces of himself, in front of those people who did not
believe in his ability, skills, and talent, he made it through. He became
successful! But what is more important is that he never forgot to look where he
came from, to look back to his roots.
He help the
young and deserving students to be able to express their ideas and pursue their
dreams without and with no one who will make them stop from entering school
because they need to stop schooling because their parents can no longer afford
of bring them to a school.
What is more of
Dado Banatao that something could be proud of is that he really knows the
importance of family. He maybe successful, filthy rich, name it he has it all.
He took risks. But one thing is for sure, he always think that the family he
created should be as close as what he had when has younger. He made sure that
not because of his business, he will make his family broken. He said, “What good is
it if I’m a successful engineer or investor if my family life is broken?”
Dream big. Nothing will be lost if you dream
big. Following your dreams opens your heart allowing God to enter and fill you
with bliss. Your dreams will be your life’s guidelines in achieving your goals
in life. But remember to never let your
dreams be dreams, work on it until it comes true because as what people are
saying “dreams do come true”. If those non-singers can sing and have their
albums sld, you as an individual dreamer can make that also. Not in having
albums but reaching your dreams in a way that you know you have given your
best. Your attempt may fail but never
fail to make an attempt because you never know that your attempt will be the
way, the entry, and the opening door for you in achieving your goals. If you
achieved it on the first try, then it is a blessing. If you fail, then it is a
lesson and you have to fix yourself and pick up yourself and try to search for
the mistake on your last attempt. Make rooms for improvements. But never ever
forget that once you are at the top, it takes humility and good character to
make you stay on it.
"We
know hardship, it’s time we learn success. I am not so special, but I am
determined. My story could be your story, as Filipinos it must be our
story." - Dado Banatao
“What I do now has to continue. I don’t think we ever retire, we just
move on from one task to another.”- Dado Banatao
Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/28/inspirational-quotes/
http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/life-quotes.html
http://ofwjobhiring.com/the-inspiring-life-of-dado-banatao-by-the-phildev-foundation/
http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/balikbayan/34712-dado-banatao-technology-innovator
No comments:
Post a Comment