Career and money wisdom

It's hard to imagine lawyer Liwayway Vinzons-Chato as a housewife sewing curtains, cooking family meals and cutting her children's hair. That's because for those in the know, she has broken many glass ceilings for women throughout her career in public service.

- By ANETH NG-LIM

Most would remember her as former commissioner for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) during the late president Fidel V. Ramos' administration. Her commitment to financial reforms earned her recognitions both here and overseas. Following that successful stint, she won the congressional seat for Camarines Norte, and on her return to private life, ran a legal firm while making sure to continue to give back by becoming a champion for children's rights.

That's a pretty impressive professional resume that, believe it or not, started with Chato "barefoot and pregnant" in the kitchen.

Can you share your academic background and how it prepared you for your career?

At age 18, I graduated from the University of Sto. Tomas with a Bachelor of Arts degree with magna cum laude honors. Four years later, I graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law. While there, I got involved in student politics as a University Councilor and was even awarded one of 5 Most Outstanding UP Coeds. At age 23, I was already a full-pledged lawyer.

But the following year, I married a fellow UP law alumni and lawyer. For the next decade, we grew our family and now have five children. In the first two years of our marriage, I put my career on hold to take care of the family and our two kids then. I learned sewing, cooking, cutting my children's hair, and other useful skills.

Even at housework, it seems you were an overachiever. What made you decide to start working?