Photos by Star Sabroso and Lorna Llanes
Our life’s dreams are the very core that connects us to the past, present, and inevitable future. I would like to believe that they are the key motivator that drives the Filipino who dares to realize his aspirations. No matter how humble it may be, everything simply begins with a dream. Don’t you agree?
Case in point – I was practically raised by two amazing women to whom I owe a great deal because of the wealth of their knowledge, wisdom, religious faith and dedication in raising their family with dignity and fortitude.
Magdalena Halago Viuda De Noblejas raised her two-year-old child as a single mother after her husband suffered an untimely death. In spite of many proposals from eligible suitors in their home province of Janiuay, Iloilo – she chose not to remarry. She could have lived a comfortable life as the wife of a wealthy sugar baron. However, her purpose was clear, which was to protect her only angel no matter the odds and raise her baby with a good education.
She dared to simply dream. On her own, my grandmother, whom I lovingly call “Nana,” raised my mother from the yields of rice, coffee and fruit-bearing mango trees from the parcel of land she inherited from ancestors. She juggled many roles as a single mom, homemaker, local seamstress, among other many hats in their town.
From her modest earnings, Nana sent my mother to Manila for college to study Banking and Finance. With her sheer gut and dedication, hard work, and faith in God – she single-handedly managed to raise my mother with the same values that kept her pushing forward. She was then a lady of independence, the kind whom we at present celebrate as women of substance. Suffice it to say that my Nana was way (further) ahead of her time.
Fast forward. My mother, Lucila “Lucy” Noblejas-de Leon, eventually finished her studies with honors and remained (since her retirement) as one of the most respected pioneer women bankers in the Philippines.
Fortunately, I was at the receiving end of their unconditional love.
My Nana passed away (but definitely lived a full life) at the age of 95. I am thankful to our Creator for giving me the strength to endure her personal ordeal as an elderly.
Simply put, I was a hands-on eyewitness as she battled old age and dementia. Nonetheless, her strength shone through until her last breath. She remained resilient, making me feel – through her firm touch as I held her hand by her death bed – that all will be alright and that life definitely goes on.
My Nana was a survivor! And I reckon that her devotion simply stems from her very core. Obviously, it is the love in her heart that kept her moving forward until her last breath. For the life she has lived definitely holds a special place in my heart.
It is in this light that I dedicate a portion of this Sunday’s column to commemorate Nana’s 4th death anniversary. With all sincerity, I am proud to declare that I owe a lot of who I am today because of the resilient women in my life. To this columnist, they embody “The Heart of the Filipino.”
“Remember Francis, how you would always send off Nana to the airport and pick her up when she travels to Iloilo?” expressed my mother via a Viber message from Los Angeles as I was writing this Sunday’s column.
It was those send offs and pick ups that enabled me to spend precious moments with my beloved Nana, and I find it rather opportune that I was one of those invited to attend the recent Diamond Jubilee celebration of Philippine Air Lines, our country’s flag carrier with whom this columnist has had a long enduring love affair. And as with any love affair, it hasn’t always been easy, yet I dare proclaim that it was worth every journey.
During my years in high school, I remember enduring the long queues at PAL’s Makati Ticketing Office all for the sake of my beloved grandmother (thank goodness for e-tickets which PAL pioneered in 2004, the task became more convenient). To share a fact, she only prefers to fly PAL. She was a bona fide loyal customer from the time she first spent traversing from Iloilo to Manila and back to visit my mother, until her last homecoming from Iloilo then back to Manila in my home at the age of 90.
During the Gala Night celebrating the 75th anniversary of Philippine Airlines at the Solaire Grand Ballroom, I discovered PAL’s many firsts and its significant role in Philippine aviation history. But this milestone hit my core – that in 1954, PAL became the first Filipino airline company to fly regularly to Visayas and Mindanao.
Across generations, PAL was there to serve the Filipino. My Nana was among them. She was treated well then, and until her senior years. And I would like to believe that my Nana’s simple story embodies their new brand mantra, “The Heart of the Filipino, Shining Through.” PAL’s new brand expression was beautifully performed through a thematic song by Lea Salonga, Bamboo, and Sarah Geronimo that evening with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and a children’s choir.
With this, I pay a personal homage to Philippine Airlines for celebrating the hero within the Filipino.
“PAL occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of Filipinos around the world. But beyond its iconic status, PAL is one of the true pillars of the Philippine economy,” expressed Dr. Lucio Tan, chairman of Philippine Airlines, in his speech.
“We brought the Philippines to the world… and we will continue to fly the heart of the Filipino,” he added.
So did PAL play a role in shaping the future of the Filipinos? In this case, it’s the heart that made them achieve greater heights for every hardworking Filipino who dares to simply dream.
This columnist would like to express a heartfelt appreciation to Philippine Airlines for giving high regard to their elderly passengers and bringing them home safely. On your Diamond Jubilee, may your rays of light shine through. From one generation to the next, (PAL) we salute you!
Follow me on Twitter or Instagram @francis_deleon8 or email deleon_francis@yahoo.com.