President Aquino's passing and memories of a time..

The passing of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino yesterday, August 1st, is a sad day for the millions of Filipinos who embraced democracy and is continuing its fight to keep it two decades later. I never thought that her passing would bring a flood of memories for me and not just memories of Edsa and People Power 1 but memories of my life stories that I never thought would come back.

I have always been apolitical and it has always been one of the things that I remember my own mother tried her best to change. I left De La Salle University in September 1985. It was one of if not the most turbulent times for Philippine politics. The month before, President Cory's husband Ninoy was just assassinated. Amidst all this I remember that I was pre-occupied with going out with friends and just plain having a good time because I did not have to study anymore. What I forgot and now remember is despite the turbulence of the times, I was never afraid even if I did not know what lies ahead of me and what career path should I take.

My own mother who we fondly called Maming at that time, I remember now was also unafraid and maybe that is why I wasn't afraid either. Despite the financial difficulties that we were having then - my father (Paping) has just retired and is only getting his income from teaching golf, I had 4 other brothers and sisters who are in school, the political and economic turmoil, etc - my Maming was calmy keeping the family together.

February 1986, I was officially a bum for 5 months. When the call for People Power came, I remember my Maming packing all of us into our old Ford Fiera and headed out to Edsa. It was just another family outing is all I remember but now I realized how strong her conviction was and without so many words just showed us. Even with a string budget that the family was on at that time, Maming passed by a grocery store and bought boxes and boxes of juice drinks and packs and packs of bread. I don't know about my brothers and sisters but now I remembered that I never even bothered to ask why she was doing that. I just watched and sat at the back of truck. Until we got to Guadalupe along EDSA.

I never would think of walking from Guadalupe to Camp Aguinaldo even now. Alipin ako ng kotse. Ayaw na ayaw ko noon maglakad or mag-commute. But now I remembered that my Maming made me do it without even asking us. She just went down the truck, made each one of us carry as much as we can and started walking towards the throng of people in Edsa and giving away food and drink. We just followed. And stayed.

By just being there, I remember now that I learned so many of my life's lessons. Oh there were many more to come as the next 23 years passed - career, marriage, etc. But those times my eyes just absorbed it all, buried at the back of my head and have now been resurrected as the icon of those times died.

I also realized now that my Maming must have felt a connection with that housewife back then. Like President Cory, my Maming was both mother and father to 5 children most of her married life because her husband's profession required him to be away 90% of the year. And despite all of her personal challenges, she still had time and chose to make a stand.

My Maming who is now in heaven too has not cured my being apolitical. Wala pa din akong interest sa politika. But if push comes to shove, I think I learned that very important lesson well from my Maming and President Cory too. Kikilos din ako. I will most likely do something. Because it is not anymore politics but life and the future.

Rest in peace President Cory.

Rest in peace Maming. I love you and will always, always miss you.

Paping..

Happy Birthday Paping!

It's been two years since you left. I miss you and Maming.

I love you.

Mother to most...Maming to me

Mother, Mom, Mama, Inay, Nanay...are just some of the common terms used to describe women who bear children and raise them.

To me and my 4 siblings, she is Maming. During these months I remember my Maming especially as we lost her in April 2000 and Mother's Day is usually just around the corner of this date.

She was a character...a self-made woman who made something of herself despite poverty and limited education. A life worthy to be made into a film. For some reason the funniest story that I was just telling my colleagues at work this week was the "mangoes story".

One summer, my Maming brought home a couple of kilos of mangoes. My siblings and I fought because of it as we were all mango monsters and wanted an extra share. My Maming was so mad at us that she yelled, told us to stay put and not move from where we were. She came back and plunked down one "kaing" (a big basket) of mangoes in front of each one of us and made us eat the whole thing because we were greedy she said.

What was funny about this story is that I remember myself in tears, crying and saying sorry and I've had enough and will she please let me stand up already...but despite this I still ate I think more than half of the big basket!!! Hahaha!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who had to raise children like me. Special greetings goes to my sister Teng and sisters-in-law Jenny and Pam who all had to raise the second generation of this family.

Just Taking a Moment to Condemn Terrorism

Like I said, terrorism is closer to home.

At 8:15pm Tuesday, a bomb exploded at the House of Representatives killing one member of Congress and many more seriously injured. The rest of the story is at www.inquirer.net

The House of Representatives (Batasang Pambansa) is about 20 mins from where I live. Though my drive home along Mindanao Ave. was very peaceful, at the other side of the avenue things were apparently chaotic.

..............Lord, we pray for peace.

Remembering the Parental Units on All Soul's Day

The kids nowadays call them parental units. To me, they are simply my Maming and Paping - parents in heaven.

All Soul's Day is one of the most important holidays in the Philippines. Filipinos flock to the cemeteries to remember the departed members of their families. Many even go as far as their hometowns where ancestors are buried.

Since my Maming's passing away in 2000, my family has started this tradition of going to the cemetery either before or after the official day of November 1st. This year we went on November 3rd. Despite it being the 3rd day of a 4 day-long holiday, there were still tons of people at the Manila Memorial Park.

I was so sure that my Maming and Paping were happy to see what's left of their Kamp in the Philippines. They would be also be proud that prayers were led by their 7 going 8 grandson Spade.

Paterno (+) and Erlinda Dimaano (+), you will always, always be remembered.

Terrorism: Closer to Home

Friday was an ordinary working day were people working in Makati usually eat lunch out in Glorietta mall...just to break the monotony of eating on their desks or food from the jollijeeps (those meals on wheels plying Makati City streets).

Who would have thought that about 10 people (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=95697) will die and so many more injured? The blast was a tragedy. And though this country of ours has already experienced a number of tragic events, what made this different is that now, I know one of the casualties.

For the families of these people who were probably just enjoying a day or lunch hour at the mall, it is difficult to accept that danger lurks in such a usually enjoyable place. This is not the first time that a bombing has happened in this part of the city but knowing one casualty who you used to work with and who you saw last month at the badminton court, makes it seem more real..more heartbreaking...more outrageous.

For many of us who are still around it makes us more diligent and observant about our surroundings. Events such as this makes us more thankful that the Lord is kind to spare us. And finally, this incident makes bonds of friendship tighter, bonds of being in a corporate team more cohesive, family ties are renewed and re-cemented.

Rest in Peace Onin and may you become one of the angels that help pray for this nation's survival.