Making decisions that matter
Life is a matter of choices. Decisions are sometimes tough to make: should you do what you really want or should you follow what people around you say is best for you?
Joel Geneta, in his 5th year Engineering course, decided to stop studying and chose to work as a driver of his grandmother’s passenger jeep in Batangas City.
“Many said I made the wrong decision because I spent four years studying then stopped. Maybe they were right at some point; it seemed my four years were spent for nothing,” Joel shared with a glimpse of sadness.
“Of course I did not stop just for no reason. Like others, it was due to financial problems. Though I knew if I strived harder for a year there will be a chance for me to graduate. Yet I was just thinking about jeepneys than my lessons in Engineering,” he added.
Since he was young, Joel dreamt of owning a jeep. But in his college years, rather than to take courses related to automotive, he took an Engineering course as his mother wanted him to take it. “It was my fault because I did not oppose it and I did not tell her what course I really wanted to take,” said Joel.
“During my schooling, I lived in Mindoro with my family. After I stopped, my grandmother brought me here in Batangas City. She owned a passenger jeepney and every time her driver gets sick, I volunteered as substitute since I learned driving from my father who was also a jeepney driver,” Joel recalled.
For several years, Joel continued working as a jeepney driver, until he met Ofelia and got married. In 2005, Joel and his wife Ofelia planned to put up a jeepney repair shop.
“I wanted to remodel jeepneys that is why among other businesses, we prefer to put up a jeepney repair shop,” Joel shared.
However, things did not go as planned. Due to insufficient capital, he was forced to work in other transport services company. While earning, he saved some amount for the starting capital of their jeep repair shop. He still has hopes.
Around 2010, they tried to run their jeep repair shop again. At the time, they felt assured that it would be financially stable as they came to know CARD SME Bank an institution that provides financial assistance in the form of business loans such as microloans and SME loans.
Joel shared that being an active member of CARD SME Bank for almost eight years, he truly trusted the institution as one of his partners in growing his business. What he really liked the most about the institution is that it offers very low interest rates.
“Finishing a degree is important. However, there came a point in my life where I needed to stop and looked for something I wanted to do. I started then as a jeepney driver. Now I own the JHG Motorworks. I could say, I still made the right choice because I am happy living with my family and making my own business decisions,” said Joel.
CARD SME Bank, Inc. is a thrift bank and member institution of CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI).