New Country, New Opportunity
Dave & Cristina Abog
Los Alamitos, CA
Former Occupation: Engineering / HR
New Country, New Opportunity
When Dave & Cristina Abog, of Los Alamitos, CA, immigrated to the United States from the Philippines, they thought the road ahead of them could be daunting as they pursued a better life. However, they’ve been able to not only survive but thrive here. “Cristina and I met in college, and we moved to the U.S. after earning our degrees,” says Dave. “She arrived in 1998 via family petition and I came three years later. America was like a picture-perfect postcard for us! It’s a dream come true when you’re given the opportunity to pursue a better life in this country.”
The two held down steady corporate jobs, but they soon realized they couldn’t achieve their vision of the American Dream. “In addition to our full-time jobs, we also owned a care home for the elderly and our son, Davis, was only three years old at the time. We were exhausted from trying to manage it all and we thought we’d have to work until our bodies gave out just to scrape by in the U.S.”
The Stars Align
Fortunately, their college friends and fellow Primerica Reps, Chris & Joy Legaspi, stepped in to help at the right time. The Abogs quickly became clients after understanding the gravity of their situation.1 “We’re so grateful Chris and Joy fixed our financial mess. We were blown away at the simple, effective solution they presented to us, and it made me realize that if Primerica is the real deal, then I want to help save people from their own financial nightmare.”
Their positive experience as clients led them to join the business in 2009 on a part-time basis, and it wasn’t long before they changed career paths altogether.2 Cristina says, “We initially wanted to make some extra income, but it was mind blowing to see the potential after only two months! I quit my job immediately to focus on Primerica and be a full-time mom. Our son is our ‘why’ and I always wanted to give him all of my time instead of what was left over. The stars aligned for us at the perfect time with Primerica as I was working in HR back then and my employer had started doing mass layoffs.”
True Freedom
What started as an extra income opportunity has become a lifelong purpose for the Abogs. “The difference is night and day,” says Dave. “Before Primerica, we didn’t know what true freedom meant because we didn’t even know the extent of our financial constraints. This business opened our eyes to what was possible, and it allowed immigrants like us to create a life beyond imagination. We now have options to do more for our spouse, kids, family members and community.”
Cristina shares two prime examples: “Because we had control of our time and money, we were very involved with Davis as he was growing up,” she says. “He’s now 21 years old and a senior at California State University in Long Beach. We’re so proud of him! When my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2019, I was able to take care of him until his final breath. I’m so grateful for Primerica because this wouldn’t have been possible if I had a boss! That’s why business ownership is so crucial. You can’t put a price tag on these precious moments.”3
A Call to Action
The Abogs have dedicated the last 15 years to helping as many people as possible. They see themselves in each client they encounter and remain grateful for the chance to improve their circumstances. “We’ve personally been able to get many families back on track financially, but to be truly effective, we need more teammates who share the same passion. A lot of people are in financial pain and Primerica could be the cure, but there aren’t enough of us to deliver the good news.”
They add, “What got us started in this business isn’t the reason we’re still here. We love to offer hope to people just like us who are searching for a financial lifeline but don’t know where to start. Every day is a great day in Primerica. You’re making an impact in someone’s life – clients, teammates and/or your own family. At the end of the day, when you fight for what’s right, you feel like a hero. We believe this philosophy defines the existence of this Company and it’s what still separates Primerica from the competition.”4
- Primerica Representatives are independent contractors and are not employees of Primerica. Representatives earn income through the sale of products and are not paid to recruit.
- In Canada, the part-time opportunity may be subject to certain restrictions, depending on your occupation.
- Ownership refers to the conditional right of an eligible Regional Vice President RVP to transfer his or her business to another eligible RVP, subject to the consent of Primerica and subject to terms, conditions and regulatory requirements. The Ownership Program Document and policies located on Primerica Online (POL) control in all respects.
- “Clients” refers to clients of Primerica.