WHO can imagine that a child from a very poor family in a remote area can hit it big in life and own businesses that some could only dream of?
She is Thea Diamante, the seventh child from the brood of nine.
Thea hails from a far-flung area in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. She describes her family to be among the poorest of the poor. But this did not stop her from dreaming big and working hard for it.
“Sa sitwasyon namo sa una, need gyud nga mangambisyon gyud ka, wala kay pangandoy didto, walay mahitabo sa imong life (Our situation in the past is you really need to have a dream or else nothing will happen in your life),” Thea recalls.
Thea divided her time thoroughly so that her little body, during her elementary days, could endure the laborious world of a working student at such a young age.
Thea, who was born male before she went into the process of gender-reassignment, revealed that her only inspiration, aside from her family, was their situation.
“My inspiration is my family because, you know I came from the poorest of the poor, grabe talaga ang sitwasyon namin before, kinukutya talaga (we were mocked before because of our situation),” she narrated.
She persevered in her studies while at the same time working up until her college days, which makes it unsurprising that she finished her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Mindanao-Matina Campus in 2008.
But in between those years, there were times she needed to stop because opportunities knocked on her door and she did not want to lose it. There was one time, an opportunity to work in Japan as talent came. She stopped her studies temporarily and worked there to earn more. But she never lost sight of finishing her studies.
After she graduated, she went back abroad but this time in Thailand and China to teach English.
When she returned home, she proceeded to take a practical nursing course because she felt that is where she belongs.
In 2013, she used her new-found knowledge and skills in practical nursing to work as a caregiver abroad again, this time in the United States.
"Sa US ko na meet ang family ng mga Bachelors yung nagdala sa akin sa Europe sila yung mga foster parents ko, that’s why naka-connect ako sa Europe because of that family ilaha kung gidala in Europe, until now sila ang family ko sa Europe kaya pabalik-balik ako doon because I have my dual-citizenship na (There in the US, I met the Bachelors who brought me to Europe. They are my foster parents, they're the reason why I was able to go to Europe. They are my family there in Europe, that is why I can go back there anytime because I already have my dual citizenship)," Thea said.
But before the good things happened to her, she also experienced sleeping on the street in the US just to be able to survive and make ends meet.
"You have to find ways para maka-survive (to survive)," she said.
She also recalled her other overseas unfortunate experiences.
"Napriso ko for 14 days in Macau kay nag-expect ko nga ang agent nga nag-process sa among visa na dili fake, now pag-check sa amoa sa pulis kay gikan me nag-party, pag-check sa among visa laps na siya, naka-stay nami for 1 month (I got imprisoned for 14 days in Macau as I expected that the agent who processed my visa is not fake. When the police checked after we went to a party, they found out our visa has already lapsed and we overstayed for a month),” she said.
When she returned from abroad, she put up a salon business because for her, it is part of the identity of the LGBTQ+ community where she belongs.
She said having undergone sexual reassignment does not mean one should also change her character.
"You have to show to them that you were a good person and still are even after you have changed your gender," she said.
Aside from maintaining a business, Thea also works as a college instructor, teaching International Studies in German Language.
Her salon, Thea Diamante Salon and Spa, is already seven years and counting and two more branches are in the offing, one in Digos City in Rizal Avenue and one in Agton Street in Toril.
She also put up another beauty clinic, Aesthetica Klinika De Ya, By Thea Diamante.
"Kung naa kay mga pangandoy sa kinabuhi (If you have dreams in life) remember the Law of Attraction, work hard for your dreams and claim that you will succeed. Also do good things so that God will bless you more. Success comes to those who want it! and sometimes you have to ask yourself ‘how much do I want this’?" Thea ended. JPC