Twenty-three year old Christopher John Alandy-Dy Tiu, excels not only in sports but is an academic superstar too. In 2007 he graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University. He is taking a second course in Applied Mathematics and Finance. In the face of all his success and fame, his most endearing and outstanding trait has been his humility.

How does one go about raising a young man such as he?

I had the chance to interview his parents Jerry and Lianne and was very much inspired by the dedication they had, and awed by their insight and humility. I now understand and appreciate how Chris has grown up to be the highly successful yet terribly grounded and admirable young man he has become.

His mother says that Chris has always had a boundless energy. Lianne shares that as a 5 year old, he enjoyed climbing the door frame of his parents bathroom with his bare hands and feet like a little Spiderman. His rock-solid Christian values too, were formed very early in life.
“When he was 11 years old, he joined the school team which represented the country to compete in a basketball tournament in Las Vegas. While the boys were quartered in a motel, one of them accidentally went into an x-rated channel. The next day, the coach found out about it and was so angry. As punishment, the kids were asked to pay for the charged TV show, “ Lianne recalls, “Chris approached me and said that he was not going to pay for it. I told him it was only fair that all of them pay equally since they all watched. I later found out that he really did not join the group to watch since his back was on the TV and that he was praying the Rosary!” Being different from his peers in a way, made him also subject to bullying, Lianne says that peace-loving that he was, Chris tactic was to run as fast as he could, instead of fighting back, until the bullies could not catch him.

In a separate interview, Chris says that in the Tiu household, there would be set hours for studying, playing, watching television and playing computer games. “My parents really instilled in all of us the value of studying and hard work. They would push us to do our best and as long as they knew we did our best that would be enough.” Lianne echoes this when she says that for Jerry and her, the efforts exerted was always more important than the end result. Chris also adds that their mom was very active in helping them with schoolwork. “We would still have tutors but she was always there ready to help us, especially in Chinese. She would really take time out to sit down and help us with our lessons.”

One of the striking things that Chris told me was about how he felt so blessed to have parents who genuinely love each other. He shared how up to this day he still sees them show affection towards one another and that he is in awe of how they truly love each other. “My parents walk their talk. They have shown us kids by example what love is and what good, clean living and hard work is all about. They really take care of each other.” he says. It is certainly true what they say, that the best gift a man can give to his children is to love their mother, and vice versa.

Lianne tells me that it has always been important for her and Jerry to make sure that the children see that they love each other. “I pray a lot for the children. I give a lot of importance in raising them to be men and women of faith, competence, and values. For example, I encourage them to frequent the sacrament of Confession and we go to Sunday Mass together. I try my best to control the TV shows they watch making sure that they are wholesome. I try to put away immoral reading materials at home; I don’t give them much money; I try not to spoil them with material goods. I guess they are tired of hearing my advice: If you don’t need them, don’t buy.”

Among all his traits, it is Chris Tiu’s humility that has impressed me the most. Considering all the good things that have come his way, it mazes me to see how he continues to remain grounded in a world where fame, power and fortune can so very easily corrupt other young men or women his age. I ask Lianne why she thinks Chris has remained grounded and she gives me quite an insightful reply. “I think he has taken our advice to heart, something we tell our children all the time: “Much is given to you, much will be asked of you (from God).” We try to remind him to thank God for all his talents and gifts (for without Him, he can do nothing) and to repay Him by loving Him and helping others.

She adds that recently, media, fans, and the brands he endorses are spoiling him with so much attention, praise and material things and sometimes they worry about it. However, she is quick to say that she and Jerry continue to remind him that fame is fleeting. “We always tell him that what is important is not the applause of people but the approval of God. Even if he scores high in his studies or in sports, but is not at peace with our Lord, then his efforts are wasted. On the other hand, he may perform poorly in whatever activity, but he is in the state of grace and it is offered to God, then he will always come out a “winner” in God’s eyes.”