Dennis Gaviola

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17364213420041736421382021.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Karen Davila opens up about her family&#x27;s financial struggles in Chinkee Tan&#x27;s vlog. Tan/YouTube"/>Karen Davila opens up about her family&#x27;s financial struggles in Chinkee Tan&#x27;s vlog. Tan/YouTube</div>For veteran broadcast journalist Karen Davila, the challenging financial situation of her family in the past is part of the reason she became hardworking. Appearing in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEPoSE11emE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vlog of financial consultant Chinkee Tan</a>, the &quot;TV Patrol&quot; anchor opened up about experiencing financial hardship growing up, which motivated her to succeed in life. &quot;When I was a teenager, doon ko naranasan &#x27;yung pagiging gipit ng pamilya sa pera... I witnessed my parents na nangungutang,  nagsisimula ng maliliit na negosyo. Talagang &#x27;pag Pasko, &#x27;yung nanay ko bibili sa second-hand stores. All those values nakita ko &#x27;yon as a teenager and I think &#x27;yung pagkagipit sa pera ng mga magulang ko noon is part of the reason I became so hardworking in my life,&quot; she said. &quot;Kasi alam mo hindi naman kami sobrang &#x27;yaman pero hindi rin kami sobrang hirap. So ngayon na journalist ako, siyempre, mulat ako sa tunay na kahirapan ng Pilipino... So ayaw ko sabihin na sobrang hirap kami. So I always use the word, &#x27;We were broke. We experienced financial hardship,&#x27;&quot; added the broadcast journalist, saying she is still lucky because she got the chance to study in good schools. Recalling her &quot;personal turning point,&quot; Davila said: &quot;I remember papunta sa UP (University of the Philippines) kasi nagka-carpool kami or sumasakay ako ng bus. Nakatayo ako sa bus noon and ang sikip-sikip ng bus. Sinabi ko, &#x27;Lord, ayoko maging mahirap.&#x27;&quot;&quot;I remember I was maybe 18 or 19. And that something in me just--not snapped, but it was an aha moment for me that I knew I just have to succeed,&quot; she went on. &quot;I have to help my family. I have to lift them up. Dapat tumulong ako sa pamilya ko. Dapat hindi ako maging pabigat.&quot;Davila said she likes sharing her story to convey to people that poverty can be overcome through inherent strengths.&quot;So the reason I share this story when I can in universities is because I always want people to know na unang-una, ang kahirapan ay lilipas din, panandalian &#x27;yon,&quot; she said. &quot;Kasi may angking-yaman ka na--ang edukasyon ay angking-yaman, ang kaalaman mo as you say, is angking-yaman. &#x27;Yung talento na binigay ni Lord, angking-yaman. And I knew that I have those. And ambition, ang pagiging ambisyoso ay angking-yaman.&quot;

"I have to help my family. I have to lift them up. Dapat tumulong ako sa pamilya ko. Dapat hindi ako maging pabigat."

"I have to help my family. I have to lift them up. Dapat tumulong ako sa pamilya ko. Dapat hindi ako maging pabigat."

'I knew I just have to succeed': Karen Davila recalls experiencing financial hardship

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'I knew I just have to succeed': Karen Davila recalls experiencing financial hardship

ABS-CBN News

Published January 09, 2025 07:16 PM PHT

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Updated January 09, 2025 07:17 PM PHT

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Karen Davila

Chinkee Tan

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