My Mama, My Hero

Mama, Mommy, Nanay, Inay, Mom, Mudra, Ina, whatever you may call her, one cannot deny that a mother’s love for her child is incomparable. Having morning sickness, carrying a baby inside her womb for 9 months, enduring the excruciating pain of giving birth and rearing a child are no laughing matter. Being a mother is a difficult role and I salute every mother in the world.

Every child will say that his or her mom is the best. Of course, I would say my Mama is the greatest. Why do I say so, you ask? I believe that my Mama is my hero for a lot of reasons.

Mama with my older sisters Ate Tin (on her arms) and Ate Jing.

As a kid, I have always looked up to Mama for the way she raised us. She gave birth to 10 kids and even adopted one while she was pregnant with our eldest (as I have shared in my previous post). She treated us equally without prejudice, no favoritism whatsoever. She and Daddy were able to send us all to school and provided our needs. We were not that well-off but they did their best to be able to give us a good life. Daddy was a teacher and Mama was managing a family business. Having to feed 11 children, they had their struggles but they never gave up.

photo taken in 1992. The eldest (who was adopted) had already gone missing at this time.

Daddy was the wacky one but he was quite a disciplinarian. He would make my brothers kneel for an hour or hit their butts with a belt or slipper as punishment for causing trouble. On the other hand, Mama never believed in using violence to discipline us. Whenever we make mistakes or do anything mischievous, she would look us in the eye and talk to us. She would make us realize what we did wrong and make us reflect on it. Mama would always save us from Daddy’s punishment.

photo taken during their pre-45th Wedding Anniversary shoot

Mama and Daddy on their first visit to the United States of America.

Personally, Mama had been a great source of support for me while I was studying, both financially and morally. She was always present in all school events that I participated in, making sure that I got properly assisted. Whenever I receive awards, she was always there to proudly receive that award with me on stage. I was consistently at the top of my class and I have her to thank for that. When there was a time that I came in second, I was so devastated but she cheered me on and encouraged me. She assured me that it was okay as long as I was learning and the ranks are just a plus. She never pressured me too much to stress me. For that, I was truly grateful.

Just me and Mama chilling by the shore of our beach house.

Growing up, Mama taught me the value of humility and generosity. These are values that my grandfather had wanted us to live by. Mama believes that we should share our blessings to others and giving to the less fortunate is not a waste of money. She was very active in charity events and outreach programs and she would tag me along most of the time. She is an advocate of education, giving scholarships to deserving students who don’t have enough to finance their studies through my grandfather’s foundation. These are just some of the things that make me admire Mama even more. Her heart is just so full of love and kindness.

The grandkids having fun at Mama's garden pool. This was supposed to be a fish pond but because the little kids asked their Grandma that they wanted to have it as a pool, she granted their wish. Another pond was made for the fish. :)

Mama with her 9 out of 17 grandchildren.

Now, Mama is already 74 years old and she still thinks about our welfare first before herself. Even at her age, she would still help us whenever we need her help, financially and emotionally. Regardless of her health condition, she would still check on us and make sure we are okay because that’s just how she is as a mother. She is my source of inspiration and I always thought to myself that I want to be just like her.

taken during Mama's Surprise 70th Birthday Party.

Me and my youngest sister Joanne with Mama and Daddy during Mama's Surprise 70th Birthday Party.

Jojo & Nene Wedding-871.jpg
Almost complete family picture during our parents' 45th Wedding Anniversary. Jude (deceased) is the one in the photo frame.