“The interviewees reinforced our first impressions in previous meetings we had that they were being forthright in their answers”
A retired Judge of a Metropolitan Trial Court.
A born again pastor.
A retired journalist.
The first two share one thing in common, having been born in Ilocos Norte but are now living their retirement years in the country’s former capital Quezon City.
The third was born in the island city state of Singapore, lives his retirement years there although every now and then he travels to neighboring Malaysia.
We arranged the separate interviews, but they were asked the same questions – mainly on how they spend their years now as an elderly, their philosophies in life, and what their concerns are in the seniors zone.
Having known these three and having broken bread with them several times, the interviews, done by email, suggested the first impressions we had that they were being forthright in their answers.
The Paoay Ilocos Norte-born Titus Diaz (TD), who turns 77 in August, was Judge, Metropolitan Trial Court, Branch 37, Quezon City when he retired seven years ago.
The Pinili, Ilocos Norte-born pastor Crispulo Ablang (CA), who was baptized as born again in 1991 – he was baptized an Aglipayan in 1953 and got married years later in the Catholic rites – was with ACK Construction, Inc. as administrative aide when he stopped punching in and out the bundy clock in March 1995.
The Singapore-born Hew Yew Gee (YG), who just returned from London and Amsterdam, worked for years at the regional news desk of Reuters in Singapore before he transferred to the New Straits Times of Singapore, was a sub-editor when he retired in 2010.
Diaz, who has a daughter, holds a law degree while Ablang, who has two sons and two grandchildren, is one semester short of earning his banking and finance diploma.
Hoo, who has two daughters and four grandchildren, holds an A-level certificate or higher school certificate from his state in Singapore.
Let’s get the answers straight from the interviewees:
GG: Any changes in lifestyle, diet after retirement; at what age did you start feeling the biological aging process.
CA: I was able to drop my vices: drinking hard alcohol and spending time with peers.
TD: None
YG: I spent more time doing sports and enjoying nature. I eat more home-cooked food as I spend more time at home.
GG: Any maintenance medicines? How long have you been taking these?
CA: Maintenance for diabetes and high blood for the past 10 years. In 2017 I suffered a mild stroke because of extremely high blood sugar with a BP of 170/100. Praise God I was still able to speak before the congregation that Sunday.
YG: I have been taking cholesterol medicine statin for the past 30 years or more.
GG: What do you do now that you are retired? Or as an elderly?
CA: Since 1995 I have served as Baptist church elder and it was there where I had this water baptism.
It was in 2004 when I felt this calling for a pastor although I did not have at that time any ministry.
By 2012, thr Lord gave me a ministry here at home. And since then my wife Charry and I studied in a Bible School where we finished the Christian Ministry certificate.
Today we are studying a course fo Bachelor of Theology.
We have also registered a charitable and religious Foundation where we address the needs for school supplies of some 100 children whose parents are poor.
YG: I cycle on most days, I read the papers and Facebook and watch Tik Tok as well as films and dramas on Netflix.
GG: How do you handle physical and psychological stress now? Was there more stress when you were still working or what?
CA: My stress level was higher when I was with ACK.
TD: Positive attitude with a clear heart, patience, Faith in God.
YG: The stress now is different. Previously it was just from work. Now one faces the other half daily and her mood may change for some reason. I just take it in stride and try to ignore it and philosophize about life. Life is so short, so why waste time and energy in trying to tackle such problems.
GG: What time do you retire to bed? What time do you wake up now that you are retired. What’s your meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner now as an elderly.
CA: Sometimes 10pm. I get up at 5am, then say devotional prayer at 6am before coffee. By 7am, I do an hour of walking – which was the doctor’s advice to me after the stroke.
TD: No fixed time. The usual food that I ate before I retired.
YG: No regular time. It can be 9.30pm or midnight. My sleeping time was more regular when I was working. I usually start my breakfast with a glass of water. I then take fruits like papaya, avocado or kiwi fruit, apple or orange. Oats with milk and bread follow.
GG: Are you active in any community activities, including those in religious organizations?
CA: Yes, pastoral fellowship; Seminars, I speak during flag ceremonies in our barangay every Monday; conduct Moral Recovery visits at the city jail.
YG: No. I was brought up to worship many gods, including the heavenly god and the three warriors of Lui Bei, Guan Yu and Change Fei
I went to Sunday School when I was about 11. Later I heard about Jesus Christ and learnt about salvation and accepted Christ as my personal savior. I was later baptized.
TD: Yes, UP Village Senior Citizens Organization.
GG: How many glasses of water do you take every day? Do you drink sodas? Wine, etcetera.
CA: Three to four liters of water every day. And red wine three sips before meal, per doctor’s advice.
YG: I drink about four to six glasses of water daily. I drink soda occasionally and beer or wine on rare occasions.
GG: At what age did you start feeling you are physically weaker than previously?
CA: I could not pinpoint the calendar year since I was occupied with many chores.
TD: Modesty aside, have not yet felt weakness. Praise God!
YG: At 60 I began to feel weaker.
GG: Do you wear graded eyeglasses? What’s your lens’ grade? How long have you been wearing them?
CA: Yes, I started wearing glasses when I was 40, but I can’t remember their grades.
TD: Yes, reading glasses. I can’t remember when I started wearing them.
YG: I wear glasses as I am short sighted. I don’t wear glasses when I read. I have been wearing glasses for 50 years. They are now about 400/20.
13.What is your secret, if any, for biologically aging gracefully?
CA: Don’t think of the problems of other people. Just relax.
TD: a)Do not do bad things or plan to do bad things to others that might destroy their reputation or chances of success.
b) Have a clear heart. In that way, you can think better on how to realize your goals.
c) Do not do bad things to other just because of envy,insecurity,pride and hatred. Remember that whatever we do shall have their respective consequences. We reap what we sow.
d) Honesty is the best policy.
e) Observe the golden rule – “ Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”
f) Bad intentions and bad undertakings to others would result in disappointments and/or grave misfortunes and/or grave illnesses on you.
g) If you have dreams, focus in achieving them through hard work and a clear heart. Do not destroy anybody’s person or reputation to achieve your dreams. That is not the right way. You cannot go up by putting down somebody else.
h)Believe in karma, it does exist. Be fair to others in everything that you do.
YG: I try to act my age. I know there are certain things or exercises that I can’t do so I stopped doing them. Although I played golf from 50 to 70 and stopped playing both golf and badminton when I was 71 or five years ago.
GG: Are there things you now remember as an elderly that you should have done when you were younger?
CA: There are times I remember Upon in Pinili, where I was born; life there is simple and not complicated as life is in the metropolis.
TD: I cannot remember any.
YG: I didn’t have a mentor so I practically grew up and got old learning from what I read. There was no one to guide me in my career. It would have been better if I had one. I made some bad choices but the best was to get married and have two children who now help me financially.
GG: How do you address the fact of getting old?
CA: Only the Lord knows how long we will live.
TD: It is the natural course of life.
YG: I know that my life may end in the next few years but I am grateful that I am still around while many younger than me have gone ahead.
GG: Would you hide your true age? If so, any reason, if not, why not?
CA: No; even when I tell people I am now 70 they hardly believe me.
TD: No.
YG: Others may look younger but I won’t go for a face-lift, I can’t afford it anyway.
GG: Lessons in life you would like to inculcate in the minds of your offspring?
CA: Respect for parents. Whatever they have attained in life they should not forget.
TD: The golden rule. Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.
YG: I would like to inculcate on their minds truthfulness in their life and not lie to get ahead.
GG: Do you let your children make their decisions on their own, or do you try to influence their decisions?
CA: I allow them to push through with their decisions but my advice is always there.
TD: Yes, I try to interfere if necessary.
YG: When my children were young I tried to inculcate values and correctness in their life. Nowadays they are grown and we live apart so I don’t interfere.
GG: Your philosophy in life as a person.
CA: Serve our Lord Jesus; be humble.
TD: Obey the law, have a clear heart, be fair and have Faith in God. A clear heart leads to a peaceful mind.
YG: Let things be but I still have to tell people about salvation through Jesus Christ.