ctvo

[ctvo]

One-way Ticket

Leaving behind the familiar to face the unknown is never easy, yet sometimes, God presents us with an open door,  and we instinctively know that boldly stepping through it in faith is the best course of action.

When we returned to the Philippines from our wedding in Australia in September 2022, we lacked a clear plan for where to settle and establish our life. While Australia left an attractive impression on us, we also recognized promising opportunities for growth in the Philippines. Though we leaned towards the former option, we remained uncertain if it was the best for us, so we sought God's guidance to direct our path. 

With a leap of faith, we took our "now or never" shot at the AU visa application.

November 28, 2022 - Our migration agent submitted my application for skills assessment.

December 10, 2022 - Because our agent was so efficient, she managed to secure me a spot for the highly limited priority processing of skills assessment. As a result, instead of waiting for months, the entire process was expedited, and I received my positive assessment after just 12 days.

January 19, 2023 - With limited time for review, Dan and I miraculously achieved the required English proficiency test results, which allowed our overall migration points to be competitively ranked among other applicants.

January 23, 2023 - Our migration agent lodged our expression of interest (EOI) for various visa options in the states where my profession as a Project Manager is in demand:

Work Visa in New South Wales (NSW), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), and South Australia (SA)

Permanent Resident (PR) Visa in Victoria (VIC)

January 24, 2023 - We thought we had the least chance of receiving the Permanent Resident visa nomination from VIC, where the competition was quite high. Yet, just a day after submitting our EOI, we already received the invitation to apply for Victorian nomination for PR visa.

March 7, 2023 - The Victorian state accepted our nomination and prompted us to submit our PR visa application.

March 18, 2023 - After preparing all the necessary documents, we submitted our PR visa application.

April 11, 2023 - We had our health examination and was informed a few days after that Dan’s results had to be further assessed in Australia. This caused us to panic a bit, but found nothing alarming when we had all his tests repeated. 

May 1, 2023 - We received Dan’s health clearance without any further requirements.

January 31, 2024 - After roughly 8 months of waiting, we received our PR visa and promptly purchased our one-way ticket to Melbourne, VIC.

Some describe the whole process as lengthy, while others see it as swift. However, what we are certain of is that nothing of this is because of our own doing. God paved the way for us. With our limited skills and resources, never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that we can get the direct AU PR grant while we are in the Philippines.

What the visa application journey taught us is that we don’t have to always know what our next move in life is going to be. Surely we may plan, but we must also remain receptive to God's guidance. See, we only asked Him for direction, but He did not only pointed us to something, He also led the way for us. 

We will lie if we say we are not sad to leave our loved ones and everything that we have established in the Philippines. This country is and will always be our comfort zone, but we believe God has called us elsewhere for such a time as this, not just for greener pastures but also to be a blessing, and as one of our mentors said, to continue to bear fruit so others may taste, see, and experience the loving presence of our Lord. While we know that our specific purpose has yet to become clearer, we rest in the knowledge that He already prepared everything for its fulfillment. 

Uncertainties and challenges undoubtedly lie ahead, but Dan and I find solace in Isaiah 41:10, our wedding verse, knowing that God is with us and will never forsake us, regardless of what may come.

We may be leaving the Philippines, but we know our hearts forever beat for this nation. We are eternally grateful for all the experiences and relationships that will surely not end, but will just become stronger as we stay connected with these important people in our lives:

Family

Churchmates

Neighbors

Friends

Officemates

[ctvo]

Twice in a lifetime

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9

Throughout my life, I have been in many seasons of waiting. But this was the longest I consciously waited on something, and I’ll  be honest in saying that it stretched my faith to the limit.

SUMMER I am a deliberate planner. I love keeping things organized, knowing what lies ahead, and being in control. In fact, long before I had an idea of who my groom would be, I already knew the theme, gown and savings that I want and need for my dream wedding.

My practice as a planner plus my frequent involvement behind the wedding scenes because of my side hustle as a Makeup Artist made me think that organizing mine would be easy peasy. Apparently, God planned otherwise.  

Soon after Dan and I got engaged in 2020, God put a desire in our hearts to have a simple intimate destination wedding in Australia. We thought it would be a great opportunity for our families to travel together and visit our brothers who both live in that country. Besides, I thought this was my only way to force my parents, who have long been separated, to live under one roof again even just for a while.

FALL We were aligned and excited about our vision, but the effects of Covid-19 escalated, ECQ was declared in the Philippines, and the borders of Australia were closed.

Nevertheless, we were in faith that we could still have our destination wedding. We booked our suppliers, applied for the visa of our immediate family members, and sent out save-the-date invitations to our intended guests. However, when we did not receive our visa approval and it became clear that the pandemic was not going to allow our wedding to happen in January 2021 as planned, we notified our suppliers and guests that we would be postponing it indefinitely.

We were then heartbroken as a couple because we were already emotionally and spiritually prepared to be one. So we both prayed and consulted our mentors about our next step. They said the core of a wedding is just a man and a woman being in a lifelong covenant. If we are ready, nothing should stop us from getting married. We got convicted, so we decided to have a very intimate wedding in our family’s rest house in Lucban, Quezon on March 7, 2021.

Even though it was not how we originally wanted our wedding to be, God filled our day with miracles.

The weather was neither too hot nor wet.

The Blue Iris flowers which bloom once in a blue moon, showed up only on that day (not before or after) along the pathway where I walked towards Dan.

Our Pastor, who got exposed to a Covid-19 positive patient a few days before the wedding, got a negative Rapid Antigen Test result.

It was a wedding in its purest form. There were only 9 guests, we wore simplest wedding outfits, and we did almost all the event styling and organizing ourselves.

It was nowhere near extravagant but we made it as meaningful as possible. 

I did my own makeup.

I dried the flowers that Dan gave me during courtship and included them in my bouquet.

I wore the same necklace that my mom wore on her wedding day.

We melted the wedding ring of my late grandma and turned it into our wedding rings to immortalize the love story of my grandparents.

It was an event filled with wonderful emotions, but was not widely shared right away because deep in our hearts, we were still holding on to our desire of having our dream wedding in Australia with our complete family members.

We were happy with our life after. We had our minimoon in Siargao right before the 2nd ECQ was declared and we enjoyed our first year of togetherness while working from home.

God blessed us abundantly as a married couple, so we were never in doubt of His goodness. As we moved on with life, we kept believing that our dream wedding would one day still happen.

WINTER Waiting, however, was excruciating. Dan knows how many times I cried because my faith was shaken. Why won’t I? While Dan and our family members already got their visa approval one by one, mine was left in pending status for a long time. I sought and knocked but my prayer was unanswered. I got anxious. I thought maybe I was only waiting in vain. Perhaps wanting a destination wedding in the midst of a pandemic was just a foolish idea. But through the daily reading of God’s word, my heart was comforted. Instead of focusing on the unfulfilled promise, I focused on God’s goodness at present. It was through this that I felt His presence and realized that I am not alone. I surrendered and asked God to just change my heart’s desire if my will was not aligned with His, but He turned things around.

SPRING After 2 years of waiting, we were able to fly to Australia, first in Perth to spend time with my brother and then to Sydney to bond with the family of Dan’s brother.

The timing was perfect! Our families were more eager to fly this year because we had more milestones to celebrate: my brother’s new home, my sister-in-law’s graduation from her master’s degree, and the birth of my siblings-in-laws’ baby girl. 

The long wait paid off because we had the most amazing unhurried quality time with everyone. It was so special that even the simplest moments of doing household chores and playing with pets and kids became memories to treasure.  

It was not only a day of wedding celebration, but for one whole week, our families were able to travel together at the city, 

celebrate our bouquet making bachelorette and badminton bachelor parties, 

had our welcome party at Allview Escape, 

and toured around the Blue Mountains. 

The weather forecast said that Sydney would have a rainy spring season, but the sun shone brightly every time our family had an activity.

God showed Himself mighty again on our second wedding day. Everything flowed smoothly. I finished doing my and my entourage’s makeup ahead of schedule. 

The Vera Wang gown that I first fitted in 2020 still fitted perfectly after 2 years. 

The suppliers arrived on time and excellently executed the details that I indicated in the run sheet. 

Our loved ones in different parts of the world were also able to witness our wedding through our livestream. So to say that we were favored is definitely an understatement.

As I said in the interview that I had with DWIZ, God’s thoughts are not my thoughts, neither His ways my ways. He knew that if Dan and I get married in January 2021, at the height of Covid-19, the plane tickets will be significantly expensive, we would have to undergo a few weeks of quarantine, and the health and safety of our family would be greatly at risk. Also, had our visa been approved earlier this year, Dan and I would have chosen to celebrate our wedding during winter and we would not have enjoyed it as much as we did when we held it now in spring.

In all seasons, I realized that God truly does not forget the desires that He put in our hearts. If they are from Him, He will move mountains to fulfill them and sustain us until they happen. The process may not be fast and easy, but it is always worth the patience and trust. Because it’s not really about the season – it’s about the One who is always in control. God is faithful when He brings in miracles, but He is just as faithful in the season of waiting.

Getting married twice in a lifetime was not ideal, but I must say it was one of the best things that happened in my life. 

PH wedding suppliers:

Wedding Cake - @nakedpatisserie

Photography and Videography - @niceprintphoto

Celebrant - @mark.flores.7165

Live Music - JP Morales

Wedding Gown - @atelierdebbieco

Makeup - @ctvo​

Wedding Rings - @cathy.gotual

AU wedding

Venue - @allviewescape, Sydney

Welcome Party Catering - @thecaterersbm

Wedding Catering and Cheese Wedding Cake - @sharedaffair

Wedding Gown - @verawangbride

Barong - @analiercasedo

Styling and Coordination - @nh.weddings

Paper Boutonnieres - @_thepaperblooms_

Photography - @georgiehaymanphotography

Videography - @filmsandstillsau

Celebrant - Pastor Roy Ricafort of Every Nation Sydney

Live Music - @jamiepostle-blog​

Livestream - @adventscape.wedding.films

Invitation - @invitationsbyten

GIF invitation - @inkscribbler

Invitation and Entourage’s Placard Calligraphy - @thelettererph

Hairstyling - @avrora_makeupandhairstyle

Bride and Entourage’s Makeup - @ctvo

Bouquet Making Workshop - @jos.curates

Wedding Rings - @cathy.gotual

Bridesmaids’ Gowns - @zoo.label

#moreDANenoughforCLARA #pandemicwedding #pandemicbride #destinationwedding #byctvo #weddingtestimony

[ctvo]

Piso Pasada

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” - Galatians 6:10

Covid came unexpectedly. As much as our jeepney drivers wanted to prepare for this moment of need, time was not on their side. The lockdown brought their operation to a halt, so they were forced to rely on the help of people to provide for their family for almost five months. 

Through the Piso Pasada Project, Dan and I witnessed how the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos prevailed during these unprecedented times. We knocked on the hearts of people for only 8 pesos, a price of a short jeepney ride, but many people—senior citizens, working professionals, students, and even unemployed individuals—decided to give more to give a ray of hope to the unsung heroes of our roads. 

Filipinos wake up to negative news almost every day, but this kind of generosity just proves that there is still hope for our country that is seemingly darkened by many problems. As long as there are people who have faith and are willing to share their blessings, our nation can get past whatever challenge.

Our project ran for only three weeks, but the support that we received from the community was indeed overwhelming. We could not be more grateful to all the people who chose to extend a helping hand and touch the life of our suffering fellow Filipinos.

To Kuya Noel Aguilar, the President of the Tandang Sora - Visayas Avenue Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, Inc. (JODAI), we salute you for your leadership and trustworthiness. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us organize the distribution of goods last Sunday. 

To Doc Mark Flores, you are a blessing to me and Dan. Thank you so much for guiding us and helping us in bringing God’s word to the jeepney drivers and in leading them to surrender their lives to Christ.

To my mom and Ate Mol, we know you were not prepared for the heavy work, but thank you so much for staying up until 2 AM last Saturday to help me and Dan repack the goods for 199 jeepney drivers. 

To Tita Penn and Tito Rene, you have been there for us from the very start. Thank you for providing resources that made it easy for us to manage the logistics of our project. 

To Buddy's Restaurant, Rain Enterprises, The Generics Pharmacy, Ang-Hortaleza Foundation, Inc. and North Susana’s Divine Mercy Cenacle Group and Walk and Pray Group, thank you for partnering with us in blessing our community. We value the trust that you gave us. 

To the Hi-Top Aurora and Puregold Kalayaan staff, thank you for making it easy for us to secure the food supplies that we needed to buy and repack. 

To Tita Techu Tumbali and Tito Millard Villaverde, thank you for helping us find additional sources of income for the drivers.

To everyone who donated and prayed for the jeepney drivers, thank you for going beyond having good intentions and doing something to really help our community without expecting anything in return. 

To the jeepney drivers of the Tandang Sora - Visayas Avenue Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, Inc. (JODAI), know that God has never forsaken you. A great testimony awaits after this crisis. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).

To our Abba Father, our Piso Pasada Project will not be possible without your guidance. To You be all the glory. 

The jeepneys are now allowed to operate again, but they still need aid because the social distancing protocols demands them to accommodate only half of what they can originally fit. 

We are not yet sure when the battle against Covid will surely end, so we hope and pray for other jeepney organizations to be assisted as well. 

Here is a guide if you are interested to help other jeepney drivers near you.

#pisopasada #bayanihan

[ctvo]

Skip a Beat

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand." - Isaiah 41:10

I read this verse countless times in my life, but it was last Saturday, March 7, 2020, when its words became most relevant to me.

I was staring at the horizon, waiting for Dan to finish taking my photo from behind when suddenly, he asked me to turn around and face him.

So, I looked over my left shoulder and was surprised to see him down on his one knee, holding a ring and asking me to marry him.

My heart skipped a beat so the first word that came out of my mouth was "Why?" even though I already knew a long time ago that I would answer that question with a yes.

I was at a loss for words after, so I just held his face in awe.

As tears of joy welled up in my eyes, I felt God embracing me and reminding me not to fear. So when Dan asked, "Is it a yes?" I, without a doubt, replied, "Of course!"

And this was how our status changed from exclusively dating to being engaged. ;)

I once daydreamed of my ideal marriage proposal, but I never thought that it would happen the way that it happened so perfectly to me last Saturday.

The day started like any other. I woke up to the buzzing alarm, did my morning devos, and prepared until Dan picked me up from our house. I did not know where we were going because he volunteered to plan my whole birthday weekend, so I just chilled and prepared to be surprised. 

I did not think of anything grand, but he thought otherwise. Apparently, he already planned the proposal and got the blessing of our parents a few months ago. He also already asked Cathy, our ever reliable jeweler friend, to get him a ring and even invited our friends and his mom to help him choose among various options. He also already met with his mentors from church the week before to prepare him spiritually for what he was about to do.

I only found out our destination when we arrived at the terminal of a cruise going to Corregidor. There we met with Jay, our close friend from church, who spared his Saturday to go and see the place with us and take photos of it.

I always wanted to go to Corregidor, so I enjoyed the trip with Dan and Jay just like a normal tourist until noon came.

Our tour guide gave us a 1.5-hour long break and made us choose whether to have lunch or go up the the lighthouse first. Dan suggested that we choose the latter so we can have the lighthouse all to ourselves while everyone, including Jay, was eating. I found his idea brilliant, so even though I was already hungry, I agreed to go up the lighthouse first.

It was only the two of us inside, so Dan confidently sang “Beauty for Ashes,” our favorite worship song. When we got to the top, I asked him to take photos of me from behind while he was lowering the camera angle. This was when he found an opportunity to kneel, get the ring from his pocket, and give me the best surprise of my life.

After he placed the ring on my finger, we hugged and prayed for thanksgiving and guidance for our life ahead.

Dan never knew that I have an attachment to lighthouses, so we both believed that it was God who gave him the idea to propose there. It is symbolic because it represents who God is to us -- the mighty beacon who stands strong despite the storms of life, warns us of danger, and guides us where to go.

As I said in my previous blog post, we both felt how He has been guiding us from the very start, so we were happy beyond belief with how the series of events fell perfectly into place to lead us to that special day. 

Even though Jay was with us and he knew what was going to happen, he chose to allow us to savor the moment privately, so the exact proposal was not documented. Our photos and video only show the reenactment, but they pretty much captured the emotions that we felt at the exact moment that the proposal happened.

When we got back to Manila, Dan suggested that we have snacks at Harbour Square. So we went there and found the second surprise of the day -- our relatives and close friends waiting to celebrate our recent milestone with us.

We had fun eating, introducing our families and friends to one another, and reenacting the proposal in front of them. So, to say that the day was unforgettable is an understatement. I was not able to thank enough everyone who made it special, so let me do it now in this post.

To my Father in Heaven, thank you so much for guiding me and Dan since day 1. We are undeserving of Your blessings yet You choose to prove yourself faithful all the time.

To Daniel, my fiancé, congratulations for pulling off a very successful proposal. Thank you for making me feel so special not only last Saturday but each day of our lives. I am excited to manage the best project of my life with you.

To Jay, Dan and I know that you had to work that Saturday, but thank you so much for choosing to be with us and standing the heat of Corregidor to take our photos.

To Tita Penn, Tito Rene, my Mom, and my Papa who gave us their blessing to move on to the next season, thank you for your trust and for guiding us all the way.

To our relatives and friends who braved the heavy Saturday traffic from Quezon City to Manila, thank you for celebrating with us and for playing a big role in our journey as a couple. We are excited to see you all together again on our wedding day.

To our friends and relatives who congratulated us, we may not be able to reply to all your messages, but know that all of them are read and appreciated. May God bless you all!

#ctvo engaged

[ctvo]

Skip Level

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

When I surrendered my life to Christ, I learned to let go of my overly controlling self and enjoyed the flow of changing seasons. Despite being surrounded by many couples and witnessing weddings here and there, I never felt the pressure to be in a relationship. I just focused on preparing myself to be the right person while I waited on God to lead me to someone that is a true fit for me.

I felt so secure in God's love that I was never bothered by the fact that I was advancing in age without a partner. I was hopeful. As a woman, I knew that all I can do is wait, and I did not mind it at all. In fact, I loved how the waiting season made me free do anything, go anywhere, and be with anyone.

But since the season of waiting took a long time, I got very accustomed to being independent to the point of no longer praying for love to come my way. My hope was replaced with fear -- fear of loving again and being hurt in the end. I felt like I was not ready and will not be ready for love soon. So, I plotted my life as if I will be single for a longer time. But just when I already planned my course, the Lord directed my steps toward Dan.

I met him at the most opportune time in 2018, which was right after I finished my final requirement for MBA and I was no longer too busy. I saw him hosting a singles event of our church, and recognized him as a new face in the community. We never had a chance to talk and know each other's name during that event, but he still found a way to add me as a friend on Facebook. Being the natural includer that he was, he personally invited me and, I guess, other single ladies to organic singles events. I found him kind and courageous, so I obliged a few times without malice. We had small chit chats every now and then but we never really had a chance to know each other on a deeper level until one day in January 2019.

I can no longer remember how it started but we eventually found ourselves spending sleepless nights talking about our dreams in life. We enjoyed our no-nonsense conversations and felt an undeniable chemistry between us. But since he admitted that he liked me and had plans to pursue me only virtually, I got baffled and ended up turning him down.

What was supposed to be the start of something good turned out to be a very awkward situation. We did not talk for a month, so I felt bad because I knew I should have at least given him a chance. But since he never insisted, I just forgot everything that he said and moved on.

I let go, but apparently, he had higher hopes in us. He did not give up. He showed up in my life again, volunteered to be my companion as I renew my driver's license on my birthday in March 2019, arranged a surprise party for me a day after, and properly laid down his intentions a week after.

Though I felt his sincerity, fear still crept in, so I did not allow him to court me right away. I asked him to wait and give me time to pray about my decision. And this he patiently did.

I wanted my next relationship to be the last one, so allowing him to date me seemed to be a very tough decision to make. I did not want to waste our time and settle for less than God's best, so I thought hard about entering the courtship stage with him. I somehow prayed for other suitors to come along so I can validate if he is the best for me. But I got convicted when one of my leaders in church told me that validation should only come from God and not from men. I struggled after hearing this, but after a few months, I finally had a change of heart, took a leap of faith, and allowed Dan to start dating me in May.

It was in our dating season when we felt God's presence in our life the most. We fasted a few times and consulted our mentors often, but of course these did not suffice to make our relationship run smoothly all the time. We had misunderstandings because of too much expectations from our flawed selves and because of trying to find security in each other and not in God.

Over and over again, God kept correcting us and impressing that we should find security in Him alone. His word kept on revealing that even though we are capable of being tempted and failing each other, we should not fear for He is with us. He will strengthen us and help us (Isaiah 41:10) if we put our faith in Him. He already went before us and knew the path ahead of us, so we only have to trust.

Only after this realization did I truly enjoy Dan's companionship. I was never public about him but he was there when:

I celebrated my 30th and 31st birthday

I landed from my Hong Kong, Palawan, and Israel trips

I trained for my 10K run

I had my weekend makeup gigs

I got out of my office on weekdays

I went up the mountains

I graduated from my Leadership 113 class

I organized and served at singles events for our church community

I discipled people and got discipled

I went to Quezon monthly to visit my Papa

I attended weddings

I reunited with my friends

I had my LASIK surgery

I celebrated Valentine's day

It has only been a year since our story started, but I never had a single regret for saying yes to forever with Dan.

I am not an easy person to handle because of my mood swings, stubbornness, and sense of entitlement, but he stuck with me and proved himself forgiving and patient all the time. He always fought to keep his position in my heart and always made me feel that I am the best and that I am a catch no matter how imperfect I am. He reached out to my family, mentors, and friends and proudly introduced me to his. He rejoiced with me in every victory and mourned with me at my lowest points. He gave me not only well-thought-out gifts, but also his time, service, touch, and sweet words of affirmation. With him, I felt pursued not only by a man but also by God. With him, I felt God's love overflowing into me. 

I guess I can never thank God enough for sending me someone who can lead me and co-lead with me in bringing people closer to Him; who does not mind being the second best in my heart after God; who is equally flawed as I am yet so in love with God as I do; and who recognizes that the love that we share is only by the grace of God. 

From exclusively dating to being an engaged couple (yes, we skipped the boyfriend and girlfriend stage), we definitely have a long way to go. Our greatest prayer now that we're already moving on to our next season is for God to always lead us and never bring us to places where He will not be there. Because even though we feel so blessed to have each other, God is still and always will be our greatest reward. He is our soulmate -- the bond that keeps us together.

#ctvo engaged

[ctvo]

A Gift

MBA -- a three-letter suffix which took me three long years to add to my name (at least that’s how I want to remember it).

Going out of my comfort zone to get this degree was never easy. Attending school again four years after college pushed my brain cells to the limit and required me to burn the candle at both ends to regain my momentum in studying. My plate was always full because classes were fast-paced. As each term gets harder, I found myself just running on caffeine and functioning on autopilot mode in most days.

Having to juggle the tension of graduate school and the pressure brought by my corporate job, side business, and social activities made me question my competence and race against my boundaries my whole stay at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business (AGSB).

The entire experience made me realize how limited I am as a person and forced me to be strategic in saying yes or no to so many things. It taught me to swallow my pride and value relationships more than my personal interests. It also taught me the value of learning from failures and coming out humble and wise after. Most importantly, it opened my eyes to see that God’s grace is always sufficient to make me surpass all the hurdles of life.

He did not let my busy season at work coincide with my hectic weeks in school. He kept me safe every time I go home late at night. He kept me healthy despite my lack of sleep. He gave me fresh mind to pass my exams and papers. He sent efficient professors and classmates to help me maximize my learning experience. He sent accountability partners to push me to go on when everything gets overwhelming. And just when I only expect to survive my MBA journey, He allowed me to graduate with flying colors.

My heart is filled with nothing but gratefulness right now.

To Professors Adelina Rex, Manny Tenmatay, Manuel Solomon, Blue Festin, Rafi Delica, Yong Gregorio, Sandra Lovenia, Rizalito Gregorio, Juergen Facundo, Weevens Ty, Ed Legaspi, Raj Sadhwani, Ninoy Rollan, Marilu Moguel, Lito Biacora, Mila Bulan, and George Fong, I admire all of you for choosing to give back and share your precious time and knowledge to us when you could just rest and spend your weeknights and Saturdays with your family.

To my fellow graduates, congratulations! We finally made it! I salute all of you for choosing the road less traveled and proving everyone that all things are possible with hard work and faith in God.

Business Communication S50, 1st Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Ma. Adelina R. Rex

Applied Mathematics S57, 1st Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Manuel A. Tenmatay

Business Ethics S64, 2nd Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Vincent R. Festin

Financial Accounting S69, 2nd Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Manuel A. Solomon

Managerial Statistics S42, 3rd Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Serafin F. Delica

Leadership Effectiveness S57, 3rd Term, SY 2014-2015 under Professor Angelo S. Gregorio

Managerial Accounting S57, 1st Term, SY 2015-2016 under Professor Manuel L. Solomon

Information Technology for Managers S44, 1st Term,  SY 2015-2016 under Professor Sandra A. Lovenia

Methods of Research S10, 2nd Term, SY 2015-2016 under Professor Rizalito L. Gregorio

Financial Management S19, 2nd Term, SY 2015-2016 under Professor Juergen Facundo

Principles and Dynamics of Management S10, 3rd Term, SY 2015-2016 under Professor Weevens G. Ty

Applied Management Science S01, 3rd Term, SY 2015-2016 under Professor Edgar F. Legaspi

Marketing Management S25, 1st Term, SY 2016-2017 under Professor Rajan S. Sadhwani

Human Resource Management S04, 1st Term, SY 2016-2017 under Professor Nicasio F. Rollan

Operations Management S18, 2nd Term, SY 2016-2017 under Professor Manuel A. Tenmatay

Leading Organizational Change S12, 2nd Term, SY 2016-2017 under Professor Ma. Luisa S. Moguel

Investment Management S28, 3rd Term, SY 2017-2018 under Professor Estelito Biacora

Economics for Managers S20, 3rd Term, SY 2017-2018 under Professor Mila Bulan

Strategic Management S02, 1st Term, SY 2018-2019 under Professor George Fong

To Ateneo Graduate School of Business (AGSB), thank you for inspiring me to always strive for excellence and for reminding me that education will only be worthwhile if it is applied for the betterment of the society and used for the greater glory of God. I have always been proud to be a part of your community. It is now time for me to go down from the hill and make you proud of me.

To Papa, Mama, and Januel, we may be far away from one another, but thank you for always having my back and cheering for me the entire journey. This achievement is for you.

To my managers, teammates, relatives, friends, and church mates, thank you for giving me a strong support system. It would have been a tougher ride without you being so forgiving of my mishaps and being so appreciative of my efforts.

To IBM, thank you for funding my graduate studies and fulfilling my dream of getting that MBA suffix attached to my name. I may be in another company already, but someday, I will find a way to give back to you.

To my God, You are the only reason why I made it this far. Thank you for never leaving me and for proving yourself faithful countless times. I am limited but your grace made everything possible. I already got my ultimate prize 2000 years ago when You offered Your life and opened the gates of heaven for me. Everything else in this life is just a bonus, an undeserved gift. More than the diploma, the medal, and other achievements that this world has to offer, You are and will always be my life’s greatest victory. I do not have the highest award, but whatever I have, I wholeheartedly offer it to you. To You be all the glory, honor and praise now and forever.

- Clara Teresa Villaverde Obmerga, MBA, Silver Medalist

#AGSB #AteneoGraduateSchoolofBusiness #MBA

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Forever in my heart

Choosing to leave the company that I deeply love to embrace bigger challenges outside is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. IBM has always been my home and its people have always been my family, so it has taken a long period of prayer and reflection before I finally decided to file my resignation and say yes to a new company.

IBM may not be my first choice when it comes to an employer, but it never turned out to be a wrong choice. It is not a perfect company, but I could not imagine myself being placed perfectly anywhere else in the past seven years but here.

I owe a huge part of my professional growth to it because it is where I gained countless unforgettable experiences, met so many wonderful people, and discovered a lot of things about myself. I must say it is one of the biggest blessings that I have received in my life, and I can never thank God enough for giving it to me.

I let only a few people know about my decision because I am not big a fan of goodbyes. But, the “I am leaving” conversations were just unavoidable, and as expected, my bittersweet tears just inevitably fell as I slowly bid people farewell.

Everyone has been so warm in making my last three days in the company memorable that it became really painful for me to go. Nevertheless, my heart felt happy because everything ended well.

I do not know what the future has in store for me. But I believe that God’s grace is always sufficient. No matter what path I take, I know He is always one hundred steps ahead. I am pretty sure He has already prepared my next company the way He prepared IBM for me seven years ago. Because of that, I am confident that everything will be just fine.

My time in IBM already came to a close, but I am bringing with me all the lessons, memories, and relationships that I gained from it.

I will always remember it with great fondness, and in my heart, I will forever be a proud IBMer.

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A cutie fetched me from work. #cashmere #mademyday #goodGod

#cashmere #goodgod #mademyday

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Once in a #supermoon

#supermoon

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Uncle Rudy and Auntie Mett's 50th Wedding Anniversary #fambam (at Lucban)

#fambam

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Out early for the love of MARKMA (at Alabang Town Center)

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Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. - Psalm 107:28-29 #hope #afterlawin #goodmorning

#goodmorning #afterlawin #hope

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Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. - Ephesians 6:5-9 (at Cine Adarna, UP Film Center, UP Diliman)

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Tito Millard's 58th #fambam (at Amor Cafe)

#fambam

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Badge of honor #halalan2016 #prayforthephilippines

#halalan2016 #prayforthephilippines