The story of U.G. written by Benjamin Pimentel is just awesome. I was just on the first part of the book but I just can’t stop myself from reading it. It is mainly about the story of a legendary student leader named Edgar “Edjop” Jopson and the First Quarter Storm Generation. He was from a middle class family, an Atenista, a moderate, some sort of a rightist and the number one competitor of the radicals KM and SDK. Before he entered the ‘vanguard party’ [CPP], he was the main debater of NUSP (which was then a moderate youth group)…the counterpart of the radicals’ Gary Olivar.
His journey is not ordinary. What made his life interesting is that, you can see how he and his family exerted their greatest efforts to build the first ever self-service supermarket in the Philippines and how he crashed this down just because of his realization and the feeling that he is one with the masses.
His father, Hernan Jopson, a native from Iloilo, was a survivor of the 2nd World War. He moved to Manila practically penniless. But because of hardwork, he was able to establish a small store. That was not just an ordinary store. It surpassed all the threats of bankruptcy. The store expanded and became a supermarket because of great efforts of Hernan and his wife, Josefa. The Jopson family was then well-compensated by the supermarket. From the starting capital of 870 pesos, it boomed to half a million pesos. Because of the increasing compensation, the Jopson’s way of living started to improve, as well. They moved to an exclusive subdivison, young Jopsons [Edgar Gil and Zenaida] went to exclusive schools [Ed in Ateneo grade school and Inday in Holy Ghost College (College of Holy Spirit)], Hernan plays golf, their house with maids already, family car was a Mercedes Benz and another supermarket branch near the subdivision was built.
After three years of luxurious life, everything gradually fell down. From 870 to 500, 000. Half a million to 90, 000 pesos. First time in the store’s history, it experienced bankruptcy. The Jopson couple realized that they cannot manage to own two supermarkets at the same time. Neighbors in the subdivision were also great contributors to the bankruptcy. Neighbors always buy on credit. Because they wanted to fit in, they gave most of them credit. Jopsons had a hard time getting the neighbors’ payment. Because of this, they sold almost everything–the house, the car, etc, however, the young Jopsons continue their schooling at exclusive schools.
They had no choice. They went back to Sampaloc and managed the original store which was their sole source of income. Because the family could no longer afford to pay employees, the whole Jopson family had to work as employees to save the business. Ed and Inday helped in opening the store. After school, they worked in the store as all-around employees. At very young ages of 11 and 10, they had already experienced how to lift the whole family from the ground.
In not more than 3 years, their hardwork was paid back. The family recovered from the bankruptcy. They bought a building, new house, hired new maids, etc. However, the Jopsons couple required Ed and Inday to still work in the supermarket so they will learn the value of hardwork and perseverance.
Evidently, Edjop was part of the store-turned-supermarket ups and downs. An ordinary person who experienced what he had experienced would never give the fruit of his perseverance and hardwork up easily. But Edjop, though it was not an easy decision and to think that he was even a hands-on ‘employee’ of the store, spearheaded the formation of the labor union inside it and even lead the protest against the management which happened to be his father’s management.
I’m not yet done reading the book. But whenever I have free time, I make it a point to, at least, take a glimpse on it. The book is just so irresistable. It ignites the leftist on you. It is impossible but I still wish that all the young Filipinos will be given a chance to read this wonderful masterpice of Pimentel.
Be inspired with Edjop’s journey!
Continuing the socialist struggle!
No comments:
Post a Comment