My Story
At eight years old, polio paralyzed both my lower extremities. For nearly a year, I was in hospitals. The active kid I once was was replaced by someone who would never walk again. I questioned everything. But eventually, I made a decision: my disability would shape my life, but it would not define my future.
That decision changed the direction of my life. I pursued a BS in IT, delivered the graduation speech, became a college instructor, and later an Associate Professor teaching Information Technology at the University of Mindanao. I earned a master's degree and an Australia Awards Scholarship to Curtin University in Perth. In 2011, I joined Pinoy Big Brother Season 4, where audiences came to know me as the "Strong Wheeled Teacher ng Davao" — a nickname that carried the disability-inclusion message to millions of Filipinos. Along the way, I realized my purpose wasn't just to succeed. It was to create opportunities for others.
Purpose is greater than circumstance.
I founded Behind the Rolling Chair to champion accessibility, launched an accessible-tourism travel agency, opened a top-performing Cebuana Lhuillier branch where I intentionally hire people with disabilities, and built businesses including Hub International Education and Laundry Vuitton. I also lead the Association of Differently-abled Persons (ADAP) and serve as GEDSI Convenor for the Australia Alumni Communities Philippines, and I was appointed Private Sector Representative for the PWD and Senior Citizen sector on the Regional Development Council XI for the 2025–2028 term. In 2025, I was named a Top 10 finalist for Cebuana Lhuillier's "Happiest Pinoy" award for creating inclusive livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities. Today, everything I do is driven by one belief: disability should never limit someone's opportunity to live, work, or thrive.
