“One plants trees and bonsai, the second manages a fashion store, while the third likes traveling and reading”
It’s 7 a.m. in Pangasinan, and 70-year-old bonsai culturist Virgilio Domaloy is already in front of his breakfast plates of fried rice with scrambled egg, dried fish, and a cup of coffee.
In real time, that’s 9 am in Sydney, where a 63-year-old retired news agency journalist had breakfast two hours earlier.
East of the International Date Line, in Las Vegas, Nevada, retired academic 69-year-old Dr. Cristina Johnson has gone to bed. It’s already 10 pm the previous day — several hours earlier she had her breakfast of coffee, toast, eggs, and bacon, among others.
The three are, based on official figures – 2020 Census of Philippine Population – among so-called senior citizens aged 60 years and above whose number doubled to 9.2 million from 4.5 million 20 years back.
There have been several concerns that confront the elderly in the Philippines, majority of whom are Catholics, from Batanes down to Tawi Tawi in the far south.
Issues on social interaction have been identified as among the challenges that face the elderly – with many establishments for the aged sprouting largely in the metropolis, where the younger generations are busy hacking out a living for their respective families.
Some concerns focus on safety, getting around, or other activities of daily life – but there are still some who do not look at the number of years left in their twilight years and leave everything to their god.
We tried to exchange some thoughts with three – from different academic backgrounds and persuasions – who willingly accommodated us despite their still tight schedule as retirees.
One is a retired Regional Trial Court sheriff, the second a doctorate in education degree holder and university professor, and a third, who spoke on condition of anonymity, a masteral degree in literature holder who used to be a senior editor before retirement.
Virgilio Domaloy (VD), the bachelor of science in commerce degree holder from the University of the Cordilleras, has two children and two grandchildren, now lives in his hometown of Sison, Pangasinan where he looks after his bonsai plants and fruit-bearing trees.
Cristina Johnson (CJ), born in Batac, Ilocos Norte, but now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, after retiring as Chief, Program Accreditation and Quality Assurance Office and professor 5 at the College of Business, Economics and Accountancy of the Mariano Marcos State University in the City of Batac.
She has three children and six grandchildren.
The third, now based in Australia, who spoke on condition the person would not be named (NN), was born in Lepanto, Mankayan, Benguet, holds a masteral degree in literature, has two daughters, was senior editor of a news agency on retirement.
GG: What fears do the three entertain in their elderly zone?
VD: Fear of death but that is a reality. We must embrace this fact as no one can escape death. There are just two questions about death that are concealed: when and how.
NN: None. I’m ready to go anytime. My kids are doing ok already. I know they can live on their own even without me.
CJ: Concerns? Being away from family.
GG: Any secret to healthy aging?
VD: I accept realities without any resentment and I just do what is right. I feel so sorry if I have done something wrong.
NN: I’m a positive thinker and don’t dwell on problems I cannot solve
CJ: Smile, think positive.
GG: At what age did you start feeling you are physically weaker than previously?
VD: After retirement at the age of 66 or 67. My feet were becoming weaker and my heart aches when I swim or walk half kilometer.
NN: I felt a little weaker when i reached 60. (The person has been wearing eyeglasses at age 40).
CJ: 69.
GG: How do you address the fact of getting old?
VD: Getting old is inevitable. No one can escape this reality. I wish I will not be irritable and impatient when I’ll be older. I would like to be remembered as a happy and a friendly old man.
CJ: Age is just a number but I cannot deny some signs of physical deterioration such as work speed, etc. so I do exercises such as walking and dancing
NN: I should not have been too trusting.
GG: Would they hide their true age?
CJ: No, that’s one thing I won’t do. I’m so blessed, there were those who wanted to live long but they didn’t.
VD: No, I will not hide my true age, I will be true to myself and to others.
NN: I don’t hide my age, in fact I’m proud of it.
GG: Your philosophy in life as a person.
VD: To do what is right always, to be humble and to be responsible.
CJ:There is always a bright side of everything. Be kind to others.
GG: Do they have maintenance medicines?
VD: To date, only two remain as maintenance: losartan 50 mg. and amlodipine 10 mg. due to hypertension second stage.
CJ: None, what a great blessing (punctuated by an exclamation point).
NN: No maintenance meds, just vitamins.
GG: What do you do now that you are retired?
VD: Planting fruit trees and bonsai.
CJ: Manage a fashion store in Vegas.
NN: Travel, read.
GG: What time they retire to bed and wake up?
VD: .10 or 10:30 pm, sometimes 11:00 pm. I wake up at 8 or 9 am. Sometimes I wake up at 6 or 7 am if I am going somewhere. Sometimes, my breakfast is fried rice with scrambled egg or boiled egg with coffee or milk or fried dried fish (daing).
CJ: 8:30 pm and wake up between 3:30 and 4am to a breakfast of coffee, toast, eggs, bacon, among others.
NN: I usually go to bed at 9 pm. and wake up at 6 a.m.
GG: Are you active in any religious or civic organizations?
VD: I’m active in our frat’s alumni association doing community services like cleaning a particular place, tree planting, providing free circumcision to young boys and gift-giving to the less fortunate people during Christmas.
I’m also active as member of UCM (United Church Men) in our UCCP church.
CJ: Yes, very active in church activities and socio-civic organizations.
NN: I am not active in any community/religious organizations.
GG: Lessons in life you would like to inculcate in the minds of your offspring?
VD: Be true, honest and responsible always.
CJ: Be God-fearing, live within your means, respect others, dream BIG and follow your dreams.