Rolling Stone

I read an article in Inquirer this morning. Thought I can get something from it.

This was written by Michael Q. Orquejo, 26, is a research assistant at the University of the Philippines Visayas.

WHEN I was in college, I believed that dreams could easily be reached from a skyscraper. Back then, my idea of prosperity was to get away from the scorching heat of the sun and the mud of the barrios. Thus full of enthusiasm and hope, I immediately left for Manila after receiving my priceless college diploma. I left my sleepy hometown of farmers, fishermen and vegetable peddlers to look for the proverbial greener pasture elsewhere.

I took a boat to Manila in May 2007, hoping to land a good-paying job in the big city. I was immediately thrilled and mesmerized by the skyscrapers along EDSA. I searched the classified ads as soon as the bus arrived at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City and had my first taste of the bitter truth when I saw the employment ads. Most companies were hiring accountants and business graduates. I felt alienated. I had finished sociology in college. I was trained for social science research. It seemed that I had no place inside a skyscraper.

But I saw that several companies were hiring call center agents. One just had to speak fluent English to be hired. I took my chances and tried to disguise my Kinaray-a accented English to pass the oral exams. Luckily, I was hired by the human resources personnel who believed in learning curves.

In June that year, I started working inside a skyscraper. It was quite close to what I was aiming for. I was working several floors above the ground and a little closer to heaven. I thought that I was on my way to realizing my dreams.

I was wrong. My body could not take the punishment of working the graveyard shift. Several irate calls from customers in the United States every night made things worse. I decided that working in a call center was not my calling and a skyscraper was not my ladder to success.

When I learned that one of my college professors needed a research assistant, I immediately expressed interest in the job. She called me and I was hired. I resigned from the BPO company in Ortigas on the same day.

My brother, who was (and still is) working for a multinational BPO company, disapproved of my decision to resign. He said I was like a rolling stone which would gather no moss. A job in the city paid higher than employment in the province, he reminded me.

I just shrugged and told him I hated moss. I left Manila in July of the same year and was back in our place with the scorching heat and the mud.

As things turned out, my work as a research assistant has given me a sense of purpose and value. My job takes me to places I have not dreamed of going to. Under the heat of the sun, I trudge to far-flung barrios. Under heavy rains, I hop from island to island. My job is never boring. It is not monotonous like a day job in the city. It is very challenging.

My most memorable experience so far happened in a remote barrio up in the mountains of Antique which we reached only after several hours of hiking. The weather was bad when we made the trip. We had to walk through heavy rain and strong winds and climb steep slopes to get to our destination. When we arrived at the barangay center, people flocked to us. They offered steamed kamote and gabi, and apologized that it was all they could offer.

As we conducted our focus group discussion, the whole barangay was present and listening. We gave them snacks (we always make sure to bring food to the field for our respondents), but some parents kept them in their pockets, saying they were for their kids. Some are very thankful even if what we had was just candies and cheap biscuits.

When we were about to leave, the barangay chairman insisted that tanods should accompany us.

On our way back to town, we passed through a different path, a short cut to the national highway. We passed creeks and ricefields and were greeted by people along the way. These people were farmers, whose simplicity and hospitality will touch the heart of any outsider.

All the research work we have undertaken were project-based. The job does not promise me security. It doesn’t pay for my SSS and PhilHealth premiums. And there was a time when we had no grant so that I had to go to Manila to look for a temporary job. But when another research project came, I happily turned in my resignation and packed my things.

I can say that with research, I am having the adventure of my life. There are so many things I have learned on the job. I have worked with great people. I have met interesting folks. And I learned new ideas. Most of all, I have learned to be patient and hardworking.

Since 2007, I have been involved in several projects. But I know that someday I have to stop rolling and gather some moss because I am not getting any younger.

Perhaps, my brother was right: I am a rolling stone. I just hope that as I roll, I am helping clear the path towards the development of our nation through research.