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I'm Johann Lao, you can call me Johann. I'm 17 years old, and I have been studying at Ateneo de Davao since 4th Grade. I've been to 4 different schools before Ateneo, making this my 5th school. I like listening to music and playing any instruments but there are some genres in music such as RnB where I really can NOT listen to (because it makes me sleep and unproductive).

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Dear Future Johann,

I hope this letter finds you well, content, growing, and grounded. If you're reading this, it means time has passed, life has moved on, and you’ve made it through things you once thought you couldn't.

Right now, as I write this, I have a mix of hopes and fears, goals and uncertainties. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m trying. I hope that effort has paid off.

I wonder where you are now—physically, emotionally, spiritually. I wonder if you're proud of how far you've come. I hope you’ve taken the risks that scared you, walked away from what no longer served you, and stayed close to the people who mattered.

Have you learned to be kinder to yourself? Are you at peace with the past versions of us? I hope you've continued to grow, even when it was uncomfortable. I hope you haven’t lost your sense of wonder.

If things are good right now, breathe it in. Appreciate it. You’ve earned it. If things are hard, hold on. You’ve survived 100% of your worst days so far.

Please don’t forget what matters most to you. Stay curious. Stay open. Don’t let the world make you cynical or bitter—keep that light inside you alive.

Whatever you’ve accomplished, big or small, I’m proud of you. And if you're still searching, still learning—that's okay too. Keep going.

With love and hope,
You

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Here’s a funny story:

When I was at my uncle’s house, my mom kept taking pictures of my sister doing the ‘peace ✌️’ sign. I got curious because I thought it looked cool, so I decided to try it myself. I tried again and again until I thought I had finally ‘figured it out.’ The result? Well… I’ll let the picture answer that for you.

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I’ve also been a boy filled with anger and frustration. I had many ‘enemies’—my father, my mother, my classmates, my cousins, my grandparents—but most especially, my sister. We fought so often and so intensely that, at one point, our grandmother even handed us knives to end the fight.

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When I finally had my First Communion, I was very excited to go to Mass on Sunday and receive the Holy Eucharist. Before my First Communion, I always wondered how that piece of bread tasted and why I wasn’t allowed to take it yet. But when I finally received it for the first time, the bread reeked of alcohol.

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I grew up being loud in loving everyone, most especially my dad. He has been my #1 in everything, whether it's how he works, academics, or how he smiles - literally everything. He's my teddy bear in bed and my hero in life.

I would go around doing things like getting the kettle using my bare hands, holding it at the side while crying, he laughed but eventually helped me out.

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The Lao family has been my safe space whenever I needed to become myself again. They provided me with the warmth and care whenever I lose myself and I am and forever will be always grateful for them.

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On my 9th birthday, my mother asked me if I wanted to set up a “DIY Milktea” stall, and so I did. I was very happy serving my cousins on my special day.

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The New Year of 2024 has been great for me and my family, and I’m hoping 2025 will be just as good.

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My favorite international flight so far was unforgettable. The city had tons of luxury cars and many features that you would never find in Davao.

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My Mother's side has been my place of playing and support. When I have a gig somewhere, sometimes some of them will go and watch me play on stage, which is a huge deal for me.

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Growing up, I really liked cars—a lot. My mom recently told me that whenever I saw an unusual car on the road, I would shout out its make and model. She said they were always surprised at how often I got it right, even when I was very young.

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Being a rather random person, my mannerisms always seem to catch up with me, wherever I go. One of my biggest mannerisms is biting—whether it’s my shirt, my ID, my scapular, or even just my hand.

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My mom has always been a busy mom, especially when I was young. Before my first birthday, she worked abroad in Korea for six months. During that time, I only saw her through Skype when my sister wanted to call her, but I never really knew who that woman was.

When she came home shortly before my birthday, I wouldn’t go near her—not because I was sad or sulking, but because I wasn’t familiar with the person standing in front of me.

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My sister and I are very quarrelsome, to the point that people call us “cats and dogs.” But despite that, I’ve always admired my sister, especially the way she does in school. When I was in 5th grade, I got my first ever lowest score (68), and my parents were very disappointed in me. They compared me to my sister again and again and again.

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Ever since I picked up a guitar, something struck me and made me want to pursue music. I’ve played on countless stages, for countless communities, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

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Whenever someone's birthday comes up, my mom will always be there, happy to bake them their cake.

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1. Personal Development, or PerDev, helped me with my mental and emotional well-being. Before PerDev, I was leaning towards the downside of life being sad and angry all the time. I had very short fuses, which made me get annoyed so easily. This subject helped me know who I am more by making me aware of who I am becoming, who I am now, and who I used to be. This helped me by making me know what to do when in times of trouble, and how not to be my old self.

2. My key takeaways for this subject are to be aware of everyone around me, but also be aware of who I am becoming. This helps me a lot, because often I tend to forget who I actually am because I'm too focused on my environment. This also helps me become a better person because it helps me reconsider what I should do and what I shouldn't.

3. My two favorite lessons were "Personal & Social Relationships" and "Family Structures and Legacies." I personally like both because they focus on my real-world life and help me cope with the problems arising in those relationships. I also think that knowing the theories could help a person in their life by supporting their experiences. I think it was also fun learning those since I can resonate with it the most.