By Jovit D. Caballero

How do you define a perfect family? Is it the traditional image of a mother, father, and children, all living harmoniously under one roof? Or is it something deeper, something that transcends roles and completeness? For this month’s featured employee, perfection in family isn’t about fitting into a conventional mold — it’s about finding love, support, and strength in the face of brokenness.

Linjay Espina, a 26-year-old Customer Insights Analyst in the Communication and Stakeholder Management Division, has a story as unique as her name. Intended to be named Lindsay, a nurse’s mishearing at birth led to her being called Linjay, though her closest colleagues affectionately known her as LJ. Growing up in the streets of Caloocan City, LJ never fully understood the unconventional structure of her family. Although she never knew her father, she didn’t feel his absence. Her mother’s unwavering love and the constant presence of her grandparents and uncles made her feel like nothing was missing. To LJ, their love was everything — she felt whole. But as the years passed, she began to sense a gap she couldn’t quite name — a longing for something more that she hadn’t realized she needed.

During her time at Libis-Talisay Elementary School, LJ became aware of a different reality — that her family was living below the average standard of life. With her mother selling ready-to-wear clothes, which LJ helped to sell door-to-door across nearby barangays, and her grandfather taking on occasional side jobs, they managed to meet only their basic needs. To support her guardians and earn a school allowance, little LJ collected bibingka from a store and sold them on the streets, using her school ID as collateral with the supplier, she earned commissions for every bibingka sold.

As a young child, many would assume that LJ might feel burdened by her father’s absence, especially during school events that required parent’s attendance. However, LJ’s cheerful and positive nature allowed her to brush off such occasions, understanding that asking her mother’s presence would mean sacrificing their budget for the next day. Despite missing out on these events, LJ focused on excelling in her academics and other extracurricular activities such as journalism and Girl Scout engagements, consistently earning a spot on the honor roll.

In high school, LJ’s mother secured a scholarship for her at Higher Ground Baptist Academy, a semi-private school that her mother personally chose after landing a better job in the corporate world. However, this period was marked by significant discrimination at school. Her class, made up of scholarship students, often felt overlooked during special events like field trips. They faced bullying from regular-paying students in other sections because of their financial struggles. Acknowledging their disadvantage, LJ and her friends focused on rebuilding their confidence by excelling academically, winning quiz bees, and actively participating in the theater club and public speaking contests.

One ordinary night before graduation week, LJ received an unexpected call from someone she believed to be her aunt on her father’s side. With no idea why she was being contacted, LJ learned that her father, whom she had never seen or spoken to, had passed away. In that moment, she was at a loss for how to feel, and quickly informed her mother about the call. As the long night wore on, LJ found herself unable to sleep, her mind racing with questions. It was then that she realized she needed answers from her mother.

During their heart-to-heart conversation, LJ learned that her parents had been on bad terms since shortly after she was born. They frequently fought over small matters and often blamed little LJ for their problems, with her father even wanting her sent to the province. When LJ asked how their misunderstandings began, her mother shared a shocking revelation: she had discovered that her father was a closeted gay man who was on the verge of coming out just before her mother became pregnant. Overwhelmed by these discoveries, LJ somewhat entered her kind of rebellious phase, longing for someone to provide her comfort. This is when she met her long-time and present-day boyfriend, Jay.

Her setbacks did not hinder her from pursuing her life goals, instead, they motivated her to work even harder for her dreams. With a talent for public speaking, she enrolled in AB Communications at Adamson University. During this time, she felt happier and more complete, as if she had finally filled a missing piece of her identity. Additionally, her mother received a promotion at work, and she qualified for an academic scholarship at her school. She also had the opportunity to improve her communication skills by participating in various interschool advertising and journalism competitions and then graduated with flying colors. During this time, her grandfather passed away, making graduation season feel like a time of bad luck for her. Although she was saddened by the loss, she found it easier to cope, knowing that she had spent meaningful time with her Tatay and that his passing was a natural result of old age.

Immediately after graduation, she was appointed as the Head of the Administrative Office for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under Special concerns Division in the office of Undersecretary from 2017 to 2019. Given the nature of her role, which involved managing both internal and international affairs, her job required her to travel frequently. This demanding schedule took a toll on her health, leading to issues like over fatigue and weight loss. As a result, she decided to take a three-month break and search for a new position. In 2019, she secured a role as a Railway Officer at the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), overseeing the general operations of LRT1 until 2021. In that same duration, her mentors motivated her to pursue her Master of Development Communication program at the University of the Philippines Open University in Los Baños, Laguna. She was then promoted to Customer Relations Supervisor at LRMC, a position that better aligned with her studies and allowed her to pursue her passion for caring for customers, much like she had always cared for her family. After two more years, she completed her masteral program and graduated as a Dean’s Lister. She also joined NLEX Corporation in 2023, where she reconnected with her college best friend, Kate Sugui, in the CSM Division.

Currently, LJ is enjoying the best time of her life — with a job she loves, a partner she cherishes, and a mother and grandmother she deeply values. She confidently asserts that she has a perfect family. Believing she can now support them, LJ encouraged her mother to quit her job, stepping into the role of breadwinner in a family of three generations of strong, independent women. Drawing from her own experiences, she notes that those who come from broken families often become the most determined individuals, striving to create the perfect family for themselves one day. Looking ahead to her future family, LJ has promised herself that she will be the most supportive and understanding wife possible, instilling in her future children the same values her guardians taught her.

Growing up without a father might seem like a missing piece in the puzzle of life, but for Linjay, it became a source of resilience, proving that sometimes, the cracks in our lives can let the most beautiful light shine through. She is a living testament that we can have a complete family even when it’s built from fragments, shaping our understanding of what it truly means to be broken but whole.

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