The Journey of a Probinsyano in the City

When people think of a successful lawyer at a major law firm in Manila, they don’t usually imagine someone who grew up waking up early to share limited bathing facilities with hundreds of other boys and attending school in classrooms with dirt floors; someone who traveled hours away from home for a better education. But that was the early life of Gelacio “Chino” Rivera IV from Legazpi, Albay. Today, he’s a junior partner at GSE Law Firm, where he leads the Data Privacy Practice Group and works in litigation, labor, and immigration law.

Chino’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and quiet triumph.

Humble Beginnings in the Province

Growing up in Legazpi, Chino’s pursuit of education led him to Philippine Science High School in Camarines Sur, two hours away from home. The school was still under construction. With open-air classrooms and dirt floors, it looked more like a construction site than a center for academic excellence. Yet, it was this very place, with its minimal amenities, that opened doors for Chino. 

Why did he endure such conditions? “The quality of education was better,” he said. And it was free. They were even given allowances. These small but significant advantages outweighed the hardships of campus life, where storms that took the power out meant bathing in a nearby stream and where dormitory life required military precision just to take a morning shower.

The Loss That Marked a Turning Point

In 2005, Chino moved to Manila to pursue a Computer Science degree at De La Salle University, supported by a financial assistance scholarship. His first brush with the city was both comical and eye-opening. On the very first day of school, Chino had a friend from Legazpi whose phone got stolen from their bag during lunch. It was a fast and sobering introduction to city life. From then on, Chino learned to guard not just his pockets, but his mindset as well.

But just as he was about to close one chapter of his life, tragedy struck. His father passed away in 2010, on the very day Chino received his final grades in college. He never got to see his son walk on stage, but he knew he had made it.

That moment altered Chino’s course. With few job opportunities in his field and his Master’s thesis left hanging, Chino made a bold choice: to follow in his father’s footsteps into law school. Chino’s father,  Gelacio L. Rivera, Jr., his namesake, was also a lawyer. In fact, he was an executive labor arbiter. And, moving into law seemed a fitting tribute to his father.

The Grueling Climb Through Law School

He took the leap and got accepted into both Ateneo and San Beda. A family friend from Bicol offered to sponsor half his tuition, which felt to him like fate was pushing him in one direction. Chino chose San Beda, it was just a train ride away, and it felt right.

But it wasn’t easy. In the first week, 8 of his blockmates dropped out. By the end, fewer than 10 of the original 50 would make it through and become lawyers. The pressure was intense, and the attrition rate was brutal. But Chino endured.

It wasn’t part of a master plan. “I’m not the type to think that far ahead,” he admitted. He had once dreamed of studying abroad, of working in Singapore or the US. But his father’s death and the unpredictability of life led him to take each day as it came. “I learned I can’t make plans too far ahead because things really change.”

The Manila Transformation Without Losing the Province

Over his two decades in Manila, Chino has become more practical, more guarded, and certainly more street-smart. “Everything in Manila felt more dangerous, more expensive, more advanced,” Chino shared. “You realize quickly, this isn’t the province anymore.” He recalls hiding his phone in his sock on his way home from school, wary of muggers. He learned to walk quickly, to assess danger, to prepare for the unexpected.

But Manila didn’t take the probinsyano out of him.

He still feels it, that quiet insecurity, the internal voice that says, “Don’t embarrass yourself.” Even now, he feels like a visitor in the city, still adjusting to its fast pace and unpredictable rhythms. But that provincial mindset, the humility, the grit, the resourcefulness, became an asset.

In litigation, where surprises are the norm and pressure is high, his dual identity is an advantage. “Being from the province helped me deal with people,” he shares. “And being street-smart means I’m not easily fooled.” Whether it’s facing bullies in the courtroom or adapting to a judge’s last-minute whims, Chino’s mix of heart and hustle keeps him grounded and effective.

Standing His Ground, Standing Tall

One day in court, an older lawyer tried to intimidate him into agreeing that two clearly different documents were the same. Chino held his ground. He refused to be bullied, and his decision helped win the case.

That small courtroom victory, like many others, reflects a much larger triumph. A triumph over the boyhood insecurities of being a probinsyano in a fast-moving, unforgiving city. A triumph over the loss of a father, and the weight of responsibility that followed. A triumph over the hardships of early schooling, of bathing in streams, of dormitory life, of classrooms with dirt floors.

A Probinsyano’s Legacy in the City

Today, Chino Rivera is not just a lawyer. He is a mentor, a speaker, a leader in his field. He helps clients navigate the complexities of data privacy, labor law, and litigation with the sharp mind of a computer scientist and the pragmatic heart of someone who learned to be street-smart the hard way.

When asked when he’s a probinsyano and when he’s a city boy, Chino gives an answer that sums up the complexity of his journey: “When I need something, I’m the probinsyano, humble and respectful. When I’m defending my client and someone tries to be rude or disrespectful, I’m the city boy. I stand my ground.”

This is not just the story of one man’s career; it’s a testament to what’s possible when grit meets opportunity, when heart endures hardship, and when a boy from the province steps into the city not to be changed, but to rise.

Chino Rivera’s journey is a quiet but powerful reminder that no matter where you start, the destination is yours to shape.

(Interview and write-up by: Zeus Earl Roy D. Custodio Jr.)