A Hong Kong expat named Frank Cancelloni related his first impression of Filipinos as “domestic helpers or singers abroad”. He even had a part-time “Filipina maid” who came to his apartment few times a week. 

          One day, he went home early and was surprised to see his “Filipina maid” sitting on his desk flipping through his books from the shelves.            

“What are you doing with those books?” asked frank in a cynical manner. 

“I used to be a professor in mathematics and physics at the University of the Philippines before I came to Hong Kong”, said the “Filipina maid” in a nonchalant manner. 

“But why a domestic helper in Hong Kong?” asked Frank embarrassingly. 

“Because I earned three times more money as a “domestic helper” than as a professor”, responded the “Filipina maid” in a sad voice. 

Frank was stupefied; he couldn’t speak a single word!  

Since then, his perception of Filipinos had changed because of their high level of education, and their humility, perseverance and the capability to adapt to any culture just to earn a living and fulfill their dreams for their respective families back home.

This is only one account among the compendiums of stories, anecdotes, and inspirational quotes from actor to visual artist, from politician to make-up artist along with the author’s rousing poems, photographs and insightful self-help essays.  

Written in simple words, but woven in elegant manner, the author’s passion and dedication to inspire both the young and the old alike is teeming throughout the pages of the book. Her honest, vivacious and youthful character reflects on every page of “Survival” as though she was just having a private conversation with her reader.  

The first ever written comprehensive guide to survivor by a Filipina writer, the book is a handy guide for young readers to journey in finding their meaning and purpose in life. It is not simply a self-help guide, but it also explores how to unleash one’s power, inner freedom, and creativity as a survivor amid the complexities of the pot-modern Filipino Society.   

A successful entrepreneur and writer, the author is one of the founders of F*ART or Fashion and Art that provides a place for young and emerging Filipino visual artists and fashion designers, and has become a regular venue for performance art, music, spoken word and performed poetry. 

Genevieve “Viva” Andrada obtained her degrees on Radio Broadcasting in Toronto, Canada, and her Mass Communication and Master in Entrepreneurship in the Philippines.  

To sum, at the end of the book the author said: “What do actors, journalists, beauty queens, singers, dancers, students, doctors, lawyers, politicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, teachers, priests, nuns, leaders have in common? What do we all have in common?” 

 “We all have one life to live and we all can learn from each other!” 

          The book “SURVIVAL: Unleash Your Inner Survivor” is already available at the local bookstore.

© Danny C. Sillada

Danny Sillada is a poet, painter, musician, philosopher, critic and performance artist from Mindanao.