The good seed

If his grandmother were still alive today, he would hold her fragile hands and pull her close to him and give her the tightest hug he could give, because—for Eli Arago—it was his grandmother and his aunt who helped shape him into what he is today—a successful man with a heart and a soul.

He would have particularly liked to have told his grandmother: “You will not feel bad with what I have become now because I have become like this because of you.”

Arago, now the vice president for Corporate Finance of Luen Thai Garment and, at the same time, general manager of Concorde Garment Manufacturing Corp., said that any success he may have achieved he owes to these two remarkable women.

Arago said his family, especially his grandmother and Aunt Juana, are his icons, having been his guides throughout his 35-year-strong career.

He said that what he learned from these two women helped him in all the challenges that he has faced in life.

Eli, as his numerous friends both in the Philippines and Saipan fondly call him, said he also owes his fortune to his Aunt Juana. He recalled being treated as one of his aunt’s children when she supported his studies in the Philippines. Although his aunt was very strict, he knew that she only wanted the best for him, to strive harder in order for him to achieve and reap all the rewards in life.

He recalled living with his aunt and grandma, where he tended their little swine and poultry farm in the backyard of her grandmother’s house in Batangas, a province south of Manila. “I remember I would feed the pigs and the chickens when I get home from school,” he said.

His aunt would always remind him of realities in life and Eli said these words of wisdom have remained with him up to this time.

One that stuck was, “It’s not what you earn but it’s what you save that counts,” he said, elaborating that, even if an OFW earns, for example, $3,000 a month, if his spending is worth $4,000, then that man will remain poor. He added that it’s the savings that matter, especially if one works outside his or her home country.

Another aphorism that remains: “Better to quarrel during the borrowing of money rather than during paying time,” he said.

Another advice he still remembers is that one should just remain quiet rather than say something bad against people.

Eli said these pieces of advice had a huge impact in his life. He added that material things should not rule someone. “It is not the most important thing in life but the honor, the self-esteem that you get from being true to yourself.”

APPRECIATION PARTY

Last month, Eli threw a grand party for his Aunt Juana, who turned 90 this year. He booked his family in one of the finest hotels in Batangas and invited over 300 guests composed of friends and relatives to give honor and appreciation to the hardship his aunt went through just to make ends meet.

“I come from a very poor but decent family,” he said.

Eli is the sixth among nine siblings. He said his parents had to entrust him to his aunt and grandma just to make ends meet when he was young.

Eli, who has remained single and free spirited, has supported 19 of his nieces and nephews in the Philippines and six of them are still studying. He said that, as an uncle, he feels that helping his family and their children rise above difficulties has always been a fulfillment for him.

Some of his nephews and nieces have already graduated from college or vocational education. One of his nieces is now in New York and one in New Zealand. A nephew is in California while two of his nephews have joined him here in the CNMI.

“I’ve always wanted to help uplift the standard of living of my family.”

‘BAGONG BAYANI’

Filipino organizations here in the CNMI have always had a high regard for Eli. He would always be invited to several functions to provide an inspirational speech or to just help out these groups.

He said he has always been very sincere in dealing with people, and that must have been a factor why these groups love to share their time with him. He added that being honest to himself and to others has also opened doors for him.

It has been Eli’s principle to help the needy around him. He said that helping the less fortunate is something he wouldn’t give up

This compassion has resulted in Eli being nominated and awarded in 2000 as one of the Top 10 Outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers, a recognition spearheaded by the Philippine government. Eli received his award at the Malacañang Palace in Manila.

“There are over seven million OFWs in the world and being honored as one of the top 10 was truly an honor and achievement,” he said, adding that he was very excited to have received that award. “It’s God’s will and intervention that made it all happen.”

Eli said that, due to his hectic schedule, he hadn’t had the time to join any other Filipino groups in the CNMI except for the Filipino-American Lions Club.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Before he came to Saipan, he worked for 10 years with one of the biggest banks in the Philippines, the Philippine National Bank. He started as clerical guide but left the bank as management accountant with a rank of assistant manager.

Eli celebrated his 20th year with Tan Holdings last January and he said he is grateful for the wonderful years the company has given him. He said being one of the pioneer employees of the still growing group of companies has been an honor and a fulfillment for him.

A cum laude graduate of BS Business Administration at the University of the East in Manila, Eli has been an achiever all his life, a constant awardee at Tan Holdings and an inspiration to the Filipino community.

As for any advice he may have to somebody new on the island, it would be to urge them to be “natural and be yourself.” “Don’t window dress yourself. You have to immediately tell and show people around you who you are and who you are not.”

He said one must also possess a good business acumen, to think “business” all the time.