Born and raised in the Philippines, I first considered the priesthood as I was graduating from high school. I chose to attend college, trusting that if God were truly calling me to become a priest, the path would remain open after my studies. Before moving to the United States, I completed medical school and a residency in general surgery. I was in my third year of surgical practice when my petition was approved.

After arriving in the United States, I began a career in tissue banking as a processor of donated human skin. I later became manager of the team responsible for reviewing donor medical records to determine eligibility for processing and transplantation. Because I had not yet made progress toward the priesthood, I began to consider whether my calling might be to serve as a permanent deacon. In 2023, I entered diaconate formation in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Still, the call to the priesthood never left me; it continued to return. During my third year of diaconate formation, that call grew stronger, and I began discerning the priesthood more intentionally. My vocations director recommended Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary, where I was eventually accepted to begin priestly formation. In my free time, I enjoy reading, watching movies, photography, and learning to play the ukulele.