Bobby Reyes didn’t map out a plan to become a respected IT leader, a pillar of the Filipino community in Texas, or a voice for forgotten veterans. He left the Philippines at 22 with a suitcase, and a desire to keep learning. What unfolded was a life defined not by strict plans, but by the courage to adjust them.
“Yeah, you can plan your life,” he says, “but you also need to be ready to pivot if life decides to give you something else.”
Now, after more than four decades in the United States—including 30 years at the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center—Bobby looks back not just on milestones, but on the quiet moments where choosing to adapt led to purpose, community, and legacy.
From Manila dreams to Houston turns
Bobby grew up surrounded by eyeglasses, eye charts, and legacy. His father was an optometrist, and optometry was the family path. He graduated cum laude from Centro Escolar University in 1984 and aced the board exams the following year—earning topnotcher honors. But by then, he had already moved to the U.S. to study.
“I left Manila when I was 22, fresh college graduate, not knowing what my future would be. And I just went with it.”
He started at the University of Houston in 1985, earning a degree in economics and later, an MBA- Master of Business Administration. His plan was to return home and become an even better optometrist. But after the 1986 People Power Revolution, his father encouraged him to stay in Houston.
So Bobby did what he always does best—he pivoted.
From hospital plans to IT leadership
With degrees in hand, Bobby joined MD Anderson intending to pursue hospital administration. But his department chair had other ideas.
“One Saturday, he and I came to work and we put together our very own small network within our offices,” Bobby recalls. That moment sparked a new passion—for technology and problem solving.
He moved into IT, starting as a desktop support technician. His medical background helped him bridge the communication gap between software engineers and medical staff. “I was able to translate the technical terminology into something they would understand,” he said.
From there, Bobby rose through the ranks to become IT manager for the Division of Internal Medicine and later for MD Anderson’s main hospital and outpatient clinics—supporting everything that touches patient care.
And now, 30 years later, he’s about to retire. But not from purpose.
Uniting diverse voices for stronger Filipino ties
Since 1999, Bobby has been a quiet force in Houston’s Filipino community. He was president of the Tagalog Association of Texas from 2004 to 2006, where he expanded scholarships for students in the Philippines.
“I didn’t like the term ‘less fortunate’… Let’s not use that as a label,” he said. “They’re students who, because of financial difficulty, will need scholarships.”
From 2008 to 2009, Bobby was also a board member of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) and co-chaired one of the highest attended Asian events held at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston, Texas for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month which is held every year during the month of May in the USA.
He later became chair of the Filipino American Council of South Texas (FACOST), uniting over 50 organizations.
“We’re so regional—Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano… I wanted to bridge those gaps,” Bobby said. “We’re already in the United States. We need to build our community not on geographic basis, but we need to work together regardless of our geographic identity.”
He led by example—attending events across regional groups, showing up, and showing unity.
He also co-founded the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce Texas, merging Houston and Dallas into one statewide network. As Region Chair from 2019 to 2022, he guided the chamber through the pandemic and beyond.
Advocating for veterans, building legacies
Among all his accomplishments, one memory stands above the rest. In the early 2000s, Bobby was part of a national effort to advocate for Filipino World War II veterans who were denied promised U.S. military benefits.
“We were able to work with U.S. Congress and Senate… Our surviving Filipino World War II veterans were given lump sum payments and Congressional Medals.”
Years later, in Bulacan, Bobby met one of the veterans. “The grandfather told me, ‘Look at this house. We’re almost complete. I was able to have it built because of the benefits the U.S. government gave us.’”
Bobby revealed: “Lolo, I was one of those voices in the United States based in Texas… we worked with our congressman, Al Green.”
The veteran cried and hugged him.
“That was the moment,” Bobby said. “We want to make life better for everybody—but of course, we’re Filipinos. We want to make life better for Filipinos.”
Lessons learned when life takes a turn
As he reflects on his path, Bobby’s message is clear: planning is good—but flexibility is essential.
“You might have your five-year plan, your ten-year plan—but be prepared to change,” he said. “Go with whatever life throws at you. Take it, learn lessons from it, and it makes you a better person.”
His own journey proves it: from optometry to IT, from introvert to community leader, from hesitant student to legacy-builder.
Even setbacks fuel him. “Whenever something comes up, I don’t get scared. I just say, okay, there’s another challenge we need to do,” he said. “I look at everything as a project.”
And despite being the first Filipino IT manager at MD Anderson, Bobby never lost his humility. “It was difficult as a Filipino to really be seen… You have to prove yourself before everybody else will start looking at you.”
But he did prove himself—and then lifted others along the way.
Authenticity as a foundation for success
To the next generation—whether they’re thinking of migrating, building a career, or serving their community—Bobby offers this wisdom:
“Be yourself. Be honest with yourself. Don’t present a false façade—because eventually, people will find out who the real you is.”
“Have plans. Set goals. But don’t be afraid to change them. Life has a way of steering you toward something even better—if you let it.”
Looking back, Bobby knows he didn’t get to where he is by following a straight line. He got there by staying open, listening closely to life’s turns, and stepping forward with quiet courage each time the path changed.
“You may not see the results of your efforts right away,” he says. “But wait long enough—you will. And when you do, that’s when you realize it was all worth it.”
Because sometimes, the life you didn’t plan turns out to be the legacy you were meant to build all along.
