Many see company seminars as just another requirement to check off. For Jossafel Manalo, 41, area supervisor of District 6 Area 2, that’s exactly how her first Enculturation Seminar (ENC) felt back in 2009. Little did she know, that seminar would plant seeds that would one day anchor her through the most painful and challenging moments of her life.

Jossafel attended her first ENC in 2009 out of obligation. “To be honest, parang seminar lang talaga siya sa akin noon,” she recalled. She didn’t expect much, and frankly, it didn’t resonate at first—“pasok sa kaliwang tenga, labas sa kanan,” as she candidly puts it. But life, as it often does, had different plans.

Jossafel’s journey with EverFirst began in 2009 when her mother, a client of the Marikina branch, told her about a job opening. She first worked as a loan consultant at the Pasig branch but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit, left the post after just three months and pursued a role as a loan processor. A position she grew into while working across multiple branches, including Cubao, Pasig, Rosario-Pasig, and eventually Marikina. Though she received several offers to become a branch head, she hesitated, content in her comfort zone and unsure if she was ready. It was only when the Cogeo branch opened in 2018 that she took on leadership roles, eventually becoming a branch head.

Encouraged by Krizia Mae Oliva, currently the sectoral operations manager of Sector 3, Jossafel began speaking at ENC seminars. Sharing her story and insights became more than a duty; it became a mission. After speaking at around five seminars, she began to see ENC differently. Her favorite topics were The Five Elements of Leadership, Paradigm Shifting, and Competitiveness.

Between 2022 and 2024, Jossafel faced overwhelming personal challenges: her husband underwent emergency surgery, she had gallbladder removal surgery, her daughter was diagnosed with a serious lung condition, another child was hospitalized with dengue, and her mother battled breast cancer—a secret she bore alone for two years. In 2023, she lost both her father and eldest brother. In May 2024, her mother passed away, just a day after Mother’s Day. Amidst grief and the weight of her responsibility as a daughter, a wife and a mother, she also needed to be present as a leader, knowing that the Cogeo branch was striving to win a contest at the time.

Through it all, Jossafel stood firm—anchored by the ENC lessons that had taken root in her heart and mind. “Ang laki ng naitulong sa akin ng ENC,” she shared. The hardships she faced revealed that the lessons from ENC were no longer abstract concepts—they had become lived experiences that shaped her resilience and defined her leadership.

During those challenging times, Jossafel applied two essential lessons: competitiveness and maintaining a positive attitude. “May mga pangyayari sa buhay na hindi magaganda, pero dahil sa ENC natutunan ko ang pagkakaroon ng positibong pag-uugali at pananaw,” she shared.

Jossafel’s story is a testament to the transformative power of Enculturation. What began as a required seminar became her personal compass—guiding her through life’s toughest storms.