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 distinguished Imperial School London.
On high of these feats, Lim wears many hats as she juggles her day job as a knowledge intelligence head for an actual property developer with being a content material creator and a courtside reporter.
Whereas it appears she has loads 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 observe as a result of that’s all I see at dwelling,” Lim instructed Rappler.
Berberabe’s credentials communicate 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 government officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund beneath 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 little one excel, though Lim confirmed little curiosity at school or sports activities early on.
Berberabe recalled Lim having “common” grades in elementary and even telling her father Samboy that she not needed to pursue karate.
“She mentioned she was getting damage and he or she was having a tough time coaching. I requested what are we purported to do? Simply sleep and watch TV?” mentioned Berberabe.
“I believe my angle again then was for those who expose your little one to a sample or a behavior of attempting to at all times do your finest, specializing in a goal, after which doing the onerous work, there’s nowhere else it will possibly lead besides that you simply’ll have the ability to hone your expertise and also you’ll be higher than yesterday.”
Then it clicked for Lim.
“Jamie, at each stage, could be actually exhibiting lots of focus, lots of onerous work, dedication, and the outcomes have been wonderful even when it took a while. She was like a diesel engine — her enchancment was not on the spot,” mentioned 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 degree. 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 ladies
When Lim was getting ready for faculty, tragedy struck the household as Samboy suffered a cardiac arrest in an exhibition recreation then fell right into a coma in 2014. He was in a position to regain consciousness, however the incident left the icon generally known as the “Skywalker” unable to talk, stroll, and carry out fundamental capabilities till his loss of life 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 fingers 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 probably the most tough as a result of she had no assist. I used to be 17, I used to be younger,” mentioned Lim.
“It’s lots of juggling and it’s onerous as a result of it’s straightforward to let one factor go. She might have ignored me as a result of she had so many different issues to do. She might have mentioned that she was doing all of it for the household — that she needed to earn cash, do her job effectively in authorities, and maintain dad. She might have chosen to pay me no consideration. However she didn’t try this. Every little thing she was doing, she nonetheless did all of it effectively. I don’t understand how she managed all of it.”
“She was in a position to do all that in addition to maintain herself collectively, and perhaps that’s why I’m sturdy, it’s due to how she was.”
By way of all of it, Lim was emotionally regular and hopeful at a younger age, Berberabe mentioned.
After Lim set karate apart for 4 years to give attention to 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 yr 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 means of loads, and to have completed what she has completed, understanding 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 in fact, the 2 of us had the accountability of taking good care of issues,” mentioned Berberabe.
Unwavering help
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 loads that she is aware of that you simply love her when she wins, and much more so when she loses. I believe you probably have that cushion in your life, you probably have that sort of help in your life, then one particular person is not going to be afraid of attempting,” mentioned Berberabe.
Being the pushed and impressive lady she is immediately, 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,” mentioned 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 cook 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 the perfect mom on high of all of that. She actually has a extremely nice understanding of easy methods to be a mom, of me as her little one, what the perfect phrases to say are throughout a win and through a loss particularly. She simply is aware of easy methods to navigate it.”
And for Berberabe, who holds one of the essential positions within the authorities, nothing nonetheless beats being a mom.
“I inform her that it doesn’t matter that you simply’re fairly, you’re tall, you’re clever, and also you’re profitable for those who’re not a great particular person, for those who’re egocentric, for those who’re unfair to different individuals, and for those who look down on others,” mentioned Berberabe.
“However she’s kindhearted. She’s family-oriented. She had the chance to not return to the Philippines. She was in London, one yr 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 happy with Jamie. I’ve many roles, however being her mom is absolutely the best honor and privilege for me as an individual.” – Rappler.com
