Tribute to an Elderly Couple

Sometime in May 1962, I visited a captivating pretty Lady who was busy helping Dad & Mom arrange their new Bungalow House along Ipil Street, Marikina Heights Subdivision, Municipality of Marikina. Following her Dad's retirement from Military Service, they had just relocated that very day from their former Officers' Family Quarters in Nichols Air Base. Many frequent visits followed thereafter leading to our Wedding year-end 1966. Little did I realize that in 1972, God would grant our Lovers' Dream of having our nest on "Top of the Hill" overlooking down her Parents' Home. Grace & I got to have our own modest 3-BR Bungalow House along Venus Street, Meteor Homes - a newly developed Residential Subdivision located along the highest hilly rolling terrain of Marikina. Here, we came to raise our own Family-of-5 - and to meet new Neighbors becoming old Friends in the course of time.

The late Kuya Celing and Ate Fe Reyes is one neighbor worthy of mentioning. Shortly after they relocated to their own fully-concrete Bungalow House along Mercury street, Meteor Homes (following Ate Fe's retirement as UP-Diliman Mathematics Professor), I took notice of Kuya Celing as an early morning Hiker-Walker (around Meteor Homes & surroundings) as part of his disciplined physical conditioning. In time, we came to seek each other's company as we shared common interests in the Wonders-of-Travel; in the Beautiful Scenery of the Countryside; in the Hospitality of the Rural Folks; in the preference for Simple Living; and in the uncompromising adherence to Integrity & Industry. After years of painful endurance to his terminal illness, he quietly died consigned to his mortal Fate - and yet remaining steadfast in the immortality of his Catholic Faith. By some strange coincidence, the late Kuya Celing was cremated on the very day that I was walking out of the Philippine Heart Center 6 days after a miraculously successful emergency quadruple Heart By-Pass surgery - May 2003.

Ate Fe continues on with Life as a solo-living Senior Citizen residing still in her Meteor house. I see much of my late Mother (Felicidad Cairo del Castillo) in Ate Fe - Teacher, Mother, Widow, Catholic Church-goer. Whenever Ate Fe fails to attend Sunday Mass in our Community Chapel, Grace & I would be concerned. My late Mother died at 84 yrs old - becoming suddenly and totally dependent in her last 2 years due to "Old Age" Health Complications. With God's Blessings, Ate Fe (at 83 yrs old) appears fairly in good health - and likely to live on for many more years. As I value Ate Fe's continuing bonding with her 2 Sons and 1 Daughter (all highly accomplished in their Mathematics Teaching Professions), I am even more amazed at her Creative Hobby for Water Color Paintings. The subjects of her Paintings are all Rural Sceneries - much like the late Kuya Celing's interest.

Kuya Celing, Ate Fe, and their Children epitomize traditional Filipino Values of Family Ties; of Academic Excellence; of Personal Integrity & Industry; of Simple Living & Self-sufficiency; of anonymous Generosity; - and of a vibrant Faith-in-God. Theirs is a good "Model Family" for the Filipino - and for all.