I was born and raised in Santa Rosa, Laguna.  My father, Reynaldo G. Yambao was a carpenter and my mother, Patricia Carpena was an ice-dealer.

I attended the primary and secondary schools of Sta. Rosa and earned my B.S. degree in the University of the Phillipines at Los Banos in April,1976.

Upon my graduation I was employed by the Department of Botany (Plant Water Relations) as a Research Assistant working on screening selected field crops for their resistance to drought.

After two years I was transferred to the Department of Agronomy and was assigned to do research in extension in lowland rainfed areas of Region 4 (Southern Tagalog Region, Island of Luzon).  We packaged farming technologies for small farmers to support them in augmenting their meagre income coming from producing rice.  Our project was coordinated with the various Philippines government agencies in order to spread the modern techniques in farming.  I worked in this field for 6 years.

I went back to the Phillipines and managed a fruit tree farm and did some residential landscape jobs.

In April 1989 I joined the Dubai Municipality's Horticulture Section to work as Horticulture Engineer.  I was assigned to maintain the landscape of various roads of Bur Dubai.  I worked with a consultant from UNDP Middle East to establish a Mother Stock Station inside the DM Nursery with the aim of raising a collection of exotic plants that have the potential of growing under local environment.  I was with the Municipality for 8 years