Passing on courage

Lorencia Escalera, 67, a mother of six from Padre Garcia, Batangas, served as her children’s strongest educator merely by virtue of her personality. A sixth of ten siblings, life was not easy for her. It was tough for their parents to complete their schooling, but they worked hard to guarantee that everyone has even basic education. Even though only two of them completed education, her siblings became successful business owners.

She says that their parents played an important role in her siblings’ success. Despite being the only factory worker among her siblings, she was not discouraged; rather, her desire to one day own a business grew even stronger.

Lorencia’s courage was tested when she had her own family. She faced greater responsibilities as a wife and a mother herself. Her husband is a farmer, and she knows that it is insufficient to meet their needs, yet she chose to be a housewife. “I don’t care what other people think; what matters to me is that I can focus on my children’s growth.”

Lorencia carefully managed her husband’s earnings for their children’s education and accompanied them as they chased their dreams, saying, “I know there is a right time for me to fulfill my dream, but at that time, I choose to guide my children.”

When some of her children were about to finish school and had successfully raised them, Lorencia knew it was time to pursue her dream.

Lorencia joined CARD SME Bank, a thrift bank that provides financial and non-financial services to help its clients develop. She took out a loan to use as capital for her own sari-sari store.

Together with her husband, they worked hard to earn whatever they could. CARD SME Bank has been a huge help in her children’s education, family needs, and her store, which is quite popular among Padre Garcia residents.

As a result, her family’s life eventually improved; their children completed school and are now successful in their respective careers.

However, their family’s courage was shaken when the eldest son passed away. While it was a difficult time for the family, they decided that honoring their eldest son by pursuing their own dreams is the best way forward. “The most essential thing we can pass on to our children is courage,” she concluded.

Lorencia believes that as they move forward in life, the CARD SME Bank will be there to help them achieve greater dreams with courage.