HAIL TO THE NEXT APACHE CHIEF-KARL

January 4, 2025 Opinion

I start off the New Year with a new “home” with Amianan Balita through its Publisher-Editor Thom Picana. The years with the Baguio Midland Courier as columnist made writing a fabric of my media life and the invitation by Thom to continue my irreverent column was too hard to resist. So start the presses! At the traditional bonfire last
December 30, the new Chief of the Apache Nation was installed. Karl B. Gabaen, Baguio raised, was born on October 31, 1975 in Bauko, Mt. Province. Destined to be a leader he envisioned himself to be a good family man though he sure knew how to just enjoy life as a lover of nature, a little booze here and there, wat-wat and all other things beautiful!

At his young age, he cast his future under the tutelage of the Catholic churches and his schooling started with them at St Vincent Elementary School, then moved on to Don Bosco High School in my Trancoville community. For college, it was the Benguet State University where he obtained a degree in, of all courses Agriculture. Then he must have realized he could not be a farmer so he moved on to the then Baguio Colleges Foundation (UC) where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws in 2001. In the interrugnum of his student days, he started his quest for leadership as SK
Chairman, Barangay Happy Homes-Old Lucban in 1992 and later as Barangay Kagawad.

From there he moved to Pucsusan to what Doc Willy describes as a mall-like residence. With public service embedded in his heart, mind and soul, he ran and won over three worthy opponents as Punong Barangay. He was set to run as President of the Liga but the lal-lakays and elders intervened and he ended up being Vice. That started his troubles but that is another story, he he he! Along the way, he met Alma Malamnao and fell heads over heels in love with her. Together they established their family amids the shrubs and trees at Pucsusan after staying at Happy Homes with their three beautiful children Rhousee, Kobe and Keiser.

With a growing family, he too had to work. First as a Trainjng Officer of the Northpoint Academy, Inc., Camp Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet then as Security Director of King Mike Security Agency, Baguio City. With his savings and a little help from family, he went into the security business as sole proprietor of the Baguio’s Finest Security Agency (BFSA) and to date is one of the biggest agencies in north luzon. As if his schedule was not so hectic, he joined the Rotary Club of Downtown Session (RCDS) and elected as President in 2014. As Chairman of the Vocational Service Committee, in 2016 he launched his Signature Project: “Search for the TEN OUTSTANDING
KAGAWADs (TOKs) in Baguio City.”

Moving further, he became Assistant Governor of Cluster I-C for Rotary Year, 2019 for the Rotary International District 3790. He was designated the District Chair of the Youth and Relief Operations Committee in 2018. Outside Rotary, he was Vice-President & Secretary of the Baguio City Advisory Council, BCPO and President of the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators (PADPAO), Baguio-Benguet Chapter in 2010. He has so many trainings and multiple awards that for me to enumerate them would take a lifetime. It is enough to say, he deserved all of them! His lifestory was not all beds and roses though.

A few years back his son Kobe experienced a life-threatening disease which literally broke his and Alma’s back emotionally and worse financially. The stress and difficulties of confinement in Manila for over two years however were overcomed by prayers and a lot of love and support from family and chosen friends and now the young man is back, healthy and strong with his father a lot wiser! He was humbled and learned a lesson that he can face any obstacle that would come! Chief Karl has been called and chosen Chief of the Baguio Apaches for 2025. The 85 years
of tradition based on a brotherhood goes on and would last forever under his stewardship.

It will be an exciting year for the Braves. The spirit shall live on! Time to make the Apache Nation great again with Food, Fun, Fellowship, Faith, Family! And we welcome our new Apache Brothers who went through a year of hardship as peons : Apache Braves Ardi Agpuldo, Darius Kindipan and Raffy Andrada! We salute the Chief accepting a proud fulfilment of a great, noble call-Many are called but few are chosen. Chief, you have to make this grand nation grander. You will succed, that is our strong, firm belief. Hail to the one we selected as leader, Hail to the
Chief!” Sigh!l