Corito Paredes loves burgers, dreads underground car parks

Along the maharlika highway in sto. Tomas, batangas, stands a big jollibee outlet owned and managed by corito paredes. With 60 employees ready to "give great service and good food in a clean environment," corito’s jollibee serves bus passengers, students and tourists. Corito travels to her restaurant at least three times a week since she became a franchise owner four years ago.

Corito has been in business since she graduated from high school at st. Teresa’s college. When she in lived long beach, california for 10 years, corito had her own bakery. Back in manila, she continued with the food business by getting a monterey franchise, which was very lucrative for a time. Widowed two years ago, corito is happy to be surrounded by her five wonderful children.

Which living person do you admire most?

If not for the jose pidal issue, i would have said gma because she is so highly driven, so committed and so focused.

How do you resolve your conflicts?

With whom? Remember, i don’t have a husband, so i am the boss.

On what occasion do you lie?

When asked about my age.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

My priceless jewels are my children – teresa, tina, rosario, jon and victoria herrera.

What is your passion?

Going to the market in fti.

What sports/hobbies do you like most?

Swimming at home and in boracay. I go to the gym maybe once a week.

What book influenced your life?

People’s principle. Which is about the way to treat people and how to value them. Your people are your biggest asset. The workforce i have in jollibee is my extended family.

What is your greatest fear?

Basements. Underground car parks because i am claustrophobic.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

If my employees are non-committal. In jollibee, one must have a passion to achieve and excel. Remember, we are no. 1 and it’s even harder to sustain that.

What is your motto?

Live and let live. Hindi ako nakikialam sa ibang tao.

What do you most value in your friends?

Their being so simple and unpretentious.

If you had the chance to change something in your life, what would that be?

Events in my life have made me strong, competent, driven and committed. I am happy that i went through the rough patches as well.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I am an ilocano and from birth we are frugal. Each and every centavo is put to good use.

What words or phrases do you overuse?

Be safe. Lock your doors. Take care.

What is the first thing you look for when you meet a woman?

If she is an employee, her passion for work. This shows in her tenure at her last job.

Name a moment that brings back happy memories.

Picking up my kids in a van after school in poly high, long beach, california. They would all talk together with so many stories. We would pass by mcdonald’s and get a big coke with five straws; the drink would disappear in seconds.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

The death of my mom, lourdes paredes, fondly known as nenita. I stayed with her in her last few months before she died of cancer of the lymphoma.

What does your dad often say to you?

Ganyan talaga ang buhay.

What is your favorite occupation?

I am a cook, baker, and cake decorator. I sell food and real estate. I do the purchasing and accounting. I oversee construction. I monitor what foods are selling well. I have to empower my people and see that they do their work.

How do you see your life?

I would like to age gracefully. As i grow older, i want my workload to be lighter and give myself more time to travel with my family.

What do you feel guilty about?

Going out with somebody’s husband.

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E-mail: babycamp2 @yahoo.Co.Uk.