Dubai: Evicted from family home, Filipino expat buys houses for each of 11 siblings

When she came to the emirate, her first job earned her a salary of Dh1,000 a month — but she kept going until she was able to start her own business

By Jojo Dass

Published: Fri 26 Jul 2024, 4:14 PM

Last updated: Sun 28 Jul 2024, 9:04 AM

Filipina expat Marlyn Flores Castro would never forget the day she and her 11 siblings got evicted from their family home in the Philippine province of Pampanga. So she promised herself, her brothers, and sisters that one day, they will all have roofs over their heads.

"We have experienced how it was to be homeless, and so I took it upon myself to ensure that my siblings, all 11 of them, will have their own house and lot," said 45-year-old Castro, fifth of the brood. "I told myself I’d prioritise the acquisition of real estate property once I get a job."

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Thanks to the opportunities Dubai had opened for her, she was able to keep her promise.

Losing their home

While it had been decades since they lost their home back in the 1990s, Castro said the struggle they had to go through stuck with her.

Their home was built on a private lot that wasn't in their name, so when the land owner came in, they were forced to leave. They had to live with relatives but no one was willing to take them in for long. “We lived in my grandmother’s house. But really, who could take in all 12 of us for good?” she said.

At some point, they were able to find a 100sqm home worth only Php70,000 (Dh4,400), where all 12 of them lived.

From the age of 14, Castro worked at a restaurant to support herself through school.

“I came from a financially challenged family. My parents had a hard time sending all of their children to school. So, I needed to find ways for me to finish my studies through scholarships,” said the expat, who managed to earn a degree in business and finance.

Dubai life

Castro flew to Dubai on March 31, 2005, on a tourist visa and got a job as secretary and officer-in-charge of a care box cargo company. She used to earn Dh1,000 a month plus some allowances.

“My journey as an expat started as an ordinary logistics employee for nine years. I juggled my time with work and several side hustles like food catering and as a part-time travel agent," she said.

"I have experienced not receiving my salary for five consecutive months, but I pushed on. I had to keep making money because my family back in the Philippines was counting on me."

She kept looking for jobs to bump up her salary until she started earning Dh9,000 a month.

By 2008, Castro has made her first investment in real estate. “I managed to buy a plot at a subdivision in Angeles City (Pampanga), payable in five years, during my days as an ordinary employee,” said Castro.

She finished up the payments and in 2018 was able to have a three-story house constructed on the lot. “It was my dream house,” Castro said.

A regular income of Dh9,000, however, wouldn't be enough to build 11 more houses, so she kept going.

Starting a business

Castro worked in three logistics companies in a span of nine years, allowing her to master the trade. She finally quit her job and opened her own company with a business partner in 2014.

“I decided to operate a business, particularly a balikbayan box company because of my nine years’ expertise in the industry. I knew then that I could only help my family and other people if I will be a successful businesswoman,” she said.

Her strategy was simple: Grow the company and things will fall into place. It worked.

The company’s development was “rapid,” Castro said. “I didn’t spend my income on things I didn’t need. I saved my money and was always on ‘Investing Mode.’ I lived a very simple life. No luxury. I kept trying my best to make my salary an investment fund."

The expat procured delivery trucks in the Philippines and sub-contracted an agent in 2016 “so that profits from the UAE company’s operation can generate income, aside from the business enterprise’s expansion in the UAE itself,” she said.

By this time, the company was in full throttle, having a satellite office in the Philippines to support operations of the Dubai-based logistics enterprise by managing the distribution of the care boxes in the entire country.

Aside from this, Castro opened 15 franchised outlets of a popular, international doughnut chain in Pampanga.

Promise kept

Around this time, too, Castro focused on delivering on her promise to her siblings. And by 2021, she was already buying houses for them.

“At first, the properties I was acquiring, which was per unit, was not really expensive. Most of them were houses and lots that I bought at the former (Mabalacat) resettlement site (whose owners were awarded land titles and eventually sold them). I also bought two in an (Angeles City) subdivision.

“The only ones constructed were mine and that of my brother’s. It’s difficult and costly to build a house of your own and it takes almost a year to complete construction,” said Castro.

By 2023, all 12 of the Castro siblings already have their own houses across Pampanga – in Mabalacat, Angeles City, Floridabanca and Magalang.

Her business partner retired last year, leaving sole ownership of the company to her. Altogether, the diversified group of companies employs a total of 400 staff – 140 in Dubai and 260 in the Philippines.

Charity work

Mindful of her humble beginnings and the plight of working students, Castro has also launched a scholarship programme.

“I believe that all of us have our own talents, skills and ability to succeed in life. I also believe that success is when you make other people successful, too. Having a scholarship programme is one of my biggest dreams and it is one way of giving back to the community and sharing God’s blessings," she said.

“Helping others makes me feel happy and fulfilled. I am just an instrument of God."

So far, two beneficiaries have finished college through the programme. There are currently 15 recipients across the Philippines and eight in the UAE, all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Those in the Philippines were taking up courses in criminology, agribusiness, computer engineering, biology and secondary education, among others. A number of the recipients also work at the company that Castro runs.

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