Looking back, I realized that I am where I am now in my career because of my education. It has opened doors for me to land a good-paying job fresh out of the university, acquired a master’s degree from my own earnings, inch my way up the corporate ladder and be promoted. When the opportunity came knocking, I packed my bags and left the country to pursue a stint abroad. Living alone in a strange land taught me some of life’s valuable lessons. I began to see the world differently through my travels to different countries. The things I have been able to achieve and the comforts I’m able to enjoy, my education have played a major part of.
Growing up, my parents always feel the need to remind us that education is the most important gift that they can give to me and to my other two siblings. I never get to grasp the full meaning of it until later on life – indeed, it is a gift that keeps on giving.
Being raised by middle-class parents who get by with just enough and from time to time can afford a little luxury, I’ve known the value of hardwork early on. The saying, “pag maiksi ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot,” has become all too familiar which I took to heart. My parents did their best to send all three of us to school. The way my grandparents labored hard and long so that my parents can graduate – even selling the carabaos in the farm when they were short of school funds.
The value that my grandparents placed on education have been passed on to our parents and now, to us. “Mag-aral kayo ng mabuti. Iyan lang ang maipapamana namin sa inyo,” are what my parents used to say. I intend to pass on that legacy to my child.
I pray that when Riri already has her dream – may there never be a chance that she has to give up that dream in place of something more convenient.
If one day, she will go to us and say, “I want to be a doctor so I can cure the sick,” we would give a reassuring smile and not mask any fears of not being able to afford the high costs of medical school. If she says, “I want to be a lawyer like my tita,” then so be it. Or even, “I want to run the family business.” Then well and good but she has to finish school first.
The sooner I plan, the sooner I can secure a brighter future for her. In this industry that I belong to, I should know that failing to plan would mean planning to fail. Investing in the right investment vehicle that can beat inflation over time is the best decision that I will make when it comes to my child’s future.
18 years from now, my one-year old Riri would be presented with options – where to go to school, which courses to take, and what she wants to be.
I dream of a better life for her which having financial security can bring. And as early as now, I have started preparing for life’s uncertainties. With AIA Philam Life’s AIA AIO plan which is the perfect insurance plan for legacy planning, I can build a legacy and a better future for my child. Get protected against 4 major risks in life: untimely death, accidents, disability, and critical illnesses. Your benefits are not affected by market risks, so you can get full protection when the need arises.
Let your love live on. Start planning for your family’s future as early as now. For more information about AIA All-in-One, visit AIA Philam Life’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AIAPhilamLife/, website http://www.philamlife.com, email philamlife@aia.com, or call (02) 8528-2000.
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