People still ask me, sometimes with curiosity and sometimes with judgment, why I left the armed movement. The truth is more complicated than a single word.

The Filipino youth have always stood at the forefront of social change. Their passion for justice, equality, and national dignity is a strength that should be nurtured and protected. But passion alone is not enough, it must be guided by wisdom and a careful understanding of history.

For years, I believed that genuine change in the Philippines could only come through armed revolution. Like many idealistic young people, I was drawn to the promise of a nation free from injustice, inequality, and corruption. I sincerely believed that taking up arms was not merely an option; it was the only path. I was wrong.

But his is not only a story about gender. His is also a story about poverty, recruitment, ideology, fear, and the long road home.