Orlando Ortega, lovingly known as “Arman” or “Orlie” by those closest to him, was born on March 4, 1954, in Manila, Philippines, and passed away on May 9, 2026. He was the second child and eldest son among seven siblings. He was preceded in death by his father, Tom Ortega, who also passed away at the age of 72, while his beloved mother, Betty Vizcarra, continues to live a long and remarkable life at 100 years old.

He worked at PAGCOR for more than three decades, beginning in 1977 until his retirement in 2010. He was known as a devoted worker, a man of integrity, and someone people could always rely on.

From a very young age, he showed admirable qualities of intelligence, discipline, and leadership. Growing up in a family of modest means, he spent his high school years at Manila Boys Town, a school operated by the Manila local government. He was accepted not because he was a troubled or at-risk youth, but because they recognized his potential. There, he gradually blossomed and eventually became the school’s “House Father” for a group of boys. He graduated as class valedictorian, and because of his achievements, he was awarded a scholarship grant from one of the Boys Town foreign benefactors, allowing him to pursue Mechanical Engineering at FEATI University.

Throughout his life, Orlando never stopped learning and improving himself. He pursued continuing studies and completed different courses, including additional degrees in Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and even a Chef course. His achievements reflected his belief that with dedication, determination, and hard work, anything is possible. He was always eager and willing to learn new things.

He married the love of his life, Vicky, in a civil ceremony in March 1979, followed by a church wedding in July of the same year. Together, they were blessed with five children and later eleven grandchildren, all of whom he deeply loved and cared for.

He spent the last 17 years of his life residing in Torrance, California, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Beyond his career, he had many passions in life. He loved cooking, teaching, carpentry, gardening, and planting vegetables. He enjoyed fixing things around the house and was very creative with his hands. With almost any piece of wood, he could build something useful — whether it was a table, planter boxes, shelves, or small household projects. He found joy in creating things and making use of what he had.

He also loved teaching and tutoring his children and grandchildren in math and sharing valuable life lessons through simple everyday moments.

Cooking was one of Orlando’s greatest passions. He loved cooking, baking, and trying new recipes, especially when preparing meals for family and friends. Whenever he was home, he made sure meals were ready for the family and that everyone was well-fed. Even before going to work, he would prepare extra food for later. That was his way of showing love — through actions more than words.

Family celebrations were always important to him, especially birthdays, Christmas, and New Year. He built holiday traditions within the family that will stay with them forever. He loved preparing large amounts of food for family gatherings, making sure everyone was happy and satisfied. Through these celebrations, he showed how much he valued family, togetherness, and creating joyful memories with the people he loved.

He also faithfully participated in the chapel community for many years, even portraying the role of St. Joseph during Holy Week. In addition, he spent time helping maintain the community park and chapel in the Philippines, generously sharing his time and care with the community without expecting anything in return.

Though he was not overly expressive with words, he showed his love through his actions, hard work, sacrifices, and constant presence. His love was quiet but dependable, and he was truly a man of his word. He leaves behind a legacy of humility, generosity, strength, wisdom, and love that will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

He will forever be remembered as a loving husband, devoted father, proud grandfather, faithful servant of God, and a man whose life greatly impacted his family and community.