“Unsaon mani, fren? Ma-awkward man ko ani, uy!” Beaming with a cheeky smile that makes her blush even more. It was refreshing to see how one of the jolliest people in Visca could be overwhelmed by a simple interview.
Lovelyn Joy, or as those closest to her would call her, “Love,” is a senior Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (ABELS) student. With a second name like “Joy,” many can attest to her light as a friend and as a person. She can be loud, crazy, and ridiculous, just like the TikTok videos she does for herself, but that’s the thing: people love her for that. With that said, a name stemming from “Love” and “Joy,” seems to be a perfect combination, leaving one to wonder if she always has these in her life.
“Dili,” she chuckles faintly. “Unfortunately, my name does not always reflect reality, char!” While there's a belief that the names we are given foreshadow our true identities, Lovelyn Joy perfectly embodies the two words found in her namesake: love and joy. Just like how she handles life, she always has these two things to fall back on, helping her figure things out in the end.
The Girl Behind the Name
Born in Surigao City, Lovelyn Joy Palma Fernandico describes her life as a well-lived one, as she was brought up like a “Princess” as a child, having the luxury of an abundant childhood. She was the youngest of four children, and during her birth, she was originally supposed to be named “April Joy,” but her father insisted that she be named “Lovelyn” for her first name instead. The name “Joy” was later attributed to the fact that when her parents were starting out as entrepreneurs, it was also the same time that she was being conceived, and all the “luck” seemed to come into their family while she was just in her mother’s womb.
While everything seemed to be picture-perfect in the beginning, something would happen to their family that would ultimately alter her fate and teach her how life is not filled with lasting happy endings. At the young age of 9, she had to take on various jobs to support her needs. At 15, she moved to Bohol to continue her studies as a Grade 8 student, a shift that shaped her understanding of life's challenges and her newfound independence.
Adapting to a Sudden Change
It was in 2009 when their family business suddenly became bankrupt, and her family was forced to fend for themselves to survive after being turned upside down. The shift in their lifestyle happened almost instantaneously, but it was more confusing for Lovelyn since she had very little to no idea how to understand what the problem was, even affecting her in places such as school, which turned out to be one of the earliest times that she knew the extent of what was happening.
“Wala nay makigduwa naho. Tapos bully-bullyhon ko nila kay wala na daw mi kwarta, ingana. Daghan daw mig utang, pordoy na. Wala pa kayko nakagets ato na time pero makafeel ko, especially para sa ako parents, it was a dark time for them kay daghan giatubang na challenges,” she recalls.
She remembers her mother waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare puto-cheese, a delicacy made especially for breakfast, but it wasn’t for them to consume; rather, it was to be sold at the market. One of her earliest jobs was to usher in local-based lottery games in their community, not having to think of saving face because they’d rather deal with shame instead of going hungry for the coming days.
“Nag-usher ko sa swertres before, sa mga taya-taya ingana, para lang naa mi pangastos; pangkaon lang ba sa amo family,” she shares.
Their family had it all: a thriving store, several leases, automobiles of all sizes, but what seemed like everything had to be eventually sold to manage their financial troubles and eventually pay some debt.
“As a child, I learned how to survive. Mga nine-years old palang ko, nakahibaw nako maglung-ag, magprito og ginagmay... unya that's when I realized, this is life; ingani na ako life karon,” she added.
They had to make do with what they had, and she had to put up many adjustments; from having it all to having almost nothing at all. In light of their bankruptcy, her parents decided to send her and her siblings to different places in the country where their relatives could send them to school.
This left her in Surigao until she was 14, when she decided to take a leap of faith to a new place that would soon be her home away from home, Bohol. She became a working student once in Bohol, meeting different people and enjoying a simpler lifestyle.
The Source of a Girl’s Happiness
While many find happiness in material things such as money, Lovelyn candidly says that knowing what is enough is her idea of happiness.
One thing that sticks out with this virtuous concept of joy is her faith. Being in Bohol prompted her to be religious, regularly attending Catholic mass every Sunday, which solidified her relationship with God.
Her family serves as another source of her happiness. Even though she remarked how tumultuous her relationship is with them (specifically her parents) after being away for seven years, she’s always felt close to them, and that overcame all the adjustments she had after living back again with them in Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
“14 years old ko last nakauban ako parents, mostly jud akoa to Papa, unya pagstart sa 2021, at 20 years ra ko nakabalik, so bata pa kayo ko napalayo, kay naa juy mga changes makaingon ka na super necessary jud,” she explains.
Just like most people, Lovelyn treats her friends as a secondary family and as another beacon of joy, saying that it’s not hard to have multiple friendships, but it is a blessing to find the ones who will be with you through thick and thin.
“Daghan kog friends, pero kung magkalisod ka, makit-an jud nimo ang tinuod na amigo, kay sila juy di mamiya nimo in the end,” she says.
Becoming ‘Joy’ Herself
For many people, Lovelyn is known as the life of the party, and those who know her fondly take her as their “happy pill,” but it was not always like this.
“Kadtong bata pa ko, kailangan pa nako sila taga-tagaan og foods para makigduwa sila nako kay di man sila makipag friends sa ako kay anak daw kos datu,” she laughs.
Despite all this, Lovelyn has never failed to become joyful as a person, which she attributes as something natural that exists in her being.
“Di jud ko makabantay na ingana ko na klase’g tawo, kay makafeel pa man kog sadness. I feel lonely sometimes, I question myself… like that. But, I’m always like…positive sa mga butang, kay lisod na gani ang life, what more if lisod pa sad imo gipang huna-huna, diba?”
Lovelyn feels that her energy and presence are enough to make everyone smile, and she knows the value of bringing joy to others, making her the perfect companion that one can turn to in times of need. She can be a class clown and an all-round entertainer, but ultimately, she’s the kind of friend that does not want others to feel left out, and that if she feels happy, everyone around her should too.
“I once had a friend who told me she felt happy na nakaila siya naho, kay bisag daw wala koy buhaton, mukatawa ra siya. Murag boang, pero malipay ko ana na thought kay that means na my presence alone is enough, and di baya na matumbasan og kwarta, and ganahan ko na murag, when it's enough, okay na jud siya, happy na, ganon,” she elaborates.
Getting an Education to Secure a Future
At the height of the pandemic, Lovelyn had to halt her studies for a year because aside from the fact that they had no money to finance her education, she wasn’t entirely on board with the new learning modality set-up. By 2021, she was on edge as to whether she would continue her studies or proceed with a BPO job which she was already on-call to be trained on. She was ultimately leaning towards the job, but what made her change her mind?
“Naa mi ni Mama sa usa na kan-anan before, unya nag-ingon ko na ‘Ma, di sa ko muiskuyla, manarbaho lang sa ko kay wala man tay kwarta’, unya ingon jud siya nako after ko mananghid, ‘Ganahan ra diay ka nga wa kay mahuman? Ganahan diay ka nga permi ra ka sugo-sugoun. Unya kung di ka muiskuyla, asa man ka puniton?’”
Hearing her mother’s voice crack like that made her rethink her decision. Her sister, Ate Matet, gave her even more assurance to pursue her studies.
“Isa mig heart bisag sige mig away, isa ra jud, unya siya nagingon naho na magpadayon, bisag wala mi kwarta, ‘Mahimuan ra nag pamaagi,’ ingon siya,” she says.
When she ultimately decided to proceed in VSU, her parents’ excitement could not be contained.
She prayed to the Lord if being in VSU was really meant for her, and in the end, it was; even prompting her father to give up his life savings for her and travel miles to Baybay, Leyte to submit her credentials in person.
Life and ‘Love’ Goes On
At present, she works at a retail store in Balangiga, but she can only work full-time during long school breaks. Though she may not earn a lot from it, she appreciates the experience and the skills she gains from being a proud tindera, saying that it has taught her how to be stronger and how to honor those who make her living possible.
“As a working student, tunlon nimo imo pride kay ang mga tao na gapasweldo nimo, sila juy labaw and sila’y nagbuhi nako. Importante ang oras, unya dapat malig-on ka kay napalig-on jud ko niya (her work).”
When asked about her dating life, she remarked that she has a lot of love to give, and that she’s not aware that sometimes, she may have given too much.
“Pag muhigugma ko, muhatag jud ko, magpabaya jud ko. Naay tendencies na unahon naho ang needs sa person that I love kay… ambot ngano! Ang last relationship naho was in 2022, and na-feel naho like ‘shet, I think mao ma ni kay nagbeat ako heart’, pero, grabe jud ko muhigugma,” she says.
In the end, she’s happy with her current love life, not romantically with other people, but herself, knowing that she has fully loved herself, even being able to splurge for her needs now. With this newfound self-love and happiness, can she be able to maintain it at all times?
“Muhilak man ko, maguol man ko, but in the end, mubalik jud ang kalipay, and for sure naa na sa tanan, dili lang sa ako. Everyone deserves happiness and naa ra jud na from within, makit-an rana nato tanan”, she concludes.
With all this being said, it is evident that there is more to Lovelyn Joy than her name alone. She is not just a face and a person who is defined by her name, but it is the experiences and the struggles that make her the ‘love’ and ‘joy’ that she is known for.
Her mantra of making everyone happy while also being happy is what one can describe as the embodiment of her character and how she is viewed by others. Truly, a person with a light that can shine brightly even in the darkest of times.