Once a Tricycle Driver

Sometimes after a long, challenging week of training at BagoSphere, students from Batch 3 
would sit on a tricycle and head to the nearby Bantayan Park to watch the sunset and relax 
together. As many as 12 of them would climb onto the small tricycle and, slowly but surely, 
they would reach Bantayan Park together. It was a special time of bonding and camaraderie 
for the batch. The tricycle driver’s name was Markel Serva, and he was a student from Batch 3, too.

For many years, Markel Serva followed the same exhausting work routine. He rose up as 
early as 5am to work on a rice farm– planting the seeds, irrigating the crops, weeding the 
fields, and harvesting the rice. During harvest time, Markel felt immense satisfaction when 
his rice plot produces more rice than the other plots of land in the farm. At the end of the 
3-month rice cycle, he received 10% of the total crops as payment for his labour – a small 
figure given the effort and time required, but significant enough to keep him working on the 
farm.

After spending some hours on the farm, Markel then headed to a rice mill to work as a 
labourer. Under the sweltering sun, Markel dried the newly processed rice grains, flipping 
the grains back and forth until the whole load was dried. In between his time on the farm 
and the rice mill, Markel also drove a tricycle to earn extra money, joining the ranks of 
hundreds of tricycle drivers plying their trade along the streets of Bago City. 

Together with his wife, who works as an Overseas Foreign Worker in Singapore, Markel 
endured the strain of three jobs in order to sustain his family. As his son has a medical 
condition that requires regular medication, a large part of his family’s finances are 
dedicated to buying the costly medication. Despite the long and arduous workdays, Markel 
told himself, “Because of my family, even if it is really hard, I have to continue.” It was a 
determination that would mark his future steps in life. 

Markel knew he had the potential to do more. He knew that he could do well, but he did 
not have the resources to uplift himself up. Although he was a top performer in high school 
previously, personal and financial reasons prevented him from completing his college 
education. Markel felt sorry for and even ashamed of himself intentionally missing school 
alumni events because he felt that his friends were college graduates, but “I am nothing”. 

When his father heard about BagoSphere from a marketing outreach to Negros Women For Tomorrow (NWTF) Project Dungganon members, he immediately persuaded Markel to try out the selection process. Having been out of school for more than 10 years, Markel struggled through the selection process. As Charry Luntad, BagoSphere Head of Alumni Relations and one of Markel’s trainer, recalls, “Markel’s interview was not the best - his English and comprehension were competent but not great. However, what impressed me was his determination. He was very motivated to do well, and I’m glad I took a chance on him."

                                                                       ~

Markel found the training at BagoSphere tough and challenging. The first time he used his 
desk computer during training, he was so afraid to touch any part of the computer besides 
the keyboard. He also felt guilty for slowing the class down, with his younger and more 
tech-savvy batch mates having to wait for him to complete his computer assignments. The 
challenges and difficulties faced in training were aplenty, but Markel would remind himself 
that “this is for my family, for my son, and also for myself” and press on. It was this spirit of 
determination that led Markel to voluntarily request for a supplementary class on Saturday 
just to improve his computer skills. It was also this spirit that eventually allowed a simple 
tricycle driver and rice farmer to become a regularised employee of a major call centre. 

                                                                       ~

Now a regular employee at Panasiatic Solutions in Bacolod, Markel’s transition from student 
to employee was not easy either. In his initial months at work, Markel found himself on the 
verge of quitting, after struggling with the strain of working at night, a new work culture, 
and management pressures. The only thing that kept him going was his determination to 
improve the life of his family. Even now, he only sleeps an average of 4 hours – balancing 
his night shifts with his duties as a father in the day. He also still finds his typing speed and 
computer skills requiring further improvement. Yet, in spite of these present difficulties, 
Markel loves his job and still holds on to that same spirit of determination that saw him 
through the hard times. As he states with conviction, “Never, ever give up. Have the 
courage to be determined and focused, and after a while, the strain and difficulties will vanish."

                                                                       ~

Even as Markel’s story is characterised by his spirit of determination, his heart of gratitude 
also complements it. Despite his busy work schedule, Markel still finds the time to serve 
BagoSphere as an Alumni Relations officer, attending various leadership activities and 
charting the future of the Alumni Relations Committee. When asked why he continues 
to contribute so actively, Markel replies, “Even though I have fully paid my tuition fees, 
I am still thankful to BagoSphere and want to find ways to give back. If I think of what 
BagoSphere has done for my life and my family, just paying the tuition fees is not enough. 
I want to think of other ways to give back to BagoSphere. It was the most life-changing 
experience of my life. If there is no BagoSphere, then there is no me.” 

And with this spirit of determination and heart of gratitude, Markel Serva, once an ordinary 
tricycle driver and farmer, continues to inspire the lives of those around him.

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Timothy Chua is passionate about exploring different landscapes, listening to people’s stories and forming deep, meaningful relationships in life. A rising sophomore at Yale-NUS College, Singapore, he is interested in exploring ways on how he can help the lives of others who may not be as blessed as he is.