JONAS grew up poor in Bacolod. He was one of 10 children raised by his father, who was a farmer. Jonas had big dreams and left for Manila to seek greener pastures.
While jumping from one odd job to another, Jonas realized that he enjoyed working in restaurants the most. His father used to teach him how to cook when he was still in Bacolod.
Jonas was already married and had one child when he brought his family to Pampanga and found a job as a janitor at a mall. Life was still hard, and Jonas struggled.
One day, Jonas saw a “Now Hiring Cooks” sign outside the Gerry’s Grill branch at the mall where he worked. He applied and prepared pinakbet when he was asked to show his cooking skills. He was hired right away and was asked to start the next day.
Jonas kept improving his kitchen skills and eventually he became Cook in Charge of the branch in Batangas. In 2016 and 2017, Jonas became the champion of the company’s annual cooking competition. It was then that Gerry’s Grill owner, Gerry Apolinario, put Jonas in the short list of his staff who would be sent to the U.S. to run the branch in Houston, Texas.
Gerry hired leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel to work on Jonas’ petition as Senior Line Cook, and in less than two years, Jonas acquired his green card.
It has been 20 years since Jonas was hired by Gerry’s back in Pampanga, and even now, he cannot believe how dramatically different his life has been from the days he was struggling in Bacolod, when he could hardly put food on the table, to the present, where he is able to provide food, shelter, and a better life for his family.
Watch this success story on an encore episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, March 24 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.
(Advertising Supplement)
