Derick Thomas P. Juan was born and lives in Caloocan City. He is studying occupational therapy at the University of Santo Tomas. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a promoter for the cause for sainthood of Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro.

Description and symbolism:

The red cross is drawn from Luke 9:22, symbolizing the Armiger’s daily call to self-denial and the willingness to follow Christ through suffering and love.

The heart, white and pure, defends the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. It reflects the Armiger’s devotion to the Twin Hearts, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and his formation in La Consolacion College Novaliches. It also recalls his service as a member of Knights of Columbus, and his home parish, Sto. Niño de Congreso.

The wheel pays homage to the vocation of healing and restoration through Occupational Therapy – a nod to his alma mater, the College of Rehabilitation Sciences at UST. It also honors his primary patron saints, Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro and Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, both of whom bore their physical sufferings in wheelchairs and ministered and evangelized with heroic faith. The wheel further symbolizes a pilgrim on his travels, journeying and in tireless dedication to service to the world and society. Finally, it also shares imagery with his alma mater, the Caloocan National Science and Technology High School, as a nod to its focus on innovation and continuity in responding to an ever-changing Earth.

The pincer symbolizes the role of an allied heathcare professional to alleviate suffering and support the recovery of an individual afflicted with illness. Through Occupational Therapy, the Armiger provides opportunities and rights to allow the least, the last, and the lost to engage in meaningful lives despite their impairment. The hammer symbolizes labor, service, and perseverance – virtues central to both craftsmanship and apostolic mission – and recalls the struggles faced by the Armiger throughout his life.

Taken together, the pincer and mallet reinforce the message of penance and mission entrusted to those reconciled with God. Combined with the cross in between, they form the La Salette Cross – emblems of repentance and reconciliation, calling all to return to God through prayer and humility. It pays homage to the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, who safekeep and minister to the home Parish of the Armiger since 2007, and the Armiger’s desire to promote the message of Our Lady of La Salette: penance and repentance, reconciliation and the need for fervent and deep prayer in daily life, and restoration of the faithful on the path of conversion to Christ.

At the center of the shield is a sun, representing God as the true center of life and all being. It also honors St. Thomas Aquinas, the Armiger’s patron on confirmation, and reflects his formation at the University of Santo Tomas. The eagle’s head evokes St. John the Evangelist, namesake and patron of the Armiger’s lineage, and also his heritage as a Filipino, as the Eagle is considered as a national symbol of love for country and love for its people. The sun also subtly echoes the rays of the Katipunan flag, recalling the Armiger’s hometown of Caloocan City, one of the home bases of the Revolution that lead to the Independence of the Philippine nation.

To the Armiger, Red alludes to valor and sacrifice, reflecting not only the blood of martyrs and the bravery of the Philippine National Police, but also recalls the Armiger’s birth in the year 2000, the Jubilee Year of the Armed Forces and Police. Blue, a hue of hope and purity, represents the Armiger’s deep Marian devotion and his professional calling as an occupational therapist, where blue signifies advanced clinical service, besides a nod to one of the profession’s theoretical frameworks, the Kawa Model, where a flowing river symbolizes the flow of life. Green alludes to humility, simplicity and heritage, calling to mind the verdant fields of Northern Caloocan, a reminder of the Armiger’s origins and call to serve in simplicity.

The motto is drawn from Acts 7:59 and recalls the final words of St. Stephen as an expression of complete trust in God’s mercy and eternal fidelity. It also alludes to the Armiger’s appreciation of martyrdom as an essential act of faith and of love to the Almighty.

Blazon: Shield: Quarterly Azure and Vert, a cross nowy Gules fimbriated surmounted by a sun in splendor charged with an eagle’s head erased between 1st a heart, 2nd a wheel, 3rd a pincer, and 4th a hammer, all Argent.

Motto: Domine Iesu suscipe spiritus meus (“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”).

Assumed/granting authority: Assumed, April 30, 2025. Motto assumed, June 30, 2013. Registered, Philippine Armorial, May 17, 2025.

Image and information submitted by the Armiger.