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A Little about me

A Southern Cali boy through and through. I enjoy writing, dancing & films. I love my Filipino heritage, queerness, & yoga practice. I enjoy traveling & experiencing different cultures through local arts & cuisine.

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becoming a professional trainer

I would incorporate yoga into my routine when I was too sore from my strength training work outs and wanted something a little more mellow. In 2018 I got an email for a Yoga Teacher Training program and something clicked for me. It felt like that was the thing I was supposed to do. I did my research and found the yoga school that made sense to me (it focused on diversifying and decolonizing the yoga in the Western world and supported BIPOC/marginalized students to encourage them to become teachers). I dived right in and it change my whole perspective on my career and how I approach my relationships and my day to day life. Now yoga isn't just a fitness thing for me. It's a daily practice that keeps me grounded and helps me navigate the this crazy world with a sense of composure and stability.

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i choose to train at thrive because

I love the people, the vibe and the energy. I love supporting independent small businesses that foster a warm, welcoming and supportive diverse community of people. The big corporate gyms/studios are all carbon copies of each other with no soul.

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Bet you didn't know

I went through a really rough patch with drugs in my early 20s. I had just graduated from college, struggling to find a job and was struggling to come to terms with my sexuality. I resorted to heavy drugs and got lost int he party scene. By some stroke of luck, my parents found out and intervened and helped me get back on the right path. Not only did I focus on getting my health back and getting clean, I also began to embrace my identity and feel a sense of pride around my struggle. Working with and supporting LGBTQ causes is very important to me, given all of the strife and injustice this global community faces around the world.

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what keeps me motivated on the rough days

My parents, extended family and my ancestors. Knowing the struggle they endured growing up and living in a developing country strife with brutal colonization and corruption but fighting and persevering through it all to build a life for themselves and their family.

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Favorite "Treat Meal"

I love a good, juicy burger. I can't just pick one dessert. I love a warm chocolate chip cookie that is perfectly soft in the middle with a little bit of texture on the outside and oozing with chocolate chips (I'm a sucker for BJ's pizookis). And on a hot summer day, I love the traditional Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo which is just a hodge-podge of yummy ingredients thrown together.

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on a rainy day

Getting into really comfortable sweats, cozying up in a warm blanket and watching movies/TV shows while having some of my favorite comfort foods and drinks (hot herbal teas, yummy soups, delicious rice porridges, etc.)

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if I woke up tomorrow with 100 million dollars, the first thing i would do

Travel and buy properties around the world, donate to social justice charities/causes and buy my parents whatever they want.