CEBU CITY, Philippines — “My father told me one time that he wanted to sleep more, but he said (that) he had to work hard in order for me to continue my studies.”
That is what 27-year-old Regine Villamejor told Cebu Daily News in 2017.
Seven years later, Villamejor, who was known to the people for being a “fisherman’s daughter” who graduated Magna Cum Laude, continues to bring hope and inspiration being a career woman and now being an “inspiring Cebuana vlogger.”
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Villamejor is not only a doting daughter to her parents but also the breadwinner of their family.
As one of the providers of their family, Villamejor chose to carry baggage that she did not want her siblings to experience.
Villamejor, the ‘Inspiring Cebuana vlogger’
Her perseverance and dedication helped support her two younger brothers in finishing their tertiary education. One is already a licensed mechanical engineer, while the other will soon graduate with his electrical engineering degree.
Even if she has landed a corporate job and is slowly achieving her dreams for her family, Villamejor said that at present, she’s still thriving and continuing the purpose of her life.
The said purpose, she believes, is to inspire and bring hope to people. This stemmed from the events that happened in 2017 when her inspiring story was shared to Filipinos.
PROUD OF HER ROOTS. Regine Villamejor, proudly displays her father’s catch. She said she won’t forget how she achieved success by looking to her family’s sacrifice as her motivation to work harder for their future. | file
Consequently, online and media publications featured her, allowing many individuals to learn about her story.
“In 2020, God reminded me of my purpose. I believe He gave me a platform to continue what I have started. That’s why I launched my YouTube channel. From then on, I became an inspiring Cebuana vlogger,” she said in mixed English and Cebuano.
It was the start of the pandemic when she launched her channel, and establishing it was not easy for her because she had to identify the branding that would reflect her as a person.
“If I do makeup content, it is not me. People have a lot of expertise, and that’s why there are also people who do food vlogs. That’s when I realized that I wanted inspiring content. I thought of my branding…That was when I launched my video, the ‘Life of a fisherman featuring my papa,’” she added.
Villamejor narrated that when people are at their peak of success, they may forget the simplest things “that matter at the end of the day.”
Be proud of your parents
She also clarified that featuring her father did not mean she wanted to use his occupation for her gain, but she wanted to feature him to remind the young ones never to be ashamed of their parent’s occupation as long as it is moral.
Moreover, featuring her hardworking fisherman father reminded her of her humble beginnings—and to her surprise, it went viral again.
Regine Villamejor with her parents and siblings. Contributed photo/Regine Villamejor
“In 2017, I went viral for being a fisherman’s daughter, but not everyone will remember that. So, I needed to reintroduce myself, and that was the way for me to continue my purpose,” she said.
Moreover, she said that she did not expect that her motivational posts on social media would save lives.
Some of her followers would randomly message her, thanking her for her posts that bring light to their darkest hours.
“From what I have learned about life, it is not to live it perfectly but to do things purposefully. You don’t exist to be perfect, but you exist to keep trying and be progressive every day,” Villamejor said.
Continuing to inspire others
Producing inspiring videos, she says, feels more like a mission.
Despite being busy with her job, Villamejor still finds time to make content for her channel, which also features her life in her hometown in Barangay Taloot, Argao, Cebu.
With her achievements at 27, Villamejor said she measures success with contentment and humility because she wants to constantly remind herself that when she reaches the peak, she would never forget how it feels to be at the bottom.
Triumphant graduate, Regine Villamejor hugs her proud mother, Mary Jane, after the graduation rites. | file photo
She said humility would inspire you to strive more when you remain grounded.
“Sometimes in life, we need to accept that God will not give everything we want all at once. When you go through a challenge, you may not understand His will, but later on, you would realize God is preparing you for a breakthrough,” Villamejor said.
Villamejor finally owned a car recently and did not imagine having one.
“I was only in the province, selling fish beside the road. Every time I see cars from their customers, I used to imagine the feeling of being inside it where your parents are the ones driving the vehicle…But God, He gave me my own (car),” she said.
Presently, Villamejor could not say she has already reached her dreams because she believes she is just starting her life at 27.
Regine Villamejor/Photo from her Facebook
Living her role as a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a confidant to those who believed and loved her allowed her to drive life with a positive outlook.
“I must stay strong. It’s not easy to be a woman…I believe strengthening myself allows me to influence others. Finding our purpose is important to help others who need us,” Villamejor said.
