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Eric 'Eruption' Tai reflects on 2016: 'Almost broke us, but it really built us'
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For Eric "Eruption" Tai, 2016 was not just a difficult year, it was a defining one.
“2016 almost broke us, but it really built us,” Eric shared in a heartfelt reflection, looking back on a season filled with loss, uncertainty, and unexpected blessings. The year began with a sudden setback: he was let go from 'It's Showtime' just after New Year's Day, with no backup plan and no clear direction ahead. “No clarity. Just with a mindset that there's a purpose in all things,” he recalled.
Soon after, another twist arrived. Eric was recruited to play American football for the Philippine national team, the Volcanoes. While the team emerged victorious against Korea, Eric suffered a serious injury during the game, breaking his right hand and undergoing surgery that sidelined him for months. “Talk about a quick lesson in humility,” he admitted.
Yet amid the uncertainty, Eric and his wife Rona made what he describes as the most important decision of their lives. “Before careers, before comfort, before knowing what was next, we chose God and we chose each other,” he wrote, as the couple were sealed for time and all eternity at the Manila Philippines Temple.
Then came what Eric calls “the reason why.” Instead of a traditional honeymoon, the couple embarked on an intense, once-in-a-lifetime journey after being chosen from thousands of applicants to represent the Philippines on The Amazing Race Asia. Their race spanned six countries and tested not only their endurance, but also their marriage. Exhaustion, pressure, and emotional strain pushed them to their limits, “almost divorced! JOKES,” Eric joked, yet they stayed united through it all.
The couple lived by two simple rules during the competition: no arguing, whoever felt frustrated first was allowed space, and “walang sisihan, just let go and let God.” With faith at the center, they pushed through every challenge together and ultimately became finalists. “Not because we were beasts at the game, but because God carried us every step of the way,” Eric said.
Though they narrowly missed winning the competition and the prize money they hoped would help them start a family through IVF, Eric believes everything unfolded according to a greater plan. Three years later, they were blessed with their son, Legend, a powerful reminder that blessings arrive not on our own timeline, but on God's.
Looking back, Eric sees 2016 not as a year of loss, but of alignment. “God proved He is the ultimate Master Planner,” he shared. His message now is one of humility, faith, and perseverance: trust God, get back up when knocked down, and keep moving forward.
"Kaya, thank you Showtime & Volcanoes & remember, everything happens for a reason whether good or bad! Just keep the Faith & keep trudging!"
