Early June, 2004. It was my first day as a freshman in a whole new world, high school. Not just an ordinary somewhere around the city high school, but a Philippine Science High School, roughly a two hour bus travel from my city. I did not know what to expect, how hard it is gonna be, how the people will be, or how living away from home will actually gonna be.
Also, I thought I did not know anybody. That was when the fates smiled, laughed and said to the previously happy, loud, crybaby elementary kid “Hey waterfall, we’ve got a gift for you.”
I looked at all the new faces as I went up the blue bleachers of the MCC Grandstand. There, I spied a familiar face: a lady wearing red with papers on her hand, with her hair being buffeted by the ever present wind. She was talking to a bunch of guys in white polo and black slacks, and girls in cream blouses and brown orange skirts. I couldn’t put a name to the face, so I called my father, also coming up the grandstand.
“Pa, kaila ta ana niya? (Pa, do we know her?)” I asked as I pointed to the lady.
“Hala!” My father said, recognition evident in his face. “Si Ate Inday man nimo na! (That’s your Aunt Inday!)”
I gave my father an inquiring look since I still can’t place it. He then told me of my mother’s close friends back in the then Immaculate Conception College - La Salle, two of which went to our previous home in Ozamis and baked us chocolate cakes and whatnot. One of that pair, was this lady in red.
The lady finished talking to her students, and took notice of us. She herself brightened up, apparently in recognition, and went to us as fast as she could manage, the bulge on her belly just tells one thing: she was pregnant.
“Daddy Loy!” She half-shouted as she greeted my father, and then “Wi!”, screaming my nickname.
Greetings and how-are-you’s were exchanged. It was her first year in teaching at the school, and her baby was due later that year. She had no idea I was gonna enroll, and we had no idea she was a teacher of the school. At that point, the adult call to responsibility came and I was entrusted to her.
After so many years (just three or four really), I met again one person from my childhood, Ma’am Remy. Then she told me I’m gonna meet more.
Needles to say, I did. Ma’am Rachel, Sir Don, Ma’am Jovi, Ma’am Mimi (and a few others afterwards), were all co-teachers of my parents back in ICC - La Salle. I was left to my thoughts thinking “Oh god, these were my audience when I used to stand on the table and recite poems, or draw waterfalls on spare sheets of papers.”
The months and years passed as I lived through high school, and all that time Ma’am Remy acted as my parent. I could go spend my weekend at their place, she often treated me, often gave me money when I lacked funds, and always told me to keep my temper in check. She even included my birthday in their celebration of her firstborn’s (Carl was born two days before my birthday). My mother, her “Mommy Da”, often called her to ask how things are doing. Things went as far as her even having an SPOA that formally makes her my legal guardian. And oh, on the latter part of high school, I had my own bed at their place.
She was my teacher for just two subjects, Filipino I and 3rd year Fil Journ Elective. I was looking forward to having her for either Filipino II or IV, but for both cases I had Ma’am Pearl (not that I didn’t like having the latter instead ;) ). I had a suspicion that it was because of me why she were unable to teach those subjects when my batch was supposed to take it, similar to the rule here in UP that a teacher can’t teach subject when his or her child will be taking that subject for that semester. Nevertheless, at least I got her as my parent the rest of the time.
4th Year Retreat. The graduating students are usually given palancas by the lower years and other people. I roughly expected it but there it was, she gave me one. It was a heartwarming letter of thanks (even if I believe I should be the one to thank her more), wishes, advice, and pabaon words of wisdom. It was a heart pinching letter, but the enclosed sheet of paper I found along with the letter was the one that fully opened my tear ducts. It was a drawing of a waterfall.
After Pisay, I was only able to see her once, here in UP at all places. She and some other Pisay teachers had a seminar or something at the main campus last year and they stayed on the hostel just beside the my office building, yet I wasn’t able to meet her until the last night of their stay. The day after, she was scheduled to come back to Mindanao, so I shared a meal with my guardian just before she boarded the bus to the airport. Although it was just a meal, it was enough to update each other how the other has been, it was enough to bring back the smiles from when I was just another kid in white polo and black slacks and shoes.
But as a last meeting, it was not enough. As a last moment to be with a parent, it can never be enough.
/* To those who do not know, Ma’am Remy is a teacher at the Philippine Science High School - Central Mindanao Campus. She was reported missing after the devastation of Bagyong Sendong (Tropical Storm Washi) at Iligan City last 16-17 December 2011. As of the moment, she is still missing.*/
