My father never stops working.
Ever.
Growing up in Tacloban City, I watched him.
Early mornings, late nights… the man was always at it.
Papers on the desk.
Calls to make.
Things to move forward.
When exhausted, he would fall asleep right at his desk, head tilted, pen still in hand. (I thought it was funny when I was a kid. Not so funny when I started doing the exact same thing as an adult.)
I work until I’m too tired to even make it to the bed.
I just… stop.
Right there at my desk.
And I think… that’s him.
That’s all him.
He built a thriving medical distribution company and it didn’t happen by accident. It was all thanks to his hard work.
Work Ethics
Work ethics is a belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability to strengthen character and individual abilities. Proponents of a strong work ethic consider it important for achieving goals, giving strength to orientation and the right mindset.
That’s my father right there.
He didn’t just work hard because he had to.
He worked hard because he believed in it.
Because somewhere in him, doing the work right and doing it fully was connected to who he was as a man.
Work ethic has been measured as a multidimensional variable composed of seven factors, including self-reliance, ethical behavior, hard work, the centrality of work, productive use of time, and delay of gratification.
Delay of gratification.
That one hits different when you’re his kid.
He never really spent on himself.
Always on us.
Always on the business.
Always on the family.
Freemason
Part of who my father is, I think, comes from his years as a Freemason.
Freemasons strive to be good citizens, to practice the highest moral and social standards, and to be men of friendship, charitable disposition, and integrity. It is often said that Freemasonry makes good men better.
My father was already a good man.
The Lodge just… sharpened him.
Gave his values a framework.
And those values never left the house.
We felt them growing up, even when we didn’t know what to call them.
Freemasonry requires its members to uphold and adhere to moral principles and values such as truth, integrity, charity, and charity work.
He has never been anything less than that.
Not once.
Not in my memory.
What a Parent’s Work Ethics Does to a Child
Here’s the thing about watching a parent work the way my tatay did… it rewires you.
You don’t even notice it happening.
And then one day you’re the one at the desk at 2am and you think, oh.
Oh no.
I am him.
A strong work ethic leads to increased productivity, as people with a strong work ethic are more likely to be dedicated and committed to their work. It also improves morale. When efforts are recognized and valued, people are more likely to feel satisfied and motivated.
Hard work builds internal assets no one can take, such as confidence, competence, and a powerful track record. When you apply effort consistently, it isn’t just about results, it shapes who you become, earns the trust of others, and creates real influence over time.
My father built a company on those assets.
From the ground up.
In this country, in this economy, with a family to feed… he built something that’s still standing and still growing.
That’s not luck.
That’s decades of showing up.
The Key Traits of His Work Ethic
If I had to break it down, here’s what I’ve watched my whole life:
| Trait | What It Looks Like |
| Reliability | He shows up. Always. No excuses. |
| Integrity | He does the right thing even when nobody’s watching |
| Dedication | He doesn’t stop because he’s tired. He stops when it’s done. |
| Adaptability | He adjusts. Market changes, family changes, life changes. He moves. |
| Accountability | He owns his mistakes. Quietly. And fixes them. |
Individuals with a strong work ethic take responsibility for their actions and outcomes. They don’t make excuses or shift blame onto others. Instead, they own up to their mistakes, learn from them, and strive to improve.
That last one.
That’s the one that humbles me the most.
Family First. Always.
When my son Lyle was born… I ran out of money.
I was scared and I didn’t know what to do.
I called Tatay.
And before we even hung up the phone, he had already sent it.
No hesitation.
No lecture.
Just… done.
That’s not just generosity.
That’s a man who has lived “family first” his whole life not just as a saying, but as a daily, active decision.
When Mommy died… I try not to think about this too much because it still gets to me… he didn’t collapse.
He didn’t slow down.
He worked doubly hard.
He was mom and dad at the same time.
He kept the family together through sheer force of will and love.
I sometimes wish we could go back.
Back when Mommy was alive and we were still his young children and the house was full and loud and warm.
He used to say “family first.”
He still says it.
But back then, we all got to feel it every single day.
A strong work ethic instilled from an early age stays with you.
Even when under the compulsion to work constantly, the lesson the ethic teaches is really about what you’re working for, and why.
He worked for us.
He always worked for us.
He Calls. He Listens. He Advises.
People don’t know this about Tatay, heck I didn’t even know about it until we started really talking but… he’s actually a good listener.
A really good listner.
I know, I was surprised too.
When you call him, he doesn’t just talk.
He asks.
He waits.
He thinks before he speaks.
We’re always talking about business when we speak, which is fine… but sometimes I wish I called him more just to talk about things in general.
Life.
Thoughts.
The stuff that isn’t a spreadsheet or a business plan.
I think he’d be good at that conversation too.
I think I just never gave us the chance to have it enough.
He gives advice.
Clear, direct, experience-backed advice.
The kind that comes from a man who has seen actual hard things and came out the other side still standing.
Music
Okay so work ethic isn’t the only thing I got from him.
My dad can sing and he has a terrific voice… the kind that fills a room and makes you stop what you’re doing.
And somehow that found its way to me too.
I think about that a lot.
That we share this love for music and singing that has nothing to do with business or grind or building things.
It’s just joy.
Pure, uncomplicated joy.
I think every son needs to know his father has that in him.
Something soft and joyful underneath all the work.
It changes how you see him.
And I think Lyle got it too. At 5, he can mimic what I sing perfectly in tune.
We even sometimes have full blown conversations in song form which makes me laugh.
And he has sang for his grandfather a few times. Even during his Lolo Tatay’s fake April 1 birthday and he sang it really well that my father had to pause a bit to finish the song.
How to Actually Maintain a Relationship with Your Father as He Gets Older
Call more. Not for business. Just to call.
Ask him about himself. Not as your father. As a person. What does he think about? What does he remember? What does he wish he’d done differently?
Let him advise you, even when you think you know better. This act of asking keeps the connection alive.
Tell him what he did right. Specifically. Not generally. Specifically. He worked so hard for so long… he deserves to hear it.
Visit. 76 years old means the window of good health and lucid conversations is precious. Treat it that way.
Most people forget to allow other people to change.
Respect and love your sibling, your parent, enough to get to know who they are now.
There is amazing potential in these long relationships. It is worth the investment to get to know yourself first, then take the time to get to know the person, with an open heart.
That applies to fathers too.
Maybe especially to fathers.
Pros and Cons of Having a Relentlessly Hard-Working Father
The Good
- He models discipline before you even know what discipline means
- His success creates opportunities he quietly hands to you
- You inherit his drive, whether you want to or not
- He proves, through example, that things can be built from nothing
- He shows you what “family first” looks like in real life, not just in words
The Hard Parts
- The work can sometimes feel like it replaced presence
- You inherit the bad habits too (sleeping at your desk because you’re too exhausted to get into bed, for one)
- Relentless dedication without prioritizing rest can impact wellbeing, productivity, and creativity. He didn’t always balance it well. Neither do I.
- Conversations about feelings don’t come easily when the default language is business
- You sometimes realize too late how much you wanted to just sit with him and do nothing
Happy Birthday, Tatay
76 is a remarkable number for a remarkable man.
76 years of showing up.
Of working past tired.
Of putting family first before it was a catchphrase.
Of singing beautifully in rooms that pleased everyone listening to you.
Of being a Mason in character long before and long after the Lodge.
Of being mom and dad at the same time and never once asking for credit.
I look up to you, Tatay.
I always have.
I just don’t say it enough.
Happy birthday.
76 is a good age for a man of your caliber.