I have committed myself to live the lessons of my past, persevere through the highs and lows of the present, and dream for tomorrow.
Born in the shadow of a nation on the brink of change, my childhood unfolded in the wake of the People Power Revolution—a time of newfound freedom, faith, and hope. Growing up in a lower-class family in Manila during the 1980s, I was a child of the streets, and the overcrowded inner alleys of the city were my playground.
Our city life was short-lived. As the demands of a growing family with four children became a financial burden, my parents decided to move us to the province—except for my father, who needed to continue working in Manila. For a time, the arrangement worked. We adjusted to the slower pace of rural life, and my father found the perfect alibi to leave us—for good. If there was another reason for his departure, my mother never told us. Her battle with toxic goiter ensured that.
When my mother passed away, my siblings and I—then aged 5 to 11—were left in the care of our relatives. Life was not easy, but it motivated me to finish my studies and, at an early age, understand the importance of grit, determination, and perseverance. With the support of family, friends, and scholarship grants, I earned my college degree, built a career, and now live a life vastly different from the one I came from. I have committed myself to living the lessons of my past, persevering through the highs and lows of the present, and dreaming of the future.
As a work in progress, I continue to experience victories and failures, moments of indecision and clarity of purpose. Now, with my own family on a beautiful island in the central region of the Philippines, I embrace this journey. I do not yet know where life will take me—but, after all, it is the journey that matters.