A Facebook user inspired Filipinos by sharing an update on the life of a former hospitality management student whom she and her family had helped.
On March 6, Jelyssa Marañon Freyman recalled how she and her family supported Jovel Bante Jr. in 2021, when he was still a student at the Holy Cross of Davao College.
Bante went viral that year for creating a makeshift oven using a biscuit can, sand, metal screen and wires.
At that time, Bante was a second-year college student determined to keep up with his school requirements.
He did not have an oven at home, but his professor asked students to show their ovens during an online class to ensure they were using the correct temperature.
Impressed by his ingenuity, the professor shared Bante’s creation, praising him as a diligent student with the potential to become a great chef.
By 2026, Bante returned to the spotlight after Freyman shared that he had thanked her for the help and gave an update on his life.
Freyman said she and her family gave Bante an oven after seeing his professor’s post, sharing that she admired his “effort and commitment” to his passion.
“Five years ago, I extended a helping hand to a random stranger I met on Facebook,” she wrote on March 6.
“Jovel was a hospitality management student who went viral for building a makeshift oven out of a biscuit can for a virtual class project because he couldn’t afford a real one. His determination and courage stayed with me,” Freyman added.
“I didn’t have much back then, but I had enough to share. With the help of my family, we got him a real oven and a few baking tools he could use for his classes. Five years later, I woke up to a message from Joel, thanking me again and sharing where life has taken him,” she continued.
“He didn’t owe me anything. My help came from a genuine place. But knowing he still remembered after all these years meant so much and I am very grateful I could play a small part in his journey,” Freyman said.
She shared that Bante messaged her this month, saying he is now working as a chef in Europe.
“Hello, Ate Jelyssa, this is Jovel, ‘yung nag-viral dati sa DIY oven. Gusto lang ko mag-thank you again sa help dati and now na ako sa Europe, working as a Chef. Thank you, USAB,” he wrote.
“Jovel now resides in Europe, working as a chef—and I couldn’t be more prouder!” Freyman wrote in her post.
“Sometimes, the smallest gestures leave the biggest footprints,” she added.
Freyman’s post has earned over 9,400 shares on Facebook.
In an interview, she admitted it took a while to recognize Bante since they were not friends on Facebook.
Freyman said her curiosity eventually led her to find photos and videos of him working as a chef in Germany.