One day, I woke up into the world and started to wander around and found its intricacies.A maze that is hard to solve and get out of and meeting all the obstacles preventing me from escaping.
I was born in the island of Maui. My father immigrated to the Hawaiian islands in the 1930’s. He worked hard in the vast sugar cane plantations of all Hawaii because one day he’ll have a family of his own. That was 65 years later when the aunt of my mother showed him her photograph and everything was changed since then.
Three and a half years after birth, my family moved to the Philippines in 1976 and established residence in the beautiful province of La Union. My parents are Ilocanos of hardworking class. While I was in the Philippines, I have adopted the culture and the way of life of a Filipino, and adapted it to become a Filipino, and thus become adept to be a Filipino.
I had schooling in the countryside where I excelled in my class. My first day of school was very uncomfortable in Santo Domingo Community School. I almost peed my pants in my fear of my teacher. After graduation, I attended the Luna National High School, a public school. There, I won the popular vote of the studentry in my bid for presidency in the student body council and also been appointed as the battalion commander of my CAT-1 unit in the rank of a colonel upon graduation.
While in school, I portrayed the life of a student who is in search of excellence. I’ve been an associate editor of The Gravel, our school paper. I joined many writing contests and won an award. I enjoy the company of my pen because that is the extension of my being.
After my graduation in high school in 1988, I decided to come back to Maui to pursue my educational goals. I tried to pursue a career in medicine but one night I had a dream…there was this voice…that said, “You will be a great person in the future, follow what your heart is leading you.” I woke up from that dream and found myself a man of destiny.
As I went on through the years I’ve been involved in the mass media from print to the infobahn. The realization of “information at your fingertips” is no longer a myth.
I have written numerous poems, several novels in English, in Tagalog, and in Iluco. I organized GUMIL-Internet, an association of Ilocano cyberwriters and cyberpoets, to promote the literary prowess of the Ilocano. The guild’s goal is to help support and preserve Ilocano literature for the next generation. I am also the Co-editor and the Co-founder of the e-zine Burnay, the e-zine of the modern Ilocano.
From that point on, I have accomplished a lot of things in life. I made new friends who have the same wavelength, the vision to succeed, the desire to make a difference, and the persistence of vision. Despite of the hurdles I faced, I sprinted every hurdle to get into the finish line.
In 1991, I graduated from University of Hawaii-MCC with a major in Liberal Arts. I received an award from the school in my Excellence in Computer Technology because of my contribution in the County of Maui. I have also been a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Psi Sigma Chapter.
In 1992, after vacation from the Philippines, I landed a job at Kinko’s Corporation as a computer services manager. I’ve learned so much of what technology has done for humanity. I’ve learned the value of the computer as a tool to help man in his day to day life.
The milennium has finally arrived. Have you heard of the Y2K Bug? It scared much of the Western and Eastern hemisphere which has sole reliance on technology. I’m in the arena of information technology and visual arts. Im a techno-creative being born into this real and virtual world interacting with society in everyday fashion.
Through the years of my employment I have been awakened by the fact that I have to move on further…I have realized that I have the spirit of persistence and perseverance of an ENTREPRENEUR.
My wall hangs a poster with the words…“It takes guts, imagination, and perhaps luck to start one’s own business instead of looking for a quick income job. These are the risks of an entrepreneur.
There were lots of stumbles along the way but this did not detract me from moving forward. Inspired from this and with the guidance of the learned men and women who were in my path served me towards my quest.
Wealth may be essential to life but what profiteth a man even if he gains the whole world and feels empty? The passing of my father in 2001 was a turning point in my life. I was then ready to face a new life and start a family. My father didn’t live to see the one who would be the mother of my children and a loving wife and a friend for life. When she is found, this would be the moment in my life that would find me completion.
After the first half of 2001, with Divine Intervention, my career has prospered. I’ve joined the hospitality industry with my portfolio of skills. With a positive outlook in life, my ship’s mast is ready for the wind of change. I’ll be sailing to a vast expanse of a bright future.
I have the passion for beauty and perfection to be an artist, a visioner. a dreamer, a realist. My destiny is yet to be told on my quest for success and excellence.