Filipina karateka Jamie Lim is a chief instance of an athlete who thrives past sports activities.
The daughter of late PBA legend Samboy Lim has matched her father with two Southeast Asian Video games gold medals whereas additionally being a tutorial achiever, graduating summa cum laude with a Arithmetic diploma from the College of the Philippines and making the dean’s record when she earned her graduate diploma in enterprise analytics from the celebrated Imperial School London.
On high of these feats, Lim wears many hats as she juggles her day job as an information intelligence head for an actual property developer with being a content material creator and a courtside reporter.
Whereas it appears she has lots on her plate, Lim isn’t any stranger to such balancing acts, having witnessed her personal mom, Darlene Berberabe, tackle varied roles, from a tutorial, to a lawyer, and now the Philippines’ Solicitor Normal.
“Mother — in all her fields and all her jobs — she does her finest. It’s not that she solely tells me to do it, however I see it in her actions. That’s why it’s not onerous to comply with as a result of that’s all I see at house,” Lim informed Rappler.
Berberabe’s credentials converse for her brilliance.
Like her daughter, Berberabe graduated summa cum laude and sophistication valedictorian when she obtained her Philosophy diploma from UP in 1989. She later turned the primary feminine Philosophy teacher of the college, the place she additionally earned her Masters in Philosophy in 1995.
Berberabe gave beginning to Lim in 1997, then two years later, graduated from the UP School of Regulation as class salutatorian in 1999.
In between stints within the non-public sector, Berberabe served as chief govt officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund underneath the administration of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Berberabe then turned solely the third feminine dean of the UP School of Regulation in 2023 and now serves as simply the second feminine Solicitor Normal after Agnes Devanadera following her appointment in 2025.
Mom is aware of finest
A go-getter all her life, Berberabe needed to additionally see her baby excel, though Lim confirmed little curiosity in class or sports activities early on.
Berberabe recalled Lim having “common” grades in elementary and even telling her father Samboy that she now not needed to pursue karate.
“She stated she was getting harm and he or she was having a tough time coaching. I requested what are we imagined to do? Simply sleep and watch TV?” stated Berberabe.
“I believe my perspective again then was in the event you expose your baby to a sample or a behavior of attempting to all the time do your finest, specializing in a goal, after which doing the onerous work, there’s nowhere else it may well lead besides that you just’ll be capable of hone your expertise and also you’ll be higher than yesterday.”
Then it clicked for Lim.
“Jamie, at each stage, could be actually exhibiting loads of focus, loads of onerous work, dedication, and the outcomes have been glorious even when it took a while. She was like a diesel engine — her enchancment was not instantaneous,” stated Berberabe.
“Three years coaching in karate, after which when she gained the gold medal, she by no means misplaced once more right here within the Philippines. After which she competed on the worldwide stage. In lecturers, she was Finest in Sports activities in elementary, then she graduated with honors in highschool, after which she was summa cum laude in faculty. It was a gradual progress.”
Skywalker’s surprise girls
When Lim was making ready for faculty, tragedy struck the household as Samboy suffered a cardiac arrest in an exhibition sport then fell right into a coma in 2014. He was capable of regain consciousness, however the incident left the icon often known as the “Skywalker” unable to talk, stroll, and carry out primary capabilities till his dying in 2023.
Though Berberabe and Samboy have been already separated for years, with their marriage annulled in 2008, she took over the medical care of the PBA nice regardless of already having her arms full as she was then serving as Pag-IBIG Fund CEO whereas guiding her teenage daughter in navigating faculty life.
Lim by no means felt uncared for.
“She makes me really feel that she’s there. It’s not the top of the world as a result of she’s there. The managing of all of it was essentially the most tough as a result of she had no assist. I used to be 17, I used to be younger,” stated Lim.
“It’s loads of juggling and it’s onerous as a result of it’s straightforward to let one factor go. She may have ignored me as a result of she had so many different issues to do. She may have stated that she was doing all of it for the household — that she needed to earn cash, do her job effectively in authorities, and handle dad. She may have chosen to pay me no consideration. However she didn’t try this. All the pieces she was doing, she nonetheless did all of it effectively. I don’t know the way she managed all of it.”
“She was capable of do all that in addition to maintain herself collectively, and perhaps that’s why I’m robust, it’s due to how she was.”
By means of all of it, Lim was emotionally regular and hopeful at a younger age, Berberabe stated.
After Lim set karate apart for 4 years to deal with faculty, a call that bore fruit as she stood as UP School of Science valedictorian in 2019, she returned to the game and gained her first SEA Video games gold medal in the identical 12 months when the Philippines hosted the regional showpiece.
She gained her second SEA Video games title after ruling the 2023 version in Cambodia.
“Jamie went by lots, and to have completed what she has completed, figuring out the challenges she confronted, it wasn’t straightforward. She didn’t have a father determine when others have been being spoiled by their fathers. After which after all, the 2 of us had the accountability of taking good care of issues,” stated Berberabe.
Unwavering assist
Berberabe’s love and fixed encouragement have allowed Lim to step out of her consolation zone and go for her desires, however the potential for failure.
Lim is now a courtside reporter in the identical league that was once her father’s stomping floor.
“It means lots that she is aware of that you just love her when she wins, and much more so when she loses. I believe in case you have that cushion in your life, in case you have that sort of assist in your life, then one individual won’t be afraid of attempting,” stated Berberabe.
Being the pushed and impressive girl she is right now, Lim credit all of it to her mom.
“She outdoes herself each time and he or she’s not slowing down anytime quickly. And she or he does her work rather well and really diligently. She doesn’t need shortcuts,” stated Lim.
“After she wakes up, she’ll train within the morning earlier than she goes to work. Then when she comes up, she’s going to prepare dinner dinner for us after which she’ll return to work as much as 11 pm after which sleep. She does her work rather well and the nation could be very fortunate to have her.”
“I’ve so as to add that she’s additionally one of the best mom on high of all of that. She actually has a very nice understanding of the right way to be a mom, of me as her baby, what one of the best phrases to say are throughout a win and through a loss particularly. She simply is aware of the right way to navigate it.”
And for Berberabe, who holds one of the vital positions within the authorities, nothing nonetheless beats being a mom.
“I inform her that it doesn’t matter that you just’re fairly, you’re tall, you’re clever, and also you’re profitable in the event you’re not a very good individual, in the event you’re egocentric, in the event you’re unfair to different individuals, and in the event you look down on others,” stated Berberabe.
“However she’s kindhearted. She’s family-oriented. She had the chance to not return to the Philippines. She was in London, one 12 months residing there. However she determined she needed to remain within the Philippines, dwell within the Philippines, excel right here amongst Filipinos, give again to the nation.”
“Jamie is Godsent to me and Samboy. We’re very, very pleased with Jamie. I’ve many roles, however being her mom is actually the best honor and privilege for me as an individual.” – Rappler.com
