Everyone reaches a point where they realize they don’t have it all figured out—and that realization can be both unsettling and freeing. Lester Palma knows this feeling well, having grown up learning, adjusting, and slowly finding his footing far from home.
At 14, Lester moved to Dubai with his parents, both overseas Filipino workers. What started as a childhood relocation became a defining chapter of his life. “I moved to Dubai when I was 14 years old as the son of overseas Filipino workers,” he says during an interview with TGFM. Growing up in a city that never stops evolving pushed him to mature early, observe closely, and adapt constantly. Over time, Dubai became more than just a place to live—it became the backdrop of his becoming.
Growing up while figuring things out
Like many young Filipinos abroad, Lester felt the pressure to know his direction early. “Growing up abroad came with moments of uncertainty and self-doubt,” he admits. Instead of rushing into one path, he explored several. At 18, he entered modeling while taking on side jobs as event crew, in customer service, and at front desk roles. Each role taught him something practical—discipline, patience, and how to work with people from different walks of life.
“These experiences grounded me,” he says, noting how they shaped his professionalism and confidence. They also planted the seeds for a dream he hadn’t fully named yet.
Creativity meets structure
Creativity had always been a constant. “I was naturally drawn to visuals, ideas, and self-expression,” Lester shares. That instinct eventually led him to study digital marketing, a field that allowed him to balance imagination with strategy. Now 25, he works as a freelance digital marketer, still early in his career and fully aware of it.
“What I enjoy about digital marketing is the balance between creativity and structure,” he says. “I like turning ideas into something intentional.” Rather than rushing milestones, Lester is focused on growth. “I don’t feel the need to rush the process.”
A first step toward a long-held dream
This year marks a quiet but meaningful shift—his first time entering pageantry. For Lester, it’s not about titles but alignment. It’s a step closer to a long-standing dream of becoming a fashion model, one he’s now ready to pursue with clarity and confidence shaped by years of lived experience.
“At 25, I don’t claim to have all the answers,” he says. “What I do have is clarity in knowing that I’m still building, still learning, and still becoming.”
Words for fellow kababayans
For other Filipinos abroad who feel behind or unsure, Lester offers reassurance: “It’s okay to still be figuring things out.” His mantra—“Stay curious, stay grounded, and keep building”—is less advice and more lived truth, shaped by time, patience, and the courage to begin again.
