• DANNY DANGCALAN
She went to the school of hard knocks, embracing hardships and challenges that life threw her way, and used the valuable lessons to better her lot and that of her family.
Such is the essence of the story of Segundina Pillone-Digdigan, who refused to let poverty kill her dreams.
CELEBRATION
“Segs” – as she is fondly called by family and friends – celebrated her 80th birthday at the La Proa Ballroom of L’ Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City Aug. 3, in the presence of more than 100 loved ones, a few days after her actual birthday on July 29.
The celebration was a treat from all her three daughters: Fanny Mae Digdigan-Tanamal, who works as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois; Accountancy graduate Loura Jean Digdigan-Antolo, and Lucille Grace Digdigan, a licensed nurse and guidance counselor, now based in Ireland. Her three daughters are co-owners of FAST Travel and Tours agency in Bacolod City, with Loura Jean as the manager.
STRUGGLES IN LIFE
Segs was born in Barangay Camalobalo, Hinigaran town, in 1945. Her parents, Mateo and Adoracion, and four siblings, worked in a sugar farm in their barrio.
In school, Segs had to be absent for two days every week as she was the assigned caretaker of their carabaos in those days.
They even had to walk for two kilometers from home to school to attend classes.
In her first week in Grade I, Segs had no slippers. She also could not participate in class activities as she had neither pencil nor pad paper.
One day, on her way to school, she saw a guava tree growing in the wild, full of ripe fruits.
She climbed the tree and harvested the fruits, brought them to school, and when her classmates offered to buy some, an idea came to her: trade the fruits for pencil and pad paper. Thereafter, she continued selling guavas until she earned enough money to buy a pair of slippers.
Her struggles at an early age would soon ignite her street-smart ability and entrepreneurial skills.
OPPORTUNITIES
Due to lack of resources, Segs had only finished elementary. At 16, she had to work as a househelp in Bacolod.
But these circumstances did not dampen her hopes and aspirations.
Instead of herself going to school, she chose to finance the schooling of her two younger brothers until they finished college.
At 24, Segs met her husband, Neptalie, at the birthday party of her younger brother, Felizardo.
“It was love at first sight for both of us,” she fondly recalls.
“Neps” was into photography, both as a hobby and a source of income.
They tied the knot a year after meeting and settled in Barangay Minoyan in Murcia town.
Neps would frequent the nearby Mambukal Resort daily to find clients, who would want their photos taken.
As Segs always tagged along with him, over time, she developed an interest in photography.
This would become a pivotal moment in her life. Little then did she know that her newfound knack for photography would become a lifelong passion, earn her a full-time job for more than four decades, and help her achieve her dreams.
PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Segs’ first big client was the 3rd Infantry Brigade, based in Barangay Minoyan Murcia, in 1978.
Two years later, a bigger opportunity came for Segs. She was appointed the official photographer of the National Police Training Institute – Regional Training Center 6, based in Bakyas, Barangay Mansilingan in Bacolod City.
This big break would last for 40 years – or from 1980 to 2020. From 2020 to 2021, stringent public policies and restrictions were implemented due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Throughout these four decades, Segs had established a good rapport and a mutually respectful working relationship with the administration and management of the training center, as well as its personnel, and trainees.
“Dako gid ang kabalaslan ko sa RTC sa mga blessings sa akon kag sa akon pamilya (I am eternally grateful to RTC for the blessings to me and my family),” Segs said in her thank-you speech at her birthday celebration, gesturing to a table of RTC personnel and staff.
Segs also said she owes a lot of gratitude to Billy and Arabelle Lopue, who own the Lopue’s Color Lab. From the time she worked as a professional photographer, Segs would always go to Color Lab to have her photos developed. She has become a “suki (regular client)” there that the Lopue couple gave her a credit line so she won’t have to worry about getting all her photos developed on time.
Segs was also able to buy her first camera because Billy encouraged her to loan one from Color Lab.
Thus, Segs says, it’s basically the Regional Training Center and Lopue’s Color Lab that have helped her thrive and eventually succeed in the photography business.
Meanwhile, through Segs’ earnings at RTC and Neps’ entrepreneurial skills in managing and operating the then Mahogany Cafe and Dormitory at the back of then West Negros College (now STI-WNU), they were able to send their three daughters to college, and with Neps able to finish college, too.
When Neps got employed as a DepEd teacher, and Fanny Mae became a nurse in the US, Segs and Neps were finally able to build a house for their family near the RTC.
Aside from photography, Segs loves to cook – a hobby that she also turned into a side hustle.
Segs’ story is an inspiration to many. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
When an opportunity presents itself, you grab it hard and quick. Even better, you create the opportunities and make them happen. ||
