By: Naiia Lajoie   Many who find themselves deeply immersed in the political sphere have been primed to do so for several years, as is typical for most politicians. However, City Councilor Laarni Lavin Roque is anything but typical, nor does her origin story follow any expected narrative that would land her as a leader of the people. This is what makes her journey such an unlikely tale, but also one of inspiration. Born in Manila as number 5 of 7 children, Laarni was raised by two hardworking, ambitious parents; transplants from the Visayas. Her late father was a college graduate who became a successful banker, and her mother a fellow college-grad worked as a government nurse. Among her 6 siblings, she has three who are doctors, one as an architect, another is an engineer, with the remaining one following in their father’s footsteps as a banker. Among such prestigious family faculties, she too was poised for a white collar career. Initially her father had wanted her to pursue law, so she attended De La Salle University and obtained a Bachelor in Philosophy. Prior to completing a law degree thereafter however, destiny intervened. Laarni met, fell head over heels in love with, and married her now husband. After just one year of law school, he proposed, and set forth into motion a series of events that would alter her job trajectory forever. He convinced her to exchange law for learning, and so she graduated with a second Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She passed the board exams for teaching, they were wed in Manila, and afterwards he whisked her away to his hometown in Mindanao. Having been raised a city girl for 23 years, constantly surrounded by bodyguards on account of her father’s banking work, Laarni...... Read more on Full Issue!