Dubai-based school bus assistant who earns Dh1700 now a proud owner of house and lot

Even if her salary was only AED 1700, Arlene Bangayseso was fully committed and ready to start her investment and pour out almost 75% of her monthly earnings to fund her house and lot.
Bangayseso’s story of success was first shared during the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition (PPIE), the biggest, longest running and most trusted Philippine business and investment forum in the Middle East. Now on its eighth edition, PPIE will be held this coming April 10-11, 2020 at Crowne Plaza – Sheikh Zayed Road.
Interested participants can register for free here: https://events.ppie.ae/register/
Bangayseso who hails from Cavite is a school bus assistant based in Dubai. Before landing her job at the school she used to work in a construction company during her first three years when she began working in the country in 2008. Even though her company wasn’t doing well, Bangayseso was given a chance to look for another job as her company renewed her visa months before it expired. “Binigyan nila ako ng chance maghanap ng trabaho hanggang makahanap ako ng trabaho kaya nila ako ni-renew,” explained Bangayseso.
She started investing in 2013 when she had to pay a lump sum of Php 126,000 to begin paying for her house and lot. When asked how she was able to manage paying the lump sum, she said: “Php126,000 – May paluwagan akong AED 5000, so Php 60,000. So half ng equity na yun is 1 year to pay siya so Php 6,000 siya.”
However, she was a bit worried when she saw the monthly amortization. “Ang nakakatakot is yung nakita ko yung monthly amortization ko na Php 10,500. Ang sweldo ko na nun ay AED 1700,” said Bangayseso.
In order to make ends meet, Bangayseso had to do some part time work to fund her daily living expenses as she worked here in the UAE. But even though she had rough days, she never forgot about her family back home: “Yung sweldo ko kasi, 75% sa property. Yung iba naman po, may tinutulungan po ako kapatid. Hindi po ako nakakalimot magbigay sa mga kapatid ko kahit papano. So yung konti, pambayad ng internet dito, pambili ng gas at kung ano pa po.”
Perhaps the best lesson Bangayseso can share about what she learned was for OFWs to avoid overspending while they’re here in the UAE. “Ang lesson po na matututunan natin dito sa abroad, wag tayong maging maluho. Kasi hindi tayo dito permanente. Lahat tayo nagpunta dito para magtrabaho para sa pamilya natin,” said Bangayseso.
As a message for fellow OFWs who are planning to invest in property, Bangayseso said to make your dreams of getting your very own home a reality. “Napakaimportante sa bawat tao, sa bawat pamilya na may tahanang uuwian. At tsaka hindi naman importante na yung sweldo mo ay malaki para lang bumili sa property. Ang importante yung pangarap mo, ini-step forward mo yung paa mo. Kailangan pag nangarap ang isang tao, i-hahakbang niya yung paa niya, para marating niya yung gusto niyang ma-achieve,” said Bangayseso.