By: Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
In the 5th of May
In the 5th of May, the day started with a sad news: Fr. Jingboy Saco changed his mind in accepting the bishopship of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. I’m happy and yet, sad. Here is one person who is so resolute in his advocacy to vote buying and yet he does not want the trappings of entitlement. Though I know him from a distance, he has the aura of simplicity and humility. Thank you Fr. Jingboy for remaining with us in the grassroot level.
From left to right: Dr. Anita Tan, yours truly and Noni Tan Uy.
Another surprise of surprises in the 5th of May this year – a very good college chum came in to visit. Nonila Tan Uy and her sister Anita Tan came to pay me a visit. Nonila is from Jagna. We were classmates in college at San Carlos University. At that time then, Bohol was not yet in the map of whatever and wherever. Mura ba ug promdi pa. But here we are now; we have become tourist destination due to the bounty of nature endowed to us. Here’s Nonie, a matriarch of the Vino Uy Masuy wine factory. Remember in our youth, during the time of the transistor radio, we always heared the jingle of Vino Uy Masuy, a Chinese medicinal wine. And now under Noni’s helm, she has several wine variants under the fighter wine brand: Chinese Wine, Fighter at Fifty, Fighter Gold and Fighter Mallorca.
I’m not a connoisseur of wine like “The Cask of Amontillado” fame. Last Christmas. I tried going back to baking fruitcake. I have not baked for ages. It so happened, gigasaan ko ni Gemma ug nuts from the states. For lack of the traditional ingredients for fruitcake, I just added raisins and orange marmalade to the nuts and soaked these in fighter wine overnight, as substitute for brandy. Lami kay nahurot man.
Then, Noni persuaded me to join Zonta Club. Unfortunately, the club ended before it began. Dr. Victoria Camacho was our president and I brought Gemma and Inday Descallar Buitner to the group. Nawala man ang Zonta, but I gained Gemma, Cora, and Inday from different parents.
Also in the 5th of this month, Carrie, another good friend, celebrated her nth birthday at the Alfresco dining at Tagbilaran. This time we went Italian. Carrie is in Synergia, a foundation for education. We believe that no child should be out of school. It may not be perfect, but at least, we share the dream.
And here we are now, becoming a larger family from different parents bonded together, still dreaming in our octogenarian years started by Noni of the Zonta Club. Promdis of long ago, Nonila has become part Cebu’s elite. Not just because of Vino Uy Masuy, but because she is lording it over at her Chateau de Busay and Chateau by the Sea. My bff Ardy will always hold dear the place since this was the banquet site of her son’s (Gerry’s) wedding to Mavis Cabrera in Cebu City.
In this 5th of May, we are here celebrating Carrie’s birthday; we are celebrating a bond that was started by Zonta. The “organization” that ended before, is rekindling itself today. How sweet it is to remember the 5th of May.
Left to right: Fatima Jimenez, Katrina Abarcar, Cora Holland, Betsy Canlad, Carrie Tharan, the celebrator, yours truly, Gemma and Rene Abarcar.