Emmanuel Garibay

Emmanuel Garibay was born on November 17, 1962 in Kidapawan, North Cotabato by a father who worked as a pastor in a Methodist church and a mother who worked in the city engineer’s office. His family moved to Davao city where he spent a secure and happy childhood. In 1968, then only six, Garibay’s mother provided the earliest significant encouragement for his artistic talent. His work even as a young boy showed a grasp of human character, particularly of soldiers. "Young boys are always fascinated with men in uniform," he says. "I then went to a phase of doodling robots, tanks, and make-believe characters."

He recalls with great relish as a child growing in Davao that he was taken in by the awe of owning a bicycle. The bicycle spelled freedom and fun that took him around the neighborhood and the lakes with his friends. The young Garibay would always set off on his bicycle and pedalled up the drive with his friends to explore new places and meet new people. "I love Davao," he muses, describing it as "charming and wild in so many senses of the word."