01/08/2025
Anchored in Purpose, indeed.
We are blessed to witness the journey of Bro. Lyan Louise Funelas, our Campus Youth Ministry President and this yearโs MASK Community Service Awardee.
Through his quiet leadership and constant presence, kuya Lyan reminds us what it truly means to live out our call: Amare et Servire, to Love and Serve.
With a heart formed by faith and a life rooted in service, may his story inspire us to keep showing up, with love, with purpose, and always for others.
May you continue to love and serve, Bro. Lyan!
๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ
In a world where greatness is too often measured by the spotlight and loud declaration, there is someone who chooses to act in subtle, more intentional ways. More than recognition, his deeds are driven by purpose โ and by the belief that showing up, not just for oneโs dreams and aspirations but also for others, is where meaningful change begins.
This is ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐จ๐ ๐. ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐จ, a BS Accounting System graduate and the 2025 Community Service awardee for Matenakang Anak ning Kabiasnan (MASK).
โShaped by community, driven by purpose, and grounded in the belief that change begins with presence.โ
Beyond his name, field, and achievements, Louise is someone who serves with a heart. He is an empathetic leader who speaks with care and courage, an advocate who found his voice in the very spaces where others needed to be heard, and a proud Angeleรฑo who shows up and listens.
But before becoming the person he is today, Louise took the first step.
From the small halls of his elementary classrooms to the wider community, he was already planting seeds of courage and leadership โ qualities he believes are not built overnight, but nurtured through time and consistency. He first served through classroom leadership roles and student organizations during his elementary and high school years. By senior high, campus journalism helped him explore his voice and values even more deeply. It was in these early days that his values began to take root.
Carrying the same quiet resolve, he stepped into a new chapter at the City College of Angeles โ his Santungan ning Kabiasnan.
When he first walked through its gates, he carried with him his simple yet sincere hopes: to do well in academics and make the most of every learning opportunity. But beneath those goals was a deeper calling โ to keep walking the path of service he had always been drawn to.
He found safe spaces in student organizations where he could learn, stumble, and grow. College became more than just a place to earn a degree โ it became a platform for using his voice and efforts to reach the larger community.
โCCA didnโt just educate me, it empowered me to stand tall with both feet rooted in Kapampangan heritage and both hands ready to work for others, with purpose and heart.โ
Still, the journey was not always a smooth sail.
In his early years, Louise struggled with self-doubt, the weight of expectations, and the isolation brought by the pandemic. There were moments when others did not believe in him โ and moments when he almost stopped believing in himself.
But what kept him going was purpose. He was constantly inspired by the people he served.
โThe children in outreach programs, fellow students who found comfort in community, and those who showed me that service is not about leading from the front, but standing with others in their struggles and aspirations.โ
In those seasons of uncertainty, his mentors and friends reminded him: he did not have to prove everything all at once. That reminder gave him the courage to keep moving โ one step at a time.
Looking back now, he sees the MASK award not as a spotlight โ but as a mirror. A humble reflection of the quiet work that often goes unnoticed but never goes unseen by the lives it touches. An affirmation that consistency, service, and sincerity leave something fulfilling for both the community and those who serve.
The values that brought him here? Commitment. Courage. Purpose. The habits? Showing up even when he was unsure, speaking up even if his voice shook, and doing the work even if it went unnoticed.
โYouโre not too shy to lead, not too soft to make a difference, and not too young to be taken seriously.โ
This is what he would tell his younger self โ words that echo through the way he leads and lives.
And to his fellow Angeleรฑos, here is a powerful reflection he wants to share:
Excellence is not about being perfect or something a person is born with. Excellence is built through the courage to consistently show up with purpose โ even when it is hard and boring. Start exactly where you are. This is where change begins. Donโt wait to be ready.
That one student who once carried doubts, whose heart held simple whispers of hope, can now say with courage and conviction that his voice carries weight, even if it trembles. That kindness is not weakness, nor loudness is what matters most. In the end, what counts is being true to oneself and oneโs beliefs.
โKeep showing up. The impact youโre meant to make will follow the courage you choose every day.โ
๐๏ธ: Arnalie David
๐ผ๏ธ: Archell De Guzman