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 For someone who considers poverty as an asset rather than a liability, how else can PAGTATAP's Obispo Gilingilak, as we fondly call him, be kept from being one of the most successful self-made Pandananon achiever?
Born in Pandan, Antique in Western Visayas, Doy Cadoy, as his friends called him, was orphaned when he was 11 years old. He grew up under the care of his Auntie Pacing Sardina and her husband Uncle Dadong. He finished his elementary education at Pandan Central School, attending the graduation ceremonies in his rubber slippers. He entered high school at Pandan Bay Institute through the sympathy of the school registrar who was kind enough to waive his tuition fees. Shining shoes, selling newspapers, becoming a construction laborer, gardener, and janitor were but some of Atty. Candari's early toils in his relentless determination to survive and to reach his dream of becoming a lawyer.
Doy Cadoy Benjamin Candari, Jr. completed his law degree in 1982 and was promoted to become the Head of Administration and Legal Department of his office. As the head, he found himself sitting at board meetings with his former office superiors who used to send him on errands including cleaning their cars. He moved on to become Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court of Negros Occidental and later as Citizens' Attorney of Cadiz City. He served a total of 22 years in government service.
At present, Atty. Candari has his private practice and owns a cottage industry with his wife Zeny in Bacolod City. He established the Philippine Negros Livelihood Development Foundation, Inc. in 1994, with the goal of transforming deserving out-of-school youth, the poor, and the unemployed to become welders, drivers, electricians, mechanics, sewers, cooks, and entrepreneurs. The foundation's mission statement is "TO LIVE WITH INTEGRITY AND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS." Training services are free, but the graduates who later become successful share their blessings by donating to the Foundation so that others may likewise be benefited. Hundreds have already been graced by such benevolence.
It is but fitting that the Candari Family was a recipient of the HUWARANG PAMILYANG PILIPINO award in Bacolod City in 2002. Of the three children, the first two are sons who respectively graduated as cum laude in American colleges with Fine Arts and Architecture and Information Technology degrees. The daughter is a Philosophy graduate and a 3rd year law student. Atty. Candari is an active church leader as First Counsellor of the Bacolod-Philippine Stake.
Atty. Benjamin S. Candari, Jr. is a lawyer and entrepreneur with a big heart. He is a shining model as one of PAGTATAP Philippine's stalwarts in humanitarian work and selfless dedication to serve the poor and the needy who, like he once was, are trying hard to survive and succeed in life.
We are proud of you, Atty. Ben Candari, our true-blooded PAGTATAP member from Pandan, Antique, Philippines.
- By Edgar R. Rodillon, Philippines
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