Mark was born and raised in Cebu, Philippines. He is the eldest of four siblings, raised single-handedly by his mother. He worked as a call center operator (graveyard shift) and as a financial advisor to send himself and his siblings to college. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Management Accountancy and, recently, Juris Doctor. He’s a member of the Philippine Bar, as well as a non-profit, non-government organization that advocates for the environment, climate change awareness, and pollution.

During his free time, Mark loves to read, soak up the sun at the beach, and play with his dogs, Patch, Lemon, Lolita, Ponki, and Savvy.