WE WEREN'T raised to observe certain Filipino traditions such as Christmas, All Souls Day, Fiestas, and others, that's why I and my siblings do not really make much effort to go to my mother's grave during these times of the year.
I love my mother dearly though, and I miss her very much. That's why I would like to selfishly use my chance to write for this opinion column space to honor her.
My mamang came from a poor family in Misamis Occidental, and grew up without a father. Her mother was a pastor and did not make much money. Still, she worked hard to study and earn a degree. She then set out to write a success story of her own.
Growing up, she believed that education will free her from the chains of poverty. When she was still alive, she would tell me everyday that I have to study hard and finish my education because this she said was the only inheritance she could give us.
She said that even though we were already living very comfortable lives – very far from what she had to go through.
She got a Cocofed scholarship from the Marcos administration, that's why she was able to finish college in Ateneo de Davao University. But before that, she had to go to our relatives and be employed as a maid to get through the day with many other odd jobs.
Even after she graduated, when she and my father were still starting the family business as broker of agricultural products in General Santos City and Davao, she still sold popcorn in the local carnival for some extra bucks to help with the bills.
A few years after I was born, my family moved to Palawan because my mother found bigger business opportunities there for agriculture and marine products. It was a big gamble that changed our lives for the better. I didn't really ask, but I think my mother and father made us stay in Puerto Princesa, the city, so we could get the best education there was, while they worked day and night in a far-off town from us where they had neither electricity nor cellphone signal. We had to endure weeks to months of having no proper communication with our parents just so they could provide for us well and missing our growing up.
Mamang would often tell us of her dreams to travel and go around the world. She would specially mention about Hong Kong. But even after having millions of assets from our business, she has never tried going out of the Philippines before.
She would still be as thrifty and kuripot as ever because she wanted to save for the future – our future -- even if it means letting go of her dreams of traveling outside the country.
Even after she died, she was still a mother through and through.
Twelve years later, we are benefiting from all that she had left. I was able to finish college, about to finish my master's degree, and have quite a stable life now.
Dear Mamang, sorry for not being able to pay homage to your grave for the past many years. I hope that my life today would honor the life that you have lived.
(Edna May Potes Sunio, 1961-2006)
rizsunio@gmail.com