As Flores Por Maria
Tonight, the procession of the participants of the Flores de Mayo, just passed by. It’s the parish’s way of doing the halad for the duration of the pandemic. It is a welcome treat for me. The procession is being alternated into the different barrios of our town.
Septuagenarians like me would always feel nostalgic on the flores of yesteryears. It was inculcated in our young mind the virtues of Mother Mary – something that we have to live by as women. I remember the song in our school, St. Joseph College during our younger years. Some few lines of the song run this way: Oh Virgin Mother Lady of good counsel; sweetest picture artists ever drew. In thine arms, we fly to thee for guidance, mother Mary what am I to do.
Kaming mga 70 and above are missing the flores of yesteryears. It was in the flores that we partly were disciplined. Kusi-on gyud mi ni Nong Tikyo ug dli motoo sa linya ug dili mi magdungan paghalad. Pina-almirol gayud ang among sinina ug plantchahon nga pinauros. Kun big feastgani, mag andam gyud sa sapatos nga high heels ang mga dalaga.
That was the occasion, too, when the boys will look forward to para makasilip sa ilang crush. Diay uban nga mosaka sa carro aron makakita sa ilang crush lagi. .
The flores is one of the topics we discuss every time we meet our friends. I envy Precy (Precy Jo Ng). She is a cousin of mine who is now a resident of Jagna. She is very active in the flores with her friends there and we could see that she is so fastidious with her devotion. My schoolmate at the University of San Carlos, a Jagnaanon would always reminisce with her fondness of the flores. We became close because of Carolina Zapatos and Ruby Ramo Abrenilla. The three of us are alumnae of the University of San Carlos. So we call ourselves the Carolinians. Magpanagsa pud mi ug kitakita. Inig kita namo kaniadto, mahinumdum mi sa among mga kundong (veil) nga Spanish lace nga among gidamggo gyud nga amo untang ma sarang ug palit. Ang among damgo gawas sa kondong, mao ang gold-rimmed missal nga maoy pagadalhon inig adto sa simbahan. Ug karon pa kinta, mao tong mga butanga ang gitawag namo ug “branded”.
In Dauis, my friend Dory Penales used to buy 1 roll of tetoron from me to be given to the little girls who consistently attended the flores. I’m sure my bff Ardy shares the same memories of youth.
Kaniadtong panahona, mahal pa man ang camera unya ng film kinahanglan pa e,develop sa Cebu, llabi na gyud ug colored. That’s why we never had souvenirs to capture the moments we had during the flores.
But the pictures of those days are very vivid in our memories. It is still very fresh in our minds.
For instance, one flores in Baclayon before covid. I invited my bff Ardy and Carie to participate in the flores and the procession. Our friend Dalene was still alive. And we had apa and pastries sent in by Tessie Pagdato. At that time Tessie was already undergoing dialysis. And she died a year after. Dalene too passed on in 2019.
Kaming mga dalaga niadtong panahuna mao na pud ang tigflores karon. The young generation are the ones we do not anymore see in the flores. Nag-anam na pud mi ug kahilis. If not for covid, I know Ma. Flores Naron Batoy Cimafranca will be joining us even if she is residing now in Tagbilaran with her husband Nito Alarba Cimafranca. Nito would even love to drive us girls where our fancy brings us to. That’s the beauty of being a septuagenarian. We become daring to venture into forbidden territories of our youth. Nito can forego his university of life every Sunday for his love’s sake. Kami pud alisto motikang sa sakyanan though lisudlisud napud itekangtekang.
As we attend the flores, we treasure the songs, the flowers to be offered, the company of our friends and the memory of a happy Flores de Mayo.
We offer all our activities to the Blessed Mother.
Our friends and relatives who treasure the Flores de Mayo. Standing from (from l to r): Boy Jo, Precy, Aida, Jing and Piel Jo. seated: Luz, Houston (Aida’s husband). To the left of Houston is Veronica Jo
Mga “classmates’ in the Flores de Mayo come from the Manding family. Seated are: Flores, Corazon (Sr. Consolata), Nilda Ayaay Pelinio, Rizalina Andoy Plaza, Milagros Ayaay, Luz Jo Geulen, Greta Ayaay Mende, Gertrudes Dologuin Bernaldez, Telly Gonzaga Ocampo. Standing are (from left) Zita Samson, Nikki Manding Montemayor, Babie Ayaay tan, Lindy Bangiy Salug, Sr. Marie Claire, Remy Manding Balatero and Willy Salig.