I'm Niño Rico B. Lucas was born in 31th of October year 2002, at his hometown: San Fermin Cauayan City, Isabela

When I was just 2 years old, my mom went abroad, and I was left with my dad. Life was tough back then because my mom wasn’t around. My dad worked as a bodyguard, and he would come home late. Sometimes he wouldn’t come home until early in the morning, or not at all, so I would stay with his siblings, especially with Auntie Susan. Auntie Susan was the eldest among them. She took care of me whenever my dad wasn’t around. She fed me, and I would ask her for money for snacks or to play at the computer shop. Sometimes, I’d eat with my dad’s brother if Auntie Susan wasn’t available. My uncle and aunt lived close to us, so I stayed with them when my dad wasn’t around.

Back then, my parents communicated through pictures with messages written on the back, which my dad would send to my mom. Facebook wasn’t a thing yet, and my dad didn’t have a cellphone at that time. Growing up without your mom is difficult because that’s when you truly feel the hardships of life. My mom returned home for the first time when I was 7 years old. I was so happy because she bought me things I had only envied from my cousins—new toys, clothes, shoes, and delicious food that I used to only taste when shared by neighbors or my aunts. That’s when I realized how hard it was to grow up without my mom. But we were happy because my mom and dad were together again.

Soon after, my mom had to go abroad again to work. Once again, I was left with my dad. I was a naughty kid, always getting scolded and punished. I was skinny and dirty back then. I went to school, and my dad would give me 20 pesos for allowance before heading to work. In the mornings, either my dad or my aunt would prepare me for school. One time, a classmate asked me for some of my ice candy, but when I didn’t give him any, he stabbed me with a pencil. My classmate Jolo stabbed me in the arm, and I immediately ran home to tell my dad. I explained what had happened, and my dad went to my school to confront Jolo. When he entered the classroom, he taught Jolo a lesson, and after that, no one bothered me again.