Pinay teacher touched by a Good Samaritan in Los Angeles (page 2)

Living in the poorest barrio called "Sukol, where running water is a precious commodity, her family lives in a two-bedroom house devoid of normal amenities.

While her retirement as a public school teacher for many years, estimated to about P600,000 (pesos) (about $13,000), is being processed, she has already borrowed about half of it from many people and the government.. "I have already used up half of my retirement which went to my medicines and food for my family," she sadly recounted.

She is poor now, but she was much poorer when she was growing up. Her father was a musician who was employed only sporadically as a brass band and rondalla conductor. He could not send Nene to high school, but with determination, Nene worked as a helper-custodian at the Hagonoy Institute and was paid only P20.00 a month that she used as tuition till she graduated in 1962.

After high school, the ambitious Nene enrolled at the Manuel L. Quezon University to become a teacher. She co-founded the MLQU Glee Club for which she enjoyed partial scholarship. With lots of hard work and perseverance, she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Education in December, 1965.

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