Jason came to New York in 2011 to shoot a common friend's wedding. He was supposed to stay at another person's place but asked if he could stay with me instead since he felt more comfortable. The other guy was a stranger, after all. I was hesitant because my bathroom wasn't exactly pristine and worst, the drain was clogged with the water level up to my ankles in minutes. Jason was a trooper though and said that it did not matter. So I figured, "Okay, he's a guy anyway." 

Imagine my surprise the following day waking up to the smell of corned beef and the sound of eggs cracking on the pan. I couldn't remember the last time I had breakfast at my apartment on a week day, so this was a real treat. He was up and about, greeting me with his customary, "Oooowww Joyyy!!" in a low voice, to which I always responded with a cheerful, "Ooowww Jase!!!" 

I left for work and I told Jason to live like a local. Walk around the neighborhood, eat at any of the Greek restaurants for which Astoria was known for, explore Steinway avenue - a Middle Eastern town lined with Halal grocers, Doner Shawarma shops and Hookah lounges. 

Casually, I said to him before I left, "To get the full experience of a local, can you drop off my laundry at the laundromat?" Hahaha! I live on a four floor walk-up. Carrying three weeks worth of clothes could get pretty heavy and intense for me. He said, "Sure! What else do you need help with?"

When I came home from work and got in the shower, I discovered my tub draining like it was new. Jason had fixed the problem and even cleaned it up a  bit!. Imagine my joy and embarrassment that this guest of mine had fixed my plumbing problems when I should have been the one doing it for him. But that was Jason - his generosity of heart, ingenious way of fixing things and being an older brother came naturally to him.

We caught up on life over the next few days through several shared meals. I told him everything that had happened to me since I left Manila, some 5 years ago. Incidentally, it was at his rooftop that SFC gave me my farewell party the night before I left for the US. I shared with him my lowest points throughout my journey in the US and he always said the right things to make me feel that God's love spares, delivers and provides in His own time. God's will is perfect and the only thing to do is to trust and surrender.

The times when he'd be quiet, I would find him busy editing photos on his laptop or out on my fire escape smoking and watching the world below pass him by. He really was living like a true local. I have never once opened my window and stepped out on to my fire escape. Only Jason did that in my 11 years of staying in that apartment. When I look out that window, I always remember him and it always made me smile. 

One of the shoots he had with the wedding couple was at Grand Central Terminal. I helped spot the light for his shoot. With zero experience, I just held that contraption acting like his side kick. He later told me he was going to give me a free photo shoot at a venue of my choice. I was excited with the thought of having my own pictorial but embarrassed to pose. He suggested Central Park but I ultimately decided to do it in Chelsea with my favorite NY landmark as the background - the Flat Iron Building. The choice made simple by the fact that it was near Shake Shack and Eataly. Two things Jason had heard of but hadn't yet gone to. 

The shoot went smoothly although I realized that posing was such hard work! It was comedic to remember Jason prompting me to pose (like a true photographer). My reply would always be, "I'm shy! I'm shy!" followed by a rambunctious pose. Hahaha!

I took Jason to Shake Shack after the shoot. He had such a big, happy smile. He was excited to try that burger after hearing so much about it. Shake Shack was in the middle of Madison Square Park, a dog park. The burger place had a menu for pooches made of cookies, ice cream and a bowl of water on the side for thirsty doggies. I remembered Max, his cute but smelly Bassett Hound, who always howled at visitors when we came to visit Jason in his home. Jason would always tell him to quiet down, motioning to him as if he was going to spank him and Max would quiet down.

Jason was truly the most low-maintenance guest I've ever had in my life. One time, he said he needed to go to Manhattan to meet a friend. I asked him if he wanted me to accompany him since I wasn't sure if he was ready to navigate the subway on his own. He declined and said he'll be ok. I gave him instructions. He left and I fell asleep.

Almost three hours later, I wake up, check my phone and see a text from him that he's outside. I hear a very faint knock on my door and I jump up realizing my phone was on silent. I open the door and there was Jason waiting for who knows how long. He said he had gotten lost, ended up in the Bronx and decided to come home. I asked him how long he had been waiting out there and proceeded to ask why he didn't bang on the door when I didn't pick-up his call. He said he figured I fell asleep when I didn't pick up and didn't want to wake me. What a man. That's the kind of person Jason was. 

He was mission-ready at all times agreeing to give a talk to the New York chapter of Singles for Christ (SFC). He started by leading praise and worship, doing what he does best with his guitar. I felt transported to my days in Makati and even Australia, when Jason and I along with a handful of Makati SFCers went on Mission. That was where I got to know Jason not only as a brother in Christ and leader but also a friend.

I had missed his brand of inspired worship. I marveled at how he had come a long way. The first time I saw him was when I had my CLP at Sanctuario in Forbes. He was teaching songs and at that time, I could hardly hear his voice. He spoke so softly and so shyly. Less than three years later, I reveled at how his love for God and God's grace propelled him to become this awesome, inspiring worship leader. I could visibly see the joy on his face as he sang with his eyes closed and with a truly happy smile on his face. Sometimes I just want to watch him because it made me long for that joy and peace that can only come from God, radiating from within.

Being the head of the family came naturally for Jason who after his parents' death took on the role of responsible older brother to two sisters, Tessa and Ghia. Jason often talked about Loi and Amelia. On one of our random online chats in my earlier years in the US, he shared his plans of proposing to Loi and having the ring made with a Tiffany setting. Years later, he became a father who chuckled when he talked about Amelia's funny antics. I would hear him talking to her on the phone when he called home and it made me smile. The servant of God, my brother in Christ, was now a father.

When it was time for him to head to Chicago for the next leg of his trip, we said our goodbyes to which he said, "No goodbyes, just see you later." I told him to come and visit again and he said, "I'll come visit again if you'll have me." I joked and said I was glad he wasn't traumatized by his experience staying at my place.

My apartment suddenly felt so empty after my gracious visitor, who treated me more like a guest in my own home, left New York. I am grateful for those 11 days I got to spend with Jason. 11 days out of his short but well-lived life. His passing teaches me that what makes a life well-lived is not the number of years a person has but the impact he makes on others. Jason left the world a better place. He loved well and lived well so much so that heaven is his for the taking. I have no doubt that even up there, he is living like a true local.

Katherine Joy
May 6, 2021

I met Jason is 2003 when I joined SFC in Makati. We ended up in the same household that year and I think all the way until he became Chapter Head in late 2005 and I was one of the unit heads. We were together in the SFC Mission to Australia in 2005. It was very memorable and we all bonded during that experience.  He was also my wedding photographer but a lot of you probably don’t know that we went into business with Jason. In early 2009 I moved to Bacolod, my home town, and at that time, there was a Photo Booth craze in Manila. Knowing that I was moving to Bacolod, Jason approached me and asked me if I wanted to partner and put up a photo booth business in Bacolod. At that time he was working with Imagine Nation and they also had a photo booth so he didn’t want to compete or it to be a conflict of interest. But if it was in Bacolod, then there wouldn’t be a conflict. Plus there was no photo booth there yet and we would be the first. So we went into that venture, together with my other business partners in Bacolod, as we already had a photo studio there. He flew over to set it up and we had a good run until we sold the business in 2017.

When Jason and Loi weren’t married yet, they never went traveled together out of town and stayed over night. Jason wanted to keep their relationship pure. They would travel to places together, but only for a day trip. Sometimes they would even take the plane, go somewhere in the country, but fly back at night. One time, he decided to take Loi to Bacolod, for the day. For some reason I was there, though I was still living in Manila because this was in 2008. So it was purely coincidence that I was there and Jason knew so he told me he was coming over with Loi, and asked if we could meet. I said - sure, I’ll take you guys around! I picked them up from the airport, and we toured the old houses that are now museums in Silay City. After that, I had to do something or be somewhere so I told them I couldn’t join them for lunch but will meet up with them in the afternoon. Jason said no problem because he knew where to bring Loi for lunch and afterwards to some places he planned to take her. For some reason I wasn’t able to meet up with them again that afternoon so I offered to bring them back to the airport. He said not to worry about it and that they’ll find their way to go to the airport. So they flew back to Manila on the last flight out. The next day, I messaged him to ask how their trip going back home was, and he told me he proposed to Loi on the plane! I congratulated him and was so happy for him. I even told him the he should’ve told me so we could’ve planned it and arranged the proposal in Bacolod. But that was Jason, very unassuming and didn’t want to be a bother. And yet when you ask his help, he would give his all.  The proposal happened on July 4, 2008, and exactly one year later, Jason and Loi got married in Boracay. I attended their wedding and it was beautiful and very special.

Since I moved to Bacolod and we weren’t in SFC anymore, plus Jason got married, then I got married eventually, we saw each other less and less. We would only get to see each other sporadically at friend’s weddings and birthday parties. We still communicated because of our photo booth business and I would give him updates from time to time. One time in 2017, when I was already living in Angeles Pampanga where I am now, he fixed the magsafe of my husband. My husband was so impressed that he was able to do it. But for Jason, he just said it was no problem, and that he already fixed 3 before that, those of his sisters. When we picked up the magsafe from his place, we were able to chat and catch up a bit, just the 3 of us – Jason, my husband Erik and myself. And that was the last time we were able to spend some time together. Though I still saw him a couple of times after that, the last one during my mother’s wake in September 2018. He played the guitar during the mass that our SFC/CFC friends sponsored. His last message in Facebook Messenger to me was to send his condolonces.

These are just a drop in the bucket of many good memories and stories I have of Jason, a very dear friend and brother in Christ. I will remember him fondly and miss him terribly. My consolation is that he is in a better place now and that his life, though seemingly short, was truly well lived. Animo!