Cali Squad

quad is a group of childhood friends who grew up together in the same neighborhood. Though the group began as a close-knit circle, it has remained open to welcoming new members—what we now proudly call the second generation of the family. Before becoming the Cali Squad, the group was known as “Cali Ocho.” And this is how it all began…


Our Story

It all started one late afternoon in 2009, when the sun was about to set. While playing outside as usual, the group of friends suddenly had an idea—to form a group of their own. They gathered, talked, laughed, and agreed on a name: “Cali Ocho.”
Why Cali Ocho? Back then, the group loved playing in the streets every afternoon—games like Slipper Game, Patintero, Pusil-Dunggab, Bato-Lata, Bulan-bulan, and more. The streets, or kalye, had become their second home, and their friends, their second family. Originally, there were eight members (or so they thought—later they realized there were actually nine!). The founding members and their roles were:

• Frank Maurhay Basiga – President
• Rosalinda Tayros – Vice President
• Beverly Anne Conde – Secretary
• John Rheed Caturza – Treasurer
• Dean Mark Conde – Auditor
• Dionie Pasok & Jessryl Cabus – Sergeants-at-Arms
• Cherry Rose Conde & Hannah Mae Paquira – P.I.O. They even went as far as assigning themselves additional roles like Social Manager and naming all their parents as Advisers. To top it off, they had their own Muse and Escort: Beverly Anne Conde (Muse) and Frank Maurhay Basiga (Escort). The Meaning Behind the Name

In 2009, Pitbull’s song “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” was a big hit. The group loved the song and found inspiration in its title. The words “Calle Ocho” (Spanish for “8th Street”) perfectly represented who they were—kids who loved to play on the street, and there were eight of them. However, in their youthful creativity (and a little bit of misspelling), they wrote “Cali” instead of “Calle.” What they really meant by “Cali” was “Kalye” in Filipino, which also means street. Thus, Cali Ocho was born—on October 27, 2009 (Tuesday). As time went on, the name evolved—from Cali Ocho, to Cali 8, and finally, to what we now know as the Cali Squad. The last change was inspired by the social media trend “Squad Goals.” As they grew older, the group began creating their own version of “squad goals”—movie marathons, swimming trips, food adventures (boodle fights, pancit canton, proven), picnics, photoshoots, sleepovers, and many more. And besides, they were no longer just eight members—they had grown bigger, closer, and stronger. Looking Back, Moving Forward

Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that a simple idea “born out of the blue” would grow into something this meaningful and lasting. Over the years, their bond has only deepened, forming not just a group of friends, but a family. They owe it all to God Almighty, whose grace has kept their friendship alive through time, distance, and change. And so, the group’s heartfelt prayer remains:

“Ang among ampo nga bisan pag mangdagko, bahalag magkalagyo, kami will always be forever. Bahalag mamuti na among hair!” (Our prayer is that even as we grow older and drift apart, we will always be together—no matter how white our hair becomes!)

May God continue to bless the Cali Squad! 🙏❤️