In an economy where raising a family often feels like a relentless act of sacrifice, one father’s journey stands out as a testament to resilience and dedication. Charly Rivera, a father of four and a BIDA Fiber agent, exemplifies the trials and triumphs of providing for his family against all odds.

Charly, along with his wife Jonalyn, navigates the challenges of modern parenthood with unwavering determination. Despite facing numerous obstacles, he remains committed to ensuring a better future for his children. “Mahirap talaga maging tatay. Dati nag-guwardiya ako tapos gumigising ako ng 4 o’ clock para pumasok. 7:00 AM ang pasok ko; Pagdating ng hapon, out ko naman ay 7:00 PM. Dumarating kami sa bahay gabi na rin. Medyo mahirap talaga. Sakripisyo talaga sa trabaho para sa pamilya (It’s really hard to be a father. I used to work as a security guard and had to wake up at 4 o’clock to get to work. My shift started at 7:00 AM; in the afternoon, I finished at 7:00 PM. We would get home late in the evening. It’s really tough. It’s truly a sacrifice at work for the family),” Charly shared, reflecting on his past struggles as a security guard.

At 51, Charly is no longer in his youth. The years of standing and roving as a guard took a toll on his health, leaving him with an untreated infection for two years. “Nagduduty kami sa gabi tapos sa araw may training. Natatakot ako magtanggal ng sapatos kasi ma-pepenalty kami. Bawal magtanggal ng sapatos. Naipit yung ugat sa paa ko, nangingitim pala yung ugat at di ko napansin. After two years, kumikirot na. Namaga siya at pumutok yung sugat habang naka-duty ako (We were on duty at night and had training during the day. I was afraid to take off my shoes because we would be penalized. Taking off shoes was not allowed. A nerve in my foot got pinched, and the nerve turned black without me noticing. After two years, it started to hurt. It swelled up, and the wound burst open while I was on duty),” he recounted, illustrating his dedication despite his health challenges.

Jonalyn, Charly’s steadfast partner, began her journey as a Converge agent in 2017, selling its cable internet products before the introduction of Converge’s flagship fiber-based postpaid services. “Wala pang FiberX na 25 Mbps, andiyan na ako. Yung Converge product na may kasamang cable, 5 and 10 Mbps, nagbebenta na ako noon at kasama ko si Charly (Before there was FiberX with 25 Mbps, I was already there. When Converge had products with cable, 5 and 10 Mbps, I was already selling those with Charly),” Jonalyn said.

Charly juggled his responsibilities as a security guard with his new role as a Converge agent, often working tirelessly around the clock. “Ang ginagawa ko kahit nasa duty ako pag-uwi ko, lalo na pag panggabi ako, kinukuha ko yung address kay misis para pick-upin ko siya sa umaga. Nagpipick up ako ng client, nag-aarea, tapos tinuturn in ko na sa team leader ko yung benta tapos pahinga nang onti, tapos pasok uli panggabi (What I did, even when I was on duty, was to get the address from my wife when I got home, especially if I had the night shift, so I could pick her up in the morning. I would pick up clients, cover the area, then turn in the sales to my team leader, rest a bit, and then go back to work for the night shift),” he described.

The couple’s perseverance began to pay off when they started with Converge. Charly continued his security job but found financial relief and better work hours through his role as a Converge agent. “Simula noon guminhawa na rin talaga kasi medyo kumikita na kasi:may trabaho ako at asawa ko may trabaho din. Tapos nakakabili na kami ng gamit. Yung bahay namin napapagawa din. Yung mga anak ko, medyo guminhawa sila kasi kumikita naman kami sa trabaho kaya sakripisyo talaga para may pagkukuhnan kami talaga (Since then, life has really improved because we started earning more: I had a job, and my wife had a job too. We were able to buy things and renovate our house. Our children’s lives also got better because we were making money from our jobs, so it was truly a sacrifice to have a steady source of income),” Charly noted.

While Charly’s experience may be more arduous than some, every father’s journey involves its own form of sacrifice. Whether dealing with a demanding schedule or striving for a comfortable lifestyle, fathers everywhere make significant efforts to build loving homes.

At the heart of Charly’s story is his boundless love and devotion to his family. “Mahal na mahal ko ang mga anak ko. Misis ko, mahal ko yan. Hinihingi ko lang sa kanila na mag-aral silang mabuti (I love my children very much. I love my wife, too. All I ask from them is to study hard),” Charly expressed.

Converge’s BIDA postpaid fiber plan, the most affordable in their lineup, has become a vital part of many households. Now present in over 95% of provinces and municipalities where Converge operates, the product boasted 90,000 subscribers by the first quarter of 2024.

Charly Rivera’s story is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices and unending love that define fatherhood. His relentless pursuit of a better future for his family encapsulates the essence of what it means to be a hero in everyday life.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert “Bob” Reyes is a technologist, an ICT Consultant and Tech Speaker, a certified Google IT Support Specialist, and an Open Source advocate representing the global non-profit Mozilla (makers of Firefox) in the Philippines. Bob is a Technology Columnist for the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation and an aviation subject matter expert contributor for Spot.PH.

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