25/08/2026
Gabriele M. Apawan, Class of 2019
The CHAS Community is proud of you.
Apawan: Tiglawigan’s Proud Son
Cadiz City is truly home to champions, topnotchers, scientists, and world-class professionals.
And Tiglawigan, one of its 22 barangays, has produced its own share of remarkable individuals.
Among them is a young man whose journey from the classrooms of his hometown has led him to an extraordinary calling in the service of the nation.
This is the story of Second Lieutenant Gabriele Martinez Apawan, NC.
At 28, Gab has achieved a distinction that makes his hometown especially proud: he is the first military nurse from Barangay Tiglawigan, carrying not only the rank of a military officer but also the pride of the community where his dreams first took root.
His journey began in the classrooms of Tiglawigan Elementary School, where he spent his childhood years learning and playing in the same school grounds that would later become part of his story.
He continued his secondary education at Tiglawigan National High School before pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the State University of Northern Negros.
Like many young people pursuing higher education despite financial challenges, Gab's journey was not always easy. With the support of his aunt and uncle and the assistance of scholarships, however, he was able to complete his studies and earn his nursing degree.
After graduation, Gab gained professional experience as a volunteer nurse at the Cadiz City Emergency Clinic and Birthing Home.
There, he developed not only his nursing skills but also the compassion, patience, and responsibility essential to caring for others.
That same year, he attended a nursing review program and took the Nursing Licensure Examination, which he passed on his first attempt.
As a registered nurse, he became a Staff Nurse at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)–Mother and Child Unit of Cebu North General Hospital in Talamban, Cebu.
For several years, he cared for patients, particularly mothers and children, building valuable experience in the nursing profession.
But Gab's desire to serve eventually took him beyond the hospital.
He underwent rigorous military training with the Philippine Navy, facing the physical, mental, and emotional demands of military life.
The transition from hospital corridors to military training grounds challenged him in a different way, requiring discipline, resilience, leadership, and commitment.
His efforts earned recognition. He graduated Rank 15 among 50 trainees and received the Leadership Award for his leadership, discipline, and commitment to service. He eventually became a member of the Nurse Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Today, he proudly wears the uniform as Second Lieutenant Gabriele Martinez Apawan, NC.
His achievement reflects not only his own determination but also the support of the family members, teachers, and community who helped shape his journey.
The young boy who once walked the halls and played in the quadrangle of a neighborhood school has grown into a nurse and military officer serving the Filipino people.
His journey also shows how one profession can lead to another dimension of service. Nursing gave him the opportunity to care for individuals; military service has given him another avenue to serve the country.
For Gab, success is not simply about reaching a personal goal. It is about using what he has learned and achieved in the service of others.
To the young people of Tiglawigan and to every Filipino who carries a dream, Gab's journey offers a simple message:
Dream boldly. Work hard. Stay disciplined. Never give up.
Challenges may make the journey difficult, but they do not have to determine where it ends.
Gab's journey—from the classrooms of Tiglawigan, to nursing, and eventually to military service—shows what perseverance and determination can accomplish.
Sometimes, greatness begins in an ordinary place, with an ordinary young person who dares to dream beyond what he can see.
And sometimes, that young dreamer grows up to become a source of pride—not only for his family, but for an entire community./*
