"Huwag kayong tatanggi sa oportunidad just because feeling niyo matanda na kayo. Sa mga pares kong may edad na, kung may maisip kayo na ikaliligaya ninyo sa mga huling sandali ng ating buhay, gawin po ninyo."
Sa edad na 62, isa si Rosula Calacala sa pinakamatandang kumuha ng Bar exams noong 2023. Ipinakita niya na marami pang kayang gawin ang ating mga senior citizen para sa bayan.
Kilalanin natin ang very wise at inspiring na si Atty. Rose sa pakikipag-usap niya kay Doc Anna ngayon sa #ShareKoLang.
Sa edad na 62, isa si Rosula Calacala sa pinakamatandang kumuha ng Bar exams noong 2023. Ipinakita niya na marami pang kayang gawin ang ating mga senior citizen para sa bayan.
Kilalanin natin ang very wise at inspiring na si Atty. Rose sa pakikipag-usap niya kay Doc Anna ngayon sa #ShareKoLang.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:05 Hello, Kapuso! I am Dr. Anna Tuazon, your storyteller psychologist at Shareko.
00:11 We asked you if there is an age limit to our dreams.
00:16 We will talk about your dreams with the 62-year-old bar passer last year, Atorney Rosela Calacala.
00:25 Good morning, Dr. Anna. Good morning to all of our countrymen, wherever the world may point us.
00:35 Thank you, Lord! Oh my God!
00:43 How did your dream of becoming a lawyer start?
00:49 I never thought of studying law when my children were still young and when they were studying.
01:00 When they were already studying, I became a vacancy.
01:05 So, every day after my children finished their studies and had a job,
01:14 I would play with my computer after I got home from work.
01:22 I thought, "For the rest of my 20 years, for the rest of my life, will I just play?"
01:31 That's what I thought.
01:33 And another thing, I am a teacher. So, I told myself, "I don't have a course that I can finish reading and reading."
01:45 That's one of the reasons why I studied.
01:51 And then I saw some senior citizens who were not busy with their lives.
01:58 And then I could help other people, especially us.
02:04 We don't have a lawyer who stays with us because they are still young.
02:15 So, they have more opportunities in the city.
02:20 That's why I thought of studying law, Dr. Anna.
02:26 But this is not your first time studying, right?
02:30 You graduated and became a CPA.
02:34 Actually, I noticed that in your story.
02:38 You had a lot of jobs, different jobs, different hats.
02:45 You're not just a mother. You're not just taking care of your child.
02:48 You also do makeup.
02:50 So, how are your... Are you still not tired of studying?
02:56 Studying is not tiring when it becomes your lifestyle, Dr. Anna.
03:02 So, every day you are seeking something to learn.
03:06 Dr. Anna, actually, I am humbly setting aside my ego.
03:14 Because you said that I am an achiever.
03:19 I think I passed all the civil service examinations.
03:24 So, I am studying those before I take them so that I can pass them right away.
03:30 So, I was curious because you said that it started with emptiness.
03:36 Like, "Okay, your children are okay."
03:39 Like, "What am I going to do?"
03:41 For you, it's unique, right? It's not common.
03:44 "Okay, I'll take the law exam." Law is one of the hardest studies to do.
03:49 And the bar exam is one of the hardest exams one can take in their lives.
03:55 So, you can study leisurely.
04:01 You can read leisurely as well.
04:04 So, how did you think, "Okay, I'll pass this even if it's hard?"
04:09 When I learned about the law course, my friend told me,
04:21 "Ma'am, you should study law."
04:23 I said, "I'm already studying law."
04:25 But, of course, she's still young.
04:27 I said, "Yes, I'm studying law instead of playing games."
04:36 I have to do it at the shortest possible time because I'm already late.
04:43 So, if I'm still playing games, my studies,
04:50 it will take me six years to eight years.
04:55 And if I still can't take the bar exam, it will take another ten years.
05:00 That's the use of being a lawyer at such age. I'm already 70.
05:06 It would be too late.
05:08 So, I did everything from day one until I took the bar exam
05:18 so that I could finish my law school for four years
05:25 and then take one in the bar.
05:27 I did everything, even praying to God right at the last minute of my exam.
05:38 I did that so that I could become a lawyer.
05:42 So, I did not waste any time.
05:45 But, of course, I have obligations, social obligations, to do with my classmates.
05:51 So, I can't ignore them when they're here in our place.
05:56 But outside, I really ignore them.
05:59 That I have done for four years.
06:02 I delegate everything to my husband, cooking, feeding him,
06:09 he drives me, everything.
06:12 So that I can do my studies.
06:18 I also have a job, ma'am.
06:21 So, my eight hours are spent in the office.
06:25 The rest of my time, while I'm closed, my eyes are open.
06:31 I'm studying.
06:33 Doc Anna, you're old but you're still studying.
06:38 So, how are you since you passed the bar exam?
06:42 Doc Anna, this time, I'm still employed at LGU.
06:49 But I'm asking for limited practice so that I can help Jones.
06:55 Because Jones is a first-class municipality.
07:01 The young lawyers, they don't want to stay there because their opportunity is limited.
07:09 Unlike if they're in the city, they have a lot of opportunities.
07:15 And so, I think this is an opportunity to serve my fellow citizens as a notary public.
07:24 Or as a litigation lawyer.
07:28 Because they can't get close to anyone else, but they go to the city.
07:34 So, I'm just there because I'm old.
07:38 I don't have a dream of going to the big cities to practice, Doc Anna.
07:47 Yeah.
07:48 That's also one of the advantages.
07:51 You took your time, right?
07:53 We matured before we went to law school.
07:56 Because when you're young, you think, "I need to earn money to be a lawyer.
08:00 I need to earn a lot of money."
08:02 Now, you don't have any pressure to do that.
08:04 My children are not yet done, Doc Anna.
08:08 I'm just thinking about having food every day.
08:14 So, we asked our fellow citizens what they think, if there is an age limit to achieve our dreams.
08:22 One of our fellow citizens said, "Age should never be a barrier when pursuing your dreams.
08:28 With unwavering determination, passion, and willingness to learn and grow, individuals can achieve their goals at any stage in life."
08:37 We have two more citizens who agree.
08:40 One of them said, "There is no age limit to achieve your dreams because your only limit is yourself. So, believe."
08:47 Even though you said that every time you open your eyes, you're studying, did you enjoy the intensity?
08:56 Doc Anna, ever since I was young, I've had a hard time in life.
09:03 So, the fact that I had a hard time in law school or anything that comes with it,
09:10 it's normal for me because I had a hard time when I was still studying.
09:19 I was able to overcome my challenges when I was younger than when I was in law school.
09:27 So, the challenges that I faced when I was older were part of being alive.
09:35 So, I think that's one of the advantages, especially when it comes to studying.
09:40 If our dream is to study, to become a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer,
09:46 or an academic, in a way, when we're more mature, older, and in a way,
09:53 you've made sure that your state of life is better.
09:58 Because if you did this when you were young, it might actually be harder.
10:03 Yes, Doc Anna. And Doc Anna, to be honest, law school is very hard.
10:10 And I always tell my children, "This subject is so hard, I can't understand it."
10:17 My children would say, "Mom, you're not the only one who's having a hard time.
10:25 All law students have a hard time. Don't worry, you'll be okay."
10:30 And then, "Mom, you got in, you got into it. You should be able to defend yourself."
10:39 I have to go on because of their push, push, push, push.
10:47 That's the good thing about being poor.
10:52 Even if they don't want you to, if you want to, and that's your ambition,
10:59 then do it because that's what you want.
11:02 I have a classmate, and my mom herself said, "You're old, you can't study."
11:08 I said, "I want to study."
11:11 So whatever they do to me, even if they pull me down because I want to study,
11:17 whatever they do, I'll really study, Doc Anna.
11:21 But my mom, Doc Anna, died before I took the bar.
11:27 She died February 14, 2023, just before my graduation.
11:33 My graduation is June 17, 2023.
11:36 So you still went through grief, right? Your mother passed away.
11:41 Yes.
11:42 That must be hard.
11:44 Very, very hard.
11:46 Because every time I remember my mom, I cry.
11:52 But I said, "This shouldn't be..."
11:55 Because our life, I have to accept that death is part of being alive.
12:03 That's what I always say. My mom, she has to go, she's old.
12:10 So whenever I think of my mom, I always say,
12:15 "My mom is also having a hard time if she's alive."
12:19 So I have to accept that she has to go.
12:22 Because for me, if that's what I always think, my mom, if she's gone,
12:30 I won't be able to do anything.
12:33 But when in fact, in my future as a lawyer, I can do something.
12:38 So I have to accept grievance as part of the challenge to become a lawyer.
12:45 Has there been a time that you thought, "Will I really finish this?
12:52 Can I still do this?"
12:54 Oh my, that's daily. While reading, I think,
13:00 "I want to do this."
13:03 All law students will experience this.
13:06 You want to do this every day.
13:08 You even laugh because, "What is this? I already did this."
13:12 So you just accepted that doubt every day.
13:19 Eventually, I accepted that's how law school is.
13:22 When I enrolled in law school, I didn't know that's how it is.
13:27 I thought it was just a master's degree.
13:29 You go in, you listen, but it's not like that.
13:32 One said, "When you're old, can you afford to travel, etc.?
13:39 So while you're still young, do what you can do because yes,
13:43 there is an age limit to achieving your dreams.
13:46 Because when you're old and you can't afford to travel, it's just a dream.
13:52 At the age of 50, people's dreams will gradually disappear.
13:57 This is amazing, right?
13:58 They were given an age limit.
14:00 What can you say about this?
14:02 They say there is an age limit, it's harder to pay,
14:06 and at the age of 50, people's dreams will gradually disappear.
14:12 What can you say about this at 62?
14:14 The best time to do things, if there is a way, resources,
14:25 is to do it earlier, the better.
14:28 Because you have more opportunities.
14:30 But for the elderly, they don't have the opportunity like the kids.
14:38 Like me, I didn't have the opportunity to have money to go to school after my college life.
14:45 I have to earn my own upkeep after my college life.
14:53 So I don't have the luxury or the extra money to go to higher education.
15:01 So, it's not the same.
15:04 So, rather than focusing on age, what I heard from you is,
15:10 when the opportunity comes, whether it's when you're young,
15:15 or you suddenly have an opportunity at 50, grab it.
15:20 The moment the opportunity is there, the resources are there,
15:24 someone is helping and supporting you.
15:27 Don't refuse the opportunity just because you feel old.
15:33 That's right.
15:35 That's right, Doc Anne.
15:37 But sometimes, our dreams, sometimes we get surprised,
15:42 because we only hear about the kids who became successful.
15:48 But actually, a lot of them are just starting to be successful.
15:52 And the successful ones, they are achieving their dreams.
15:56 Or like Atorney Rose, second career, third career, fourth career.
16:02 Right?
16:04 Most of them are in their 40s, right?
16:07 In their 40s, in their 50s, they are really committing.
16:11 We are just comparing ourselves to the stories that are just 18,
16:17 famous, just 18, like this.
16:20 We all have different paces, different speeds.
16:24 And at different ages, we will have opportunities, right?
16:30 Yes, Doc Anne.
16:32 Yes.
16:33 So we have different hearts, so it's kind of in between.
16:36 She said, you who are rich, even if you are old, you can still achieve what you want.
16:42 You who are poor, you can't achieve your dream
16:46 because even if you work to achieve your dream,
16:50 you can't do it because there is age discrimination.
16:53 That's where the restriction is on achieving your dream.
16:57 Now, Atorney Rose, when you were studying, and maybe now,
17:00 I will ask you later, how are you post-bar exam as an attorney,
17:05 did you experience age discrimination?
17:09 In law school, Doc Anne, there is no age discrimination.
17:14 They accept you as who you are in law school.
17:19 But I was just caught, my attention was caught, Doc Anne,
17:27 when they said, because you are poor, you can't achieve your dream
17:34 because after you finish studying, no one will accept you.
17:40 Being successful is not employment, Doc Anne.
17:45 What we always think is, after I finish studying, I will go to work.
17:50 It's not.
17:51 It's not employment that we should think of when we study.
17:56 We should think about how to get old.
18:00 It's not just money that is successful.
18:05 Let's change our mindset that employment is always employment.
18:10 When you get old, no one will accept you.
18:13 It's not like that. You can be an entrepreneur.
18:16 You can learn how to manage people, or how to do welding.
18:29 You don't need to be an employee to be successful.
18:35 So if we continue, we said earlier, if there is an opportunity,
18:39 let's grab it. If there is no opportunity, we can think of how to do it.
18:46 You create an opportunity for yourself.
18:49 That's what I did when I studied.
18:52 So I created the opportunity for myself.
18:55 You just wait for the opportunity to come to you.
19:01 And Athornie Rose is the proof that it's possible.
19:04 It's not easy. We're not saying it's easy.
19:07 It's possible to achieve your dreams.
19:11 And it's possible. It's not because it's hard.
19:15 You can't dream anymore.
19:17 Because the dream is free.
19:20 You can only dream if you can afford it.
19:24 That's it.
19:26 Of course, it's also realistic.
19:28 We said earlier, some people have a lot of resources, so it's easier.
19:33 Others really need to take advantage of the resources.
19:37 Go up, hustle, and squander.
19:41 You need to look for it.
19:43 Take advantage of all the resources and opportunities.
19:47 So final message, Athornie Rose.
19:50 Do you have any advice for people like you who are a bit old
19:56 who think it's too late for them to achieve their dreams?
20:03 To those who are old,
20:06 if you can think of something that you can do to make your life happier,
20:14 do it.
20:16 Don't force it.
20:19 Be realistic and say, "This is the only thing I can do."
20:27 Don't dream of things that are impossible to achieve.
20:33 It will only be stressful and heavy for us.
20:38 In the end, we will be frustrated because we can't achieve it.
20:43 It's impossible to achieve it.
20:45 We need to consider our resources, our health, and what will be the outcome.
20:52 You need to balance all of that.
20:55 If we can achieve the small things, we will be happy.
20:59 We will be stress-free and our life will be helpful.
21:07 And we will have a long, long life.
21:11 So, my dear, when it comes to dreams,
21:15 we will not be happy just because we achieved our dreams.
21:19 We will pursue them even if we haven't achieved them yet.
21:23 We pursue them even if they are small or all-in.
21:27 We will try to do it all-in or even if it's not a career,
21:33 I still want it in my life.
21:35 We pursue it.
21:36 That is happiness too.
21:38 We don't need to be happy just because we achieved our dreams.
21:43 Even just pursuing, learning new things is already happiness.
21:48 Even if it's hard and we think about it every day,
21:52 we will give up.
21:54 That's part of happiness too.
21:56 When you know you're doing what you want.
21:58 Thank you so much, Atty. Rose, for this interview.
22:02 I'm sure you were inspired by your story.
22:06 And I'm sure you can do more.
22:09 I told you, it's not the end passing the bar.
22:12 It is just the beginning.
22:14 Yes, Doc Anna.
22:16 Thank you so much, Doc Anna.
22:19 You are a great host.
22:21 If you have something to talk about,
22:24 just leave a comment below or email us at shareko.at gmainews.tv.
22:30 We're also streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
22:36 Thanks for tuning in.
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