Category: Family and Friends

Adventures in Childhood Mischief

Looking back, my childhood was a series of wacky disasters and adventures that were actually the perfect rehearsal for plebe year in the Academy. Whether I drank fish sauce like fine vintage wine, or played barbarian barber on my own eyebrows, or pulling off a “Mission Impossible” adventure in downtown Sta. Cruz, I was inadvertently training for my future in the Army. These escapades weren’t just mischief; they were early masterclasses in audacity, self-reliance, and the art of the calculated risk.

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Celebrating Raul ‘Castoy’ Castaneda

As we say farewell, let us carry forward his lessons, lessons ingrained in the Academy’s motto of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty. To stand up with Courage to always strive to make a positive difference, to lead with Integrity to fight for what is right, to love our people with a fierce Loyalty – an unwavering devotion – even when it was inconvenient, even if it would mean a personal sacrifice.

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Goodbye, Tagbilaran; Hello, Manila!

Growing up, I learned that one’s development doesn’t happen with one single blazing stroke, but through the slow tempering of one’s character. I learned to measure strength not by imposing one’s will on others. I discovered that life wasn’t always fair, and, having witnessed firsthand my Papa’s struggle as a PAL employee, I developed an empathy for those who have less in life.

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My Early Years in Tagbilaran

If I close my eyes, I can still hear the echo of those days – the creak of the tartanilya’s wheels, my mother’s whispered prayers tucked into the din of the church bells, even the frenzied sounds of children playing during recess. Those early memories provide moments of innocent laughter that fill my corner of the world with so much life. These moments of loving and learning settled deep into my young child’s heart.

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A Life Well Lived

I open my life book with a vow, not a vow of perfection, but of presence: to show up honestly, to listen deeply, to act with small kindnesses that hopefully will ripple outward, and to leave behind a trace of light for those who follow. If my life were a compass, may its needle remain steady in the winds of change, guiding future hands toward a brighter, more compassionate path.

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