I bought ART

The Nuestra Senyora delos Angeles Parish is trying to raise funds to help some sick parishioners and for some other charitable causes.

A group of artists generously donated their works for this project.

I’ve been pacing my activities and limiting my travels within Metro Manila ever since I got sick to avoid relapse. But today, I braved the 30 kilometer distance and heavy rains to look at the paintings.

Perfect timing pa,  when I was getting off the SUV,  it started pouring with strong gusts of winds, my driver said “Mam, baka liparin ang baro nyo”.

There was an on-going funeral mass when I arrived. A certain Peter Antiporda. Nahilo lang daw tapos natumba. He was only 58 or 59. Another distant relative, surnamed Antiporda also, is lying in state at their residence near the church, sa myerkoles daw ang libing. Bata pa rin, early 60s.

The artists were covering their paintings from the rain when I arrived.

Most of the subjects are religious, siguro it was requested by the parish priest. But I don’t like religious paintings kasi I have no place to put them, hindi naman bagay sa office.

This is the biggest there, P38,000 by Bong Anore

I came prepared to spend some money, kasi this is for the church. I just wished that I would find something other than religious.

I chose a painting of the old church which was demolished to give way to this new church. I actually don’t know yet where to hang that one. The artist, Peter Aralar, did the mural painting in our house 8 years ago.

I also bought the Mother and Child done by Jhune Bernardo. I will repaint the frame to make it blend with my altar pieces.

I didn’t plan on taking a photo of myself, at mukha akong mamamalengke but Jaymar suggested we take our picture. Ni hindi nga ako nakasuklay.
Didith Tan, Peter Aralar, Ronald and wife, omb, Father Jeff, and Jaymar

Jaymar reminded me that I was the one who committed to pay for a new Saint Joseph.  Ako pala ang toka.

I wasn’t able to join the procession of the Sacred Heart of Jesus yesterday. He has a new dress. I gave several thousand pesos last year ba yun for a new dress. Naku hindi ko na maalala if for the Sacred Heart or for the Virgin Mary.
Jaymar said he was still a small boy when I donated this image.
Matagal na pala, it’s been more than 10 years.

St. John is now at the altar. Happy naman ako, at least people see him and pray for him everyday.

I learned that Peter is sick. He needs money for treatment of his cancer of the throat. It’s already stage 4 when discovered. I wanted to help Peter kaya I asked him if he still has some other paintings aside from the one I have just bought. He said meron daw nasa bahay nila. Their house naman is in front of the church lang, kahit umuulan, sabi ko ipakuha nya para makita ko.

This is the one.
Puente del Diablo is the one on the background.

I requested him to add more depth to the water, he agreed naman. He didn’t mind my suggestions.
Nung una he was hesitant to tell me the selling price. Hindi daw nya alam, nahihiya siguro. Bahala na daw ako kung magkano. Eh mahirap naman yon. When he said ten thousand, I said okay right away. Napaka bait pa, he told me to give the money na lang to the church. Eh gusto ko sana para sa kanya yun.

Edmund was already home when I arrived. He came from golf and their team won. He also won his own match.
I told him where I’ve been. He didn’t know that I was going to Pilapila today. He saw the maid carrying paintings. I told him about the art exhibit.
I became a little dramatic. I told him that there are many people who depend on me, and I should have money so I can continue to help others even in small ways. Sometimes kasi I worry that people expect a lot from me and they don’t know that there are times that I, too, worry about money.
He said money comes to me precisely because I care to help others. I told him I don’t have a lot of money so sometimes I worry that I will disappoint those in need. And sometimes, I also needed money but instead of using the money for my own needs, naibibigay ko na lang sa iba. Nakaka-depress din minsan.