Ailyn Cayanan: The modern-day Sister Act spreading hope everywhere

The Manila Times

Ailyn Cayanan: The modern-day Sister Act spreading hope everywhere  Sister Ailyn, a Salesian Sister, may seem like another ordinary nun, but her energy and passion for helping others truly sets her apart. Similar to the beloved movie character Sister Act, Sister Ailyn is always on the go, spreading hope and inspiration wherever she goes. Whether she is giving talks on agriculture farming to young students or lending a listening ear to farmers in need, Sister Ailyn's boundless energy knows no bounds. She travels often to various locations, always ready to reach out to those in need of guidance and support. She embodies the true spirit of a nun, dedicated to serving others and making a positive impact on the world.  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe   Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net   Subscribe to Business Franchise Guru: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessFranchiseGuru   Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #philippines #entrepreneur

Transcript

00:00The Business Mentor Talks is vlog by no other, Armando Buts Bartolome, in cooperation with

00:14the Manila Times.

00:15It aims to bring to life and recognize entrepreneurs who constantly strive to create a living for

00:21the community as well.

00:51Listen to the Business Mentor Talks with Buts Bartolome.

01:15This again is Business Mentor, this is Buts Bartolome.

01:18Thank you for joining us this Sunday.

01:19We have a very, very interesting topic today and we're going to interview a sister and

01:26yet she's involved with farmers as well as always on the road.

01:32So to introduce to you, let me call on Sister Aline.

01:36Sister, good morning.

01:37Good Sunday morning.

01:38Good morning, Buts.

01:39Good Sunday morning to everyone.

01:40So tell us, what order do you belong by?

01:45I am a Salesian Sisters of Sage and Bosco, or we call ourselves Daughters of Merry Health

01:51of Christians in the Philippines.

01:53Yes.

01:54So Sister, what do you really do?

01:57What is your focus?

02:01You're always on the road, traveling from your base in Calapan, and you're always traveling

02:07any part of the Philippines, so to speak.

02:13My work is in, I am the Technical Director of Merry Health of Christians School.

02:18I am currently assigned in Calapan, and I am serving, because our school is an agricultural

02:26school, so we are serving the young people, the farmers, and also the indigenous of this

02:33place of Mindoro.

02:34Young.

02:35So how did you get to that focus?

02:38I mean, you're part of your apostolic work.

02:41Yeah.

02:42Actually, I am trained to become administrators of school.

02:46However, since our school is into agriculture, I studied agriculture.

02:53As I go through the process of managing our school, I came to the point that I'm already

03:00loving it, and agriculture is just like part of my bloodstream flowing in my veins, so

03:08to speak, and I'm proud.

03:10So how long have you been doing this?

03:14This is my fifth, sixth year, sixth year into the business of agriculture, and I'm packaging

03:22the agriculture in a different light, because I realized that more and more, young people

03:28would not be enticed to agriculture, because they say that it's a dirty job, it's a hard

03:37working thing.

03:40So I have to repackage it and to rebrand it into something that is agriculture.

03:48It's cool in the agriculture.

03:50Second, agriculture is a business, so you have money in agriculture.

03:55It's just how you do things properly, manage it properly, and you go into the modern, modern

04:04approach of agriculture, and also agriculture that is involved with technology, because

04:10young people are into technology nowadays.

04:13Everyone is into technology.

04:15So there are better options and better choice to treat agriculture in a different light.

04:22So how do you convince now, when you talk to farmers, and how do you convince their

04:28mindset?

04:29Because they work on the field, day in, day out, 24-7, they're faced with a lot of challenges.

04:38How do you create that hope in them, in the farmers?

04:43What is the way of reaching out to them?

04:46First, since I am a religious, they know that my sincerity towards helping them is there

04:55already.

04:56So they feel that I won't take advantage of them, because in most cases, when somebody

05:03else would say, I'll be helping the farmers, chances are they are helping themselves, those

05:09who are helping.

05:11But since I am a religious, they know that I am sincere in trying to help.

05:16Second, I tell them that it's not enough that you plant.

05:21It's not enough that you harvest.

05:23You have to go through the process of the entire business, just like planting, know

05:30the right technology, know the right approach, use modern machineries for farming, and at

05:38the same time, get into the venture of even the milling and the drying, and also the marketing

05:44of your products.

05:45So mga friends, nandito kami sa Calapan, Mindoro ngayon, ah no, Calapan, San Jose, Mindoro,

05:51and Sister and I met here because of the Youth Renewal Convergence, eto po ay isang project

05:58ng DTE, Department of Education, and also for negoso.

06:04And Sister gave a talk before the students, the grade 11 and 12 students, ano na-communicate

06:10mo sa kanila, Sister?

06:11Bakit parabang they saw, they were starstruck, so much so that a lot of the students were

06:17jumping when they called your name?

06:20Well, at first, the first question they were asking is, how come, Sister, you're a sister

06:25and you're talking about marketing?

06:28How come you're talking about business to us?

06:32So I told them that, well, my calling at this time is to make people empowered because we

06:40believe that education can empower people.

06:43And when you are educated, you can be a proponent and you can be, how would you call it, parang

06:52ikaw yung magiging para-daan, channel, a channel in order to make change possible.

06:59And that is not bad.

07:01When you know you can help people, you can help your family, your loved ones in particular,

07:07by alleviating them from poverty, it would make you, it would assure you that somehow

07:15you're putting out of a person, out of the street, and making him a good Christian, responsible

07:22citizen, kapakipakinabang sa lipunan, hindi yung dagdag tambay ng lipunan, dagdag nagbibigay

07:31ng sakit ng ulo sa lipunan, dagdag dagkakasala sa lipunan.

07:35So, it's part of the advocacy, it's part of Don Bosco's vision to become a good Christian,

07:43honest and responsible citizen.

07:45So, in order to, this is where I know that I can help.

07:50And young people were so amazed that, ah, we can have a different approach in the business.

07:59Young as we are, we can do certain things.

08:04They were all smiling when I started speaking to them,

08:09who among you here are aspiring to become millionaires?

08:16And they were all beaming, and I was saying, who among you here are hoping that one day

08:22sasabihin ang magulang mo na ikaw, ikaw anak ang nagsalba sa amin sa kahirapan?

08:30Ikaw anak, ang proud kami sayo sa lahat ng ginagawa mo.

08:34Because you know, the feeling of young people is, minsan naririnig daw nila,

08:39ano ka ba, wala kang ginagawa, ito yung ano mo.

08:43But the different type of approach that they started dreaming big for their family,

08:48for themselves, to become confident, and at the same time,

08:51sasabihin nila, pwede namang pala't posible na maging kapakipakinabang ako at may young age.

08:58Pero sister, di ba, para bang dati pag nakakita ka ng madre,

09:02okay, nakaganyan, nakahabit, para nakakaroon may gap, right?

09:06Para bang, ay, madre yan, ay, ano lang yan yung stereotype.

09:10Yeah, yeah, yeah, the strict one.

09:12Nasa simbahan, nakaluhod, at nananalangin, di ba?

09:17Pero you are trying to make that gap narrower and narrower for you,

09:23that you are part of the community, di ba?

09:26Did you ever feel that?

09:28When you began this, talking to farmers, di ba, ay, madre yan, ano alam niyan?

09:34Ay, si sister yan, ano alam niyan?

09:37You are now trying to leave that gospel, di ba?

09:41Yung sinasabi natin na you are trying to blend in,

09:45not because of my habit that I am now separated from you.

09:49Ano yung mga learnings na kuha mo dyan?

09:54One time, I was invited as a guest speaker,

09:58and I'm speaking of those in the agribusiness,

10:03those seasoned farmers, and they were saying,

10:06ha, madre, ano madre?

10:09At first, that was the field, but when I started speaking of my experience

10:15with the farmers, of my very own experience as me learning agriculture,

10:21of me approaching the business into this world,

10:25they were saying that it breaks the barrier.

10:27First, probably because of the charism that we have as a Salishan.

10:32Salishans are not the stereotyped sisters.

10:36Because we're used to deal with young people.

10:40Correct.

10:41The charisma of your founder.

10:44Yes, the love, the concern.

10:47Correct.

10:49That we can talk things na hindi tayo kailangang merong restrictions and parameters.

10:57And at the same time, they feel that I am a sister, yet at the same time,

11:01human, and they're friends.

11:04Siguro that makes them feel okay.

11:07And they started, siguro din dahil because of the aura,

11:12it's a gift that I am very grateful of.

11:15When I started speaking, people would start to listen

11:20because I speak from the heart.

11:22Correct.

11:23Second, I speak from my experience.

11:26Correct.

11:27And then whenever I stop, I listen to them.

11:30Correct.

11:31So you just don't talk and talk.

11:33Yeah.

11:34But you also, you know, you absorb what they're trying to say.

11:38Yeah.

11:39And, you know, when I talk, I don't talk normally 100% of myself.

11:43I speak about the people's experiences.

11:47Exactly.

11:48How from yung palasak na buhay, pagapang na buhay,

11:55and then eventually struggling, and then eventually coping up,

11:59and then now they are there, big.

12:02And people would start to say, ako yan.

12:06And started hoping, sana maging ako yan din.

12:10Yes.

12:11This is my life, ganito, pero nag-a-aspire din ako.

12:16And then I would like to be there just like them.

12:19So when I talk, I normally speak about my school, our school, our people.

12:26Not yourself.

12:27Yeah.

12:28You're not promoting yourself, but you're just an instrument.

12:30But anyway, sister, nowadays, a lot of people are really, you know, getting lost.

12:36Ano yung mga tatlong takeaways na you can give as an advice

12:40to people who are lost in this world, who are distracted,

12:44or people who are beginning to lose hope?

12:47What kind of advice would you give these people?

12:50Well, at one point in our life, we really feel na talagang may struggle tayo.

12:58Struggle is part of life, pero hindi yan tinatamba yan.

13:03Hindi yan, you know, nurture, so to speak.

13:08Yan ay pinagdadaanan, allow the process.

13:12Kasi bakit?

13:14Because in every difficulty, may itinuturo sa atin,

13:19there is nothing, there is no such thing as incident, coincidence, or accident.

13:28Everything happens for a reason.

13:31And even these painful experiences, it would teach us something,

13:39it would give us the wisdom, at mapagtagumpayan na natin yan,

13:43so that when we come back and look at it, we look at it in a different way.

13:48Correct.

13:49Second, when we are there, na nakalugmo, we would try to say to ourselves

13:56that we are not alone in this journey.

14:00Because God is there, accompanying us, going through us, the pain,

14:06yet at the same time helping us.

14:08Correct.

14:09And there are also people who loves us.

14:12It's just that means, kasi kapag nando doon ka, akala mo nag-iisa ka na eh.

14:17Tsaka you're blinded by a lot of things na, ay, nag-iisa na ako sa mundo,

14:21umiigot yung aking mundo, wala nang nag-love sakin,

14:24pamilya ko, hindi na gusto ko, yung mga ganun,

14:27to a point, nagkakaroon ng mental health, depression,

14:30nagkakaroon na nang to a point na they might even commit something,

14:33that they'll be sorry.

14:34Yes, yes.

14:35Okay?

14:36And I think this is the role that we also play, to give hope to them na,

14:40though we may never know each other, from Adam, but we are here to communicate.

14:46I mean, this vlog that we are now doing, is something that,

14:50that there are people also concerned.

14:52Yes, so we have to indulge ourselves in a different way.

14:56Wag kang lumayo.

14:57Correct.

14:58That's how I would always advise my counselees.

15:03Correct.

15:04Wag kang lalayo.

15:05Wag mo inlayo sarili mo, kasi the more nalilayo, inlayo mo sarili mo.

15:09Although there is this magnet that would say,

15:11hindi, nag-iisa ka na lang.

15:13Pero wag kang lalayo, kasi allow people to be there.

15:17Tsaka sister, tingnan mo, the influence of social media is so,

15:21so intense that nowadays, people should need to anchor.

15:25Okay?

15:26People should know, should decipher.

15:28Kailangan nila malaman, ano ba yung totoo ato hindi totoo.

15:31Ano yung pwede ko matutunan, at yung hindi ko kailangan matutunan.

15:35We're not just like a sponge, we absorb and absorb.

15:38Yeah, yeah, yeah.

15:39At the end of the day, we become so engrossed that we don't even know who we are.

15:43Yeah.

15:44As a person.

15:45So, yun, yun.

15:47So, sister, paano ka ngayon kukontakin nila?

15:50I'm sure you'll be the flying nun.

15:54Flying.

15:55Or the most traveled nun.

15:58Yeah.

15:59How do they contact you?

16:00Well, I have my number.

16:02Should I give my number?

16:04Yeah, sure.

16:05My telephone number is 09267426388.

16:12Again, 09267426388.

16:18And I have my FB account as well, S-R-A-I-L-Y-N.

16:24Continue yun.

16:26Kailangan.

16:27So, yeah, you can send a message, whatever it is that you would like to talk about.

16:32It's not just about business.

16:34It's not just about agriculture.

16:37We talk about life because agriculture is that.

16:40Even business is that.

16:42Life.

16:43Correct.

16:44We can talk about what you're going through.

16:46We can be friends.

16:48We can journey together.

16:50Or I will just be there just to listen to you.

16:53Or just to quiet down and know that you have a companion in your journey.

16:58Correct.

16:59Especially when you're getting lost.

17:01Hindi kayo diya judge.

17:03Just to be there.

17:05A silent companion.

17:06Or if not, I'll be praying for you.

17:09Correct.

17:10From a distance, I can reach out to you through prayers and sacrifices I can make offering for you.

17:17Because, you know, this is what we need as someone on a journey, a continuous journey.

17:24So, I am making myself available for everyone.

17:28And thank you for this time.

17:31Alam mo si sister, by the way, mga friends.

17:34Sister, pag may mga go-negotiate events, you might be looking for somebody who's wearing grey.

17:40And that's ultimately Sister Aline.

17:44Yan ang tatandaan nyo.

17:46But again, teka nga, sister.

17:48Mga kapa na yang nagsasabi sayo.

17:50Siguro tatanong, where do you draw your energy?

17:52You seem to be bubbly.

17:55You seem to be jumping from one place to another.

17:58Where do you draw your energy?

17:59Of course, who else?

18:01Hindi sa Diyos.

18:03It's God who strengthens me.

18:05Correct.

18:06But at the same time, the hope.

18:08Sabi ko nga sa mga kabataan kahapon.

18:10I'm here.

18:12I flew from Manila to here for a reason that I believe in every person.

18:18Tsaka maaga, no?

18:19Maaga and quiet, diba?

18:20Yeah.

18:21I believe in every person.

18:22And I believe that there is something good that awaits this person.

18:27It doesn't matter whether there is a hit index of 45.

18:31Yes.

18:32Mas lalo nagiinit yung mga pagbibigay mo ng hope sa mga tao.

18:39Again, sister, thank you.

18:40Thank you very much.

18:41Again, it's really a pleasure.

18:42It's a privilege.

18:45Wala naman akong plano ng interviewin si sister.

18:47But you know, I felt that sister can share a lot to a lot of millions of readers,

18:52viewers, and really give us hope.

18:55And that's a way of spreading apostolic word.

18:58Yes, yes, yes.

18:59In my own way.

19:00Maraming maraming damat, sister.

19:02So humbled.

19:03And really, God bless you so that you'll have more energy

19:06and helping millions and millions of people.

19:09God bless you.

19:10Thank you very much.

19:11Thank you very much.

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