Marlyn Flores Castro, a Filipino expat, will always remember the day she and her 11 siblings were evicted from their family home in Pampanga, Philippines. Determined to ensure her siblings would never be homeless again, she vowed to provide each of them with a home. 'We have experienced homelessness, and I made it my mission to ensure my 11 siblings would each have their own house and lot,' said Castro, who is the fifth of the siblings. 'I decided that acquiring real estate would be my priority once I started working.'
Castro's journey to fulfill her promise began in Dubai, where she arrived in 2005 and secured a job as a secretary and officer-in-charge at a cargo company, earning Dh1,000 a month. Despite facing financial hardships, including not receiving her salary for five consecutive months, she persisted, juggling multiple jobs and side hustles to support her family back in the Philippines. By 2008, she had made her first real estate investment, purchasing a lot in Angeles City, Pampanga, which she paid off over five years.
In 2014, Castro ventured into entrepreneurship, launching her own logistics company, which quickly expanded and included a satellite office in the Philippines. Her success in business allowed her to start buying houses for her siblings in 2021. By 2023, all 12 Castro siblings had their own homes across various locations in Pampanga.
Castro's philanthropic efforts also extended to education, as she established a scholarship program to support working students, believing in the power of education to transform lives. 'Success is when you make others successful too,' she said, reflecting on her journey from hardship to empowerment.
