Joshua Yballa Lt. Governor

  I was born in Cebu City Philippines as Joshua Yballa. I am one of nine children from parents who raised their children to be hard-working and self-reliant. A lot of who I am today is the result of the influence of my parents who raised me to be God-fearing and Patriotic to the greatest Country in the world. My father was a WWII Veteran who fought the Japanese in the deep jungles of the Philippines as a Gorilla fighter. My mother was a healthcare provider who had the passion in helping the poor.

  As a child, then living in the Philippines, I witnessed firsthand when a Government disarms its citizens. I watched my father sitting in the living room waiting for government officials to come to the house and surrender his firearm for the sake of “Gun Control”. After my father surrendered his firearms, he sat me down and explained to me that this was the beginning of a government enslaving its citizens. If you know anything about Philippine history, shortly after confiscation, President Marcos declared Marshall Law and became a Dictator of the Philippine Islands.

  My family immigrated to the United States in the early 70’s. We were fortunate to immigrate quickly because we were American Citizens due to my Father being an American Citizen born in Hawaii.  We lived in a three room apartment in San Francisco and at times would share the apartment with other families who were themselves new immigrants from the Philippines.

  I didn’t speak a word of English and when the school officials wanted to place me in an ESL class, my parents demanded I remain in an all English-speaking class room. School officials warned my parents that I would struggle and be left behind if I were placed in an all English class, but my parents insisted that complete and total immersion was the solution to my assimilating to the new language and culture.

  My parents were correct because in just over a month, my command of the English language was better and more advance than my counterparts who were placed in an ESL classroom.

  After graduating from high school, I enlisted into the Marine Corps, then I attended San Jose State University where I studied Criminal Justice. I knew my ultimate goal was to work in law enforcement, but at that time I had to settle for working for several Software and Hardware Companies that were based in the Santa Clara, California Valley.

  When the opportunity opened up for me to move to CO, I jumped at the chance and moved my family to the Great State of CO.  I had always wanted to live in CO, since first visiting the State as a child with my brother-in-law who is a Native.

In 1999, I pursued my dream and became a Sheriff’s Deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. After serving 15 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, I accepted a position as a Police Officer with the Denver Police Department where I am currently employed and working in the finest District in the City.

I'm a single father and I work hard.