OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental (PIA)--"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived are the things God has prepared for those who love him."

This verse is what Gladys Myr Espiga takes with her in her day-to-day endeavor to become a lawyer.

Espiga started working at the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office (DOLE)-10 as an intern through the Government Internship Program (GIP), June 15, 2015, after working for a private corporation when she realized that public service was her calling.

She was then absorbed as a job-order employee after completing the six-month program. While following her aspiration to become a lawyer, Espiga enrolled as a Juris Doctor at Misamis University in Ozamiz City.

Proving enthusiasm in the government service, Espiga was hired as Labor and Employment Officer (LEO) II, September 25, 2017 and then promoted on January 3, 2019 as LEO II.

Throughout Espiga’s employment, she was exposed to different programs of the department and was able to gauge a good balance between labor and management relations. Assimilating the concerns and plight of the workers, she realized that she could help through the practice of fair treatment.

Her opportunity to work under the GIP was perfect timing for her. She took it as her first step in advancing her career in government service.

"I started as just an intern, and becoming what I wanted to be is all that I still cannot imagine at this time. At first, I merely wanted to realize the dream of my father, and along the way, I came to realize that becoming a lawyer indeed makes me proud, satisfied, and fulfilled. I’d like to help those people who seem to get lost in our justice system. The journey was not easy, but it was all worthwhile," she shared.

Espiga's coworkers describe her as a natural leader who frequently takes the lead and manages things through her own initiative. She is capable of exercising critical thinking and rational reasoning. She is also a quick learner and works well under pressure.

Not only was her career thriving, but Espiga recently married her co-employee a month before the Bar Examinations of 2022 were released. It is believed that her beginnings are in DOLE, and all the best is yet to come in her personal life and work life in the department.

"I am beyond grateful to this office," she remarked. This has been my journey, and it has shaped me into the person that I am today. As a way of giving back, I pledge to serve the public with utmost diligence and renewed devotion. I chose to be here in the department because, if not for my work, my career and personal life would not have been as bright and promising as they are today. Thank you, Dole; to you I am forever grateful." (DOLE-10/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)