Barrio Siete Highlight: Mang Mando
Amando M. Rama hails from Rizal, Escalante, Negros Occidental. Growing up in the Visayas, he finished high school with the combined support of his parents, grandmother and uncles and aunts. He took up Accounting in Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila. He supported himself with two jobs which eventually helped him earn a BSBA degree.
Mang Mando, as he is fondly called by the Northeast Ohio Filipino Community started his career as a janitor for EG Aguilar Accounting Firm in Bacolod City. He rose from the ranks of janitor to messenger and later became head auditor and personnel manager.
During a barrio fiesta in May 1978, he met Ruth Infante and fell in love. Ruth petitioned him to come to Cleveland, Ohio, got married and started a family in March 1979. Now, they have two grown children: Amando Jr. and Kimberly, and three grandchildren all together.
When he arrived in Cleveland, he worked as an accountant in two companies. When the companies closed down he decided that owning his business was the best option for their family. He and his wife established Sugarland Food Mart in 1986. His business is still serving the Fil-Am community after 22 years.
Sugarland Food Mart offers a list of services that caters to the Filipino needs in the area. It is a food store, a travel agency, a balikbayan box and door to door service center, and a source of business opportunity for new Filipino Immigrant arrivals and Fil-Am Retirees.
Mang Mando’s heart for serving does not stop at his business. He is willing to take leadership roles in the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, USA, Philippine American Ministry, Sta. Cruzan (Holy Cross) Inc., and Couples for Christ.
His service and compassion does not stop in Cleveland or the USA either. He has the Filipino people from the homeland close to his thoughts. When the earthquake hit and Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1990, he and the Filipino community joined effort to raise fund and help the victims. When the Leyte landslides took many homes and lives, he again called for the collective effort of the Filipinos in Ohio to help. Now, when he heard news of the devastation and lost lives of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, he collected blankets, clothing, canned goods and packed them in boxes and sent them home to relief agencies: DSWD Tarlac and Distributors of Relief Effort in Manila.
When asked how he can do so much, he humbly replied that it was not him who should be credited but the generosity of friends and the Rama families in Cleveland, Ohio.
When asked why he is so successful, he replied, “You know, success is not measured by the money you have, but by the experience, and accumulation of love from friends and family.
What is the most memorable thing about Mang Mando? His warm and sincere smile.
Here’s Mang Mando:
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mahalia is is a mom of three, devoted wife and is still traversing life as an immigrant. She blogs at Chocolateword and is currently an apprentice at a Christian Writer’s Guild. Currently based in the US, Mahalia is currently taking Creative Writing at UCLA.
“You know, success is not measured by the money you have, but by the experience, and accumulation of love from friends and family.”
Korek! Wooohhhhooo lapit na ako uwi Cleveland!!! Miss ko na snow!
yup..
kaya gustung gusto ko yung quote na “..its not about the destination, its about journey”
yung pakiramdam mo na sobrang saya mo kahit na kapos ka sa pera, yun ang fulfillment.
like yung mga banda ngaun. Hindi ganun kalaki ang kita ng isang nag babanda pero habang tumutugtog sila sa stage eh parang nasa cloud 9 sila sa dami ng nag aapreciate sa kanila
exactly.. its how you make things the way you wanted. Sabi nga din nila, “Di kasalanan ng tao na pinanganak siyang mahirap. Pero kasalanan ng tao kung hanggang pagtanda mahirap pa rin siya”
Namiss ko ang barrio siete! sobra! sobrang daming trabaho na kahit pagvisit sa sarili kong site and my fav sites di ko magawa!!!
very nice mahalia! i hope we could have some more of these stories about overseas pinoys
wow. serious journalism na ang dating ni mahalia. good job. and thanks mang mando.
wow, very article of mang mando coming from mahalia. thanks for sharing this.
i mean…’very nice article…’
this is nice mahalia. i hope hinde lang ofw ang ma-feature dito. pati mga world class pinoy talents etc. try ko interviewhin si pacquiao or charice one of these days HAHA
for me c tyo Nonoy ang pinakabuotan nko nga tiyo he’s very helpful sa tanan especially sa iyaha family members , igsoon , tiya , tiyo and other people
I love tyo Nonoy I salute you !
Believed ako dyan! yan ang noypi masikap hindi tamad sana ganyan ang pinoy lahat may pagsisikap para sa familya at sa bayan. Mabuhay ka ka Mando!!!