Lolo Ped, my grandfather after whom I was named, died this morning, at 10:20 a.m. at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center of his third cardiac arrest. We were all in his hospital room when he went, and we were able to say our good-byes. While the family is slowly coming to grips with the reality of his death, we are comforted by the fact that he is in a better place.

This is the first time that I have experienced death up close, and while I have a few reflections on the reality and eventuality of death, I guess I will have to reserve it for some other time. Right now, I would just like celebrate the memory of a very kind man who dedicated his whole life to the care of his wife and family.

Below is a speech which my dad gave on the occassion of Lolo Ped's 85th birthday.

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Magandang gabi po sa inyong lahat.

The measure of success of a man’s life is sometimes determined not by its final outcome but by the length of the journey.

Meron d’yan nag-umpisa ka sa km. 90 at nakarating ng kilometer 100, meron naman d’yan, nakarating rin sa kilometer 100 pero nag-umpisa sa kilometer zero!

Ang buhay ng daddy belongs to the latter. . . for his journey, which now spans 85 years, can aptly be described as “malayo ang narating.”

Daddy’s education started at the Hagonoy Elementary School and from there, he moved over to Manila to live with relatives as he pursued his studies. (Please note that his education was interrupted by the war years.) He attended high school at the Far Eastern University and even proceeded to college at FEU for his pre-law. Yes, PJ, your lolo was a budding lawyer.

We have pictures of his college stint where he was a marksman in the rifle and pistol team.

From FEU, he transferred to MLQU where he took up law proper. But on his third year, he made a decision which ultimately changed the course of his life– he got married to mommy.

At the early days of the marriage, they started out with virtually nothing. And then by dint of hard work and frugality, this couple reared five children and provided them a solid education— education that can be argued as the best this country can offer– Asian Institute of Management, Maryknoll, Ateneo University, UP College of Medicine.

This they attained by spending long and arduous years of thrift– such that today, they still retain their life-long habits of being masinop (kuripot?).

When you look at Daddy at 85— he is such a “good man” and by this description, I mean to say that “siya’y walang utang, siya’y walang iskandalo, siya’y walang kaaway.” This is his legacy.

In further describing Daddy, I will refer to a memory aid— 5M.

First M– magandang lalaki. His past pictures show that he was movie-star quality. Even today, you will agree that he has aged very well. Poging-pogi, kaya naman patay sa kanya ang mommy!

Second M- masuwerte. Many of you know that just two months ago, he suffered a heart attack and I was told by his cardiologist to expect the worst. Yet here he is now among us, as if nothing happened! Masuwerte rin siya na nagkaroon siya ng mga anak na maganda at guwapo. . . O sige na nga, at least you will agree that his grandchildren are beautiful– di ba Maribel and Bea? And I would say that masuwerte si Daddy sa buhay niya in having guardian angels hovering over his family all these years– in the persons of Mommy Luming, Daddy Long, Tita Neng. Mommy Luming was Daddy’s special proponent such that according to Mommy, if she wanted anything from Mommy Luming, all she had to mention was Daddy and Mommy Luming would immediately follow her.

Third M– mabait. He has such a pleasant disposition. He may have his moods and tantrums but on the whole he is evenly well-tempered and accommodating. (Siyempre kailangan s’yang mabait pagka’t partner niya ang mommy.)

Fourth M– masipag. Proof of this is their apartment projects which they built on leveraged funds. Daddy had a passion for cars which he repaired and maintained himself. Remember that blue Taunus which we used for fifteen years?

Fift M - madasalin. (Even today, he would remind me to accompany him to the Sto Domingo. La Naval procession.) He attends daily masses with mommy. I can safely say that devotion to God is deeply ingrained in his personality that it has become an instinctive reflex.

Today, Daddy stands before us as a gift. First, because after he suffered a heart attack last November, he is with us all hale and hearty. Second, he has given to us his children so much– the value of education, the value of support and caring through all these years and just as important, the value of a good and unsullied name.

Maraming salamat Daddy at happy birthday to you. May I now ask everybody to stand up for a toast . . . .

To Daddy, many more years of health and happiness!

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