i am rado gatchalian from the Republic of the Philippines, known as the Pearl of the Orient Seas. I am a very simple and ordinary person. I used to be a dreamer who keeps on dreaming, and dreaming, and dreaming, as the word suggests. hahaha. but how would i describe myself? if i would do it on my own, then, it would highly be subjective - for i only know myself on the limited knowledge i know about me. i could not even be right in descibing myself. for sometimes, i might become too personal and biased. indeed, there are things about us that only others can tell.

anyway, i would just state the quantitative things i can say about me. at least, it would be scientific in some way. hahaha. i think i am becoming very academic. sounds boring. hahaha.

okay, people call me RADZS. my students before fondly screamed to me as Sir Radzs. What a noble description. sounds like i am a knight.

i came from a poor family of 11 children. i was born on 18th of august 1978. i am then a Leo. but i don't know if being lion makes a difference on my personality. i was educated in a public school on my primary and secondary school. as early as 8 years old, i was already helping in our small store. as i finished my secondary school, i thought i can no longer pursue my university dreams. my family cannot afford to send me to school. i worked then in a fastfood restaurant, at the same time studying computer science in a small college in our place. i was trying to pay for my tuition. but after 6 months my health gave up. i stopped working which eventually ended my college dream. but after 6 months, my sister-in-law, Neng, applied me as a student assistant at the University of Luzon, formerly Luzon Colleges. For four years, i was a working student at Auditing-Budget Office of the said institution. I enrolled BS in accounting on my first 2 years as a condition in working at Auditing Office. But my heart really belongs to something.

I thought I a had a vocation as a priest. so after 2 years of struggling in accounting course, i asked for permission to shift my course to Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Psychology. So that's it. I finished that degree.

After my graduation, i was hired as coordinator of Community Extension Services Office of the said institution. Likewise, i taught at College of Liberal Arts, teaching sociology and Rizal subjects.

Then, i moved to University of City of Urdaneta. I worked there as guidance counselour, instructor, and head of Extension Services.

Further, i used to be a youth leader, volunteer, cathechist, debater, orator, writer, etc.

Enough of that blah blah blah.... it's getting very boring and egoistic.... hahaha....

My interests are as follows: poetry, philosophy, comparative religion, spirituality, reading, theosophy, existentialism, creative psychology, freemasonry, ancient teachings, dan Brown, symbology, mysticism, culture and arts. 

Other people describe me as cute (hehehe), serious, funny (ironical, isn't it?) smart, hardworker, and kind.

I may not agree to what they are saying - but what can i do? that's how they often describe me.... 

Qualitatively, i could say that i am a highly reflective person. I often rationalize on all things. Before, i tended to act as a very religious person as a member of Catholic Church. in fact, i almost became a priest with plans on becoming a member of the Order of the Jesuits Society. but what is planned is not what is to become.

Until i fell in love and got married. I have a son and a daughter.  

Their names are Jostein Emmanuel and Ayn Rand Shanti. The name of my son is derived from the bestselling author of "Sophie's World", Jostein Gaarder. That book is a good book about philosophy. His second name, Emmanuel, is a biblical and christian word which means: "God with us". Hence, his name suggests "God is with us in our search for meaning". My daughter's name, on the other hand, is inspired from the name of one of the great contemporary women philosophers, Ayn Rand. Her second name, shanti, is a sanskrit word which means peace. Hence, her name suggests "the peace emanating inspired from wisdom and thinking".

I am seeker and searcher of truths. i keep on asking many questions. in one part of my life i even became an atheist. and then on so on and so on.

as a seeker, i adhere to creative existentialism and spirituality. If you would ask me if i have a religion, i would say i have none. but i would say that i have spirituality. i believe that religion is different from spirituality. we can be religious but not spiritual. we can be spiritual, though we do not belong to an organized religion. this is my personal philosophy: the truth is within.

as a consequence of that philosophy, I established a small group, Inner Truth Studies Society. This is a group of people who adhere to the principle of freedom, wisdom, and joy. Its main philosophy is: "THE TRUTH IS WITHIN". The group desires to know the depths of human existence. It exemplifies man's highest faculty of reason and faith based on personal realization. The group loves to talk about the meaning of life, truth, and hapiness. Some of its major concern is the study of philosophy, religion, spirituality, ancient teaching, secret societies, new age, and other interesting topics. It promotes the teaching of Neale Donald Walsch (Conversations with God) and Joseph Campbell. Inner Truth emphasizes rationality and spirituality rather than religion or blind faith. It believes that religion is different from spirituality. We can be spiritual even though we do not have religion. The society wants to promote tolerance, spiritual journey, and responsible existentialism. Further, this group is fascinated with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, Freemasonry, and Theosophy. More importantly, this group is an attempt to discover truths underlying universe. Therefore, Inner Truth Studies Society is a new form of establishing a deep CREATIVE SPIRITUALITY. It believes that "WE ARE ALL ONE". Now, begin the journey.... See the Light..... find the sparks within you.... Become a Seeker of Truth.... then, become a Bringer of Light.... 

Two of my favorite mottos are as follows:

     "The sum of all human wisdom will be contained in these two words: wait and hope."  - Alexander Dumas

     "There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world - and that is an idea whose time has come." 

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Formal Info:

Rado Gatchalian was born in the Philippines. He finished Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Psychology at University of Luzon, Philippines. He is a professional licensed secondary school teacher with specialization in Values Education in his country.

For five years, he devoted his life in academic works as a college instructor, guidance counsellor, coordinator/head of Extension Services Office, and member of different academic committees at University of Luzon and Urdaneta City University, Philippines. 

Among his interests are poetry, philosophy, comparative religion, spirituality, reading, theosophy, existentialism, creative psychology, culture, and arts. 

As a writer, he served as literary-editor of Luzon Collegian, a student publication of University of Luzon, during his college days. From then on, he continuously writes and publishes his literary works.  

In his work at Urdaneta City University, he also served as associate editor of the Educators’ Journal, the faculty publication of the university, and a member of the Committee on Instructional Materials and on the Committee on Preparation of Student Handbook. He authored a manual on guidance and counselling and an academic report on the conceptual program of the community extension services of the institution. 

At the moment, he is studying Advanced Diploma of Accounting at TAFE – Blacktown College. In his one year of stay in Australia, he was able to participate in different Poetry Readings such as in the “Multicultural Poetry Reading” (12 Sept. 2006) organized by Marrickville Library and the NSW Writers’ Centre and on “The Big Read: a Night of  Poetry” (25 May 2007/ 8 Sept. 2006) at Ashfield Municipal Library.