SunStar Davao, Oct. 30,
2021
A friend of my
daughter once commented when they were in grade school that I seemed to have a
glamorous job, attending events here and there while writing about them.
Little did she
know that aside from being a lifestyle columnist, I had a full-time role at the
family business, served as the dedicated driver of the kids, tutored them till the
4th grade, did household chores together with my lone yaya, and was
actively involved in the PTA and other organizations.
Why did I
continue writing all these years when I already had too much on my plate?
Because it is my creative outlet and is something that I looked forward to
doing. I absolutely love hearing people’s stories and learning from them. It is
also such a thrill to be able to share empowering and entertaining information with
the readers.
As I celebrate
Mom-About-Town’s 15th year, I wish to sincerely thank my SunStar
Davao family, interviewees, Huang and Teves families, and of course, my dearest
readers for their heartwarming support. Indeed, to God be all the glory!
For this
anniversary article, I reconnected with past interviewees and asked them how they
have been after I featured their stories.
Yaya Nanay
In my article
“Yaya Nanay” in 2006, Salvacion “Nanay” Porcel was already working for 28 years
as a nanny of Bobby and his late wife Lea Dakudao. She lovingly took care of
their kids Roro, Ryan, and Camille. When Mrs. Dakudao passed away in 1988,
Camille was just over a year old and could barely walk and talk. Nanay served
as her surrogate mom. In 1994, Mr. Dakudao re-married and had a son named Billy
with his wife Katrina Estepa. Again, it was Nanay who dotingly took care of the
new baby. Our paths crossed again in 2008 when Korina Sanchez featured Nanay
for her Rated K TV show.
Nanay is now 77 years old and still contentedly
staying with the Dakudao family. She keeps herself busy by cooking and doting
on Camille’s three children whom she loves as her own grandchildren. Since the
pandemic, she mostly stays at home. Every now and then though, when she gets
the chance to go to the mall, she buys treats for the grandkids, just like how
she did when the Dakudao siblings were young.
Even at her age, Nanay has no plans of going
back to Silay, her hometown, because she considers the Dakudaos as her own
family and is happy being with them.
Play with a purpose
My article, “Play with a purpose” featured KidzWonder
Play Center as one of Davao’s premier play centers in 2007. It was owned and
operated by my high school classmate Lani Rose Castillo-Concepcion (who was
then a preschool teacher in the US before coming back to Davao) and her
sisters, Liza and Lea. The play center was dedicated to all children and to those who
inspired Lani to continue her teaching profession, especially in the field of
early childhood education.
Despite the closure of KidzWonder Play Center a few years after, Lani continuously shared her experiences and knowledge in teaching.
“I am now a Teacher I
at Buhay na Tubig Elementary School in Imus, Cavite. I have completed my academic requirement for
Master of Arts Major in Educational Supervision at the Cavite State University
and currently working on my thesis. I
left the private school as a Vice Principal/Guidance Teacher for the
opportunity to serve in the public school,” Lani says.'
Lani discloses that she knows that she can reach out to more by pursuing public service. As a classroom teacher, she continues to advocate hands-on experiences and play in her teaching and management. Her experiences taught her that engaging play and hands-on learning help in the skills development of her students.
Flying mom
One of the moms I featured in 2007 for my
article “Flying Moms” was Melanie Jorge-Yap. She worked as an international
flight attendant for Philippine Airlines (PAL) and shared how she managed the
best of both worlds – motherhood and an exciting international career.
In 2012, Melanie finally clipped her wings from PAL. At first, she had a few adjustments when she decided to come home to Davao where she grew up. “My life in Manila was always on the go. I was flying and shuttling MNL to DVO often. I was like living in a suitcase for 12 years. Davao is calmer and everything is within reach. We can go to the beach or on a nature trip because it is accessible and with less traffic,” she narrates.
After her
retirement, she was able to be more present for her three kids and attend to
their needs as much as she can. Nowadays, Lani is busy with the family’s realty
and Bake St. (bakeshop) businesses. Part of her normal routine is also working
out and boxing at home.
“From flying, having my own businesses to
juggling them with my family, what stays constant is my work ethic and doing my
best in what I do,” she declares.
E-mail the author at
mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mombouttowndavao.blogspot.com.
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