Jeric Fortuna: From Growling Tiger to Flying Tiger

MANILA, Philippines – Last weekend, during the opening of the Under-25 Men’s tournament of the Breakdown Basketball Invitationals between Ateneo and UP, there was a familiar onlooker in the crowd. It was Jeric Fortuna, who was present to support his youngest brother Migs, who was playing for the Blue Eagles’ Team B.

Jeric has decided to hang up his high tops and has shifted careers. The elder Fortuna is now training and studying to be a commercial pilot.

“Even as far back as in high school, I was already thinking of becoming a pilot,” shared Jeric. “Of course, basketball is my first love and I gave a lot of years and made a lot of sacrifices for the game. But there are always other interests.”

After his sterling career at the University of Santo Tomas where he led the Growling Tigers to a UAAP final slot, Fortuna spent a year in the Asean Basketball League with the San Miguel Beermen before applying for the PBA Draft. Selected in the second round, 14th overall by the Barako Bull Energy, Fortuna found himself bouncing around from team to team getting very little playing time. He suited up for four different PBA ballclubs — Barako Bull Energy, San Miguel, Phoenix Fuel Masters, GlobalPort — before making a return to the ABL with Alab Pilipinas.

Come October 2017, Fortuna decided it was time to make the jump. “Even when I playing, I always thought about taking up flying. I was able to get onto teams but the minutes were few. I told myself, maybe it is time to give this other dream a chance. Lalo na, while I am young and can still do it.”

His entire family supported the career shift. “My parents were so supportive because it is a very nice profession and it was for good reasons. It is stable and with good benefits. Plus, you get to travel.”

“There was always a thrill even as a passenger on a plane,” recounted Fortuna. “I would wonder how the pilots fly a plane, what it took to keep a plane up in the air. All these related things.”

Right now, Fortuna is going to flight school at Omni Aviation beside Clark International Airport where he has logged about 70 hours of flight time.

“The first time I flew a plane, I was so nervous,” admitted Fortuna of his maiden flight. “My flight instructor allowed me to do the take off. It was a small plane and malakas yung turbulence. But I managed it pretty well. Then my flight instructor did spins and other stunts. It was an awesome experience.”

If all goes well, Fortuna can finish flight school by 2019. “When you finish school there is what they call “instrument rating” where you learn how to fly based on instruments alone. Then after that, there is another license for commercial flying. And we’ll take it from there.”

Fortuna disclosed that he had no regrets as to how his basketball career turned out. “I have to be very thankful. I got to play in the UAAP, the ABL, and the PBA. I got to win championships and play alongside amazing teammates. I got to experience something that not many people do. So, I have a lot to be thankful for.”

And now, Jeric Fortuna is aiming for something higher.