Ryan Jay Aljecersa, 23, remembers the day in 2022 when traffic enforcers waved him down on Rizal Avenue.
He was a first-year criminology student then, moonlighting as a rider for Keifer’s Food Delivery to help pay for school.
The enforcers thought his passenger was a person riding without a helmet. It turned out to be a life-size mannequin he was delivering for a client from Wescom area to a customer on Roxas Street.
“Kuwela po kasi ako. Ang ginawa ko, nilagyan ko siya ng cap. Di ko naman kasi siya mailalagay sa thermal bag. Ang laki talaga, mas malaki pa sa akin. Kaya ang ginawa ko inangkas ko na lang,” he narrated on Saturday.
The encounter, captured in photos and shared on social media, became an unexpected viral hit that people found funny and lighthearted. For Ryan, though, it was more than just internet fame.
The incident opened doors for him. Many offered help, and his school came to know that he’s a working student trying to support himself.
“Ang daming tumulong talaga buhat noon. Nakilala rin ako sa school na ako pala ay working student,” Ryan said.
His classmates and teachers at Palawan State University saw how he balanced school and work. He often arrived tired but determined to finish activities despite the odds.
Ryan graduated this month with a criminology degree, one of 146 students in his batch. He dreams of becoming a police officer one day so he can support his family and give them a better life.
He also wants to serve the community in a meaningful way. Ryan hopes to help address cases of child abuse, which he finds deeply troubling.
He believes his experience teaching children in Sunday schools made him aware of the challenges many young people face, and it strengthened his desire to protect them and make a difference as part of the police force.
Ryan admits it wasn’t easy to finish schools. He took delivery gigs, did buy-and-sell of motorcycle parts, and repaired second-hand bikes.
The eldest of three siblings, Ryan said his mother used to work in Barangay San Miguel but is now unemployed. His father works in Manila after finding it difficult to earn enough in Palawan.
“Gusto kong makapagtapos dahil gusto kong matulungan sila mama at papa. Sobrang hirap ng buhay kaya gusto ko rin makabawi sa kanila,” Ryan said.
Ryan plans to return briefly to delivery work at Keifer’s while preparing for the board exam. If he passes, he hopes to apply to the police force or other uniformed service.
He knows the viral mannequin story will follow him for a while. But he doesn’t mind.
“Ang laki ng naitulong niya sa akin sobra… yong Kiefer’s, yong Levs Pizza kasi kapag di pa ako nakakakain, si Levs napapakain ako ng libre,” he expressed.
For Ryan, what became viral on social media became a chance to tell the real story of a working student fighting for his dream.
