I LOVE YOU, ATCHING AURING

She was born seventy-three years ago, first and only female of seven children. It was a hard but otherwise simple life while she was growing up. Her decision to become a midwife was influenced by her grandma who was practically the hilot for the pregnant women in the barrio with whom she assisted in delivering their babies. Her farmer father struggled to send her through high school at St. Scholastica (the former Assumption Academy) and later to a midwifery school in Binondo. There were countless people whom she's helped and assisted while she worked for the provincial hospital from where she retired after several years. They all remember her generous nature.

It took her eight years to have her first child after she married Kong Edeng – then two more were born immediately afterwards. Having waited for a long time to have any, her children were the love of her life.

I remember her as a lively, kind, fun loving person who’s always laughing while talking a mile a minute. During my grammar school years, she never failed to give me a brand new leather school bag. Being the youngest in the family and twenty years her junior, she became my mom when our mother passed away. She became everybody’s mom. I can still remember the bear hugs every time we came to visit.

When Donna and I left the Philippines in March of this year, she was in pretty bad shape, so it really didn’t come as a surprise when I got the call from my niece, Jack, from the Philippines at 3:30 in the morning of Sunday May 20 saying she’s passed away.


Atching Auring, may you rest in peace.