At Donald Dee’s wake

December 4, 2018, Tuesday

After I arrived from Baguio, I rested for a while and tried to take a nap but I couldn’t. My adrenaline was very high. I watched tv to kill time.
I got ready at 6:30 pm to go to the wake of Donald Dee, a very prominent businessman and industry leader.

Donald was the president of Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP). He was also the honorary chairman and COO of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI), Vice Chairman of Philippine Exporters Confederation (PHILEXPORT), former director of PLDT and SSS commissioner.
He was also the president of Phoenix Resource and Management Corporation, director of Manila Exposition Complex (World Trade Center), president of Pan-Pacific Airways, among others.

I met Donald 25 years ago. We both sat in the board of the Export and Industry Bank. I also had export promotion projects in collaboration with Philexport. He, Sergio Ortiz-Luis, and Atty. Mike Varela (+) were inseparable. They became close friends of mine too. Donald once invited Edmund to be his golf partner in one of the tournaments in Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club.

The last time I communicated with him was on November 7. I greeted him on his birthday. He replied “thanks”. I think he was already in and out of the hospital last month.

My goal was to reach Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park between 8:30 pm to 9 pm. I didn’t want to attend the scheduled 7 pm mass kasi usually siksikan ang tao at mainit.

I met up with Oyen at the Maple restaurant on the second floor of the commercial building across the church. She came from the office and decided to have dinner while waiting for me.

She was almost done eating when I arrived. She had arugula salad, okay daw so I ordered the same thing.

It was good and light, perfect for those watching their diet.

The restaurant seems like a nice place to make istambay. It’s overlooking the parking area.

After eating we crossed the parking area nd walked past the main parish church taking the side entrance to the funeral chapel.

Reminds me of Spanish-era buildings. It’s nice but when you think that the next room is used as funeral chapel, your perception changes right away. Parang biglang naging creepy.

All white flowers for Donald. Many years ago, the father of a close family friend passed away. I gave money to Sgt. Jerry, my aide for many years, to go to Farmers Market and buy two standing floral wreaths and spray arrangements. Sabi ko pumili na maganda. I also told him and the driver to deliver the two floral stands to the funeral chapel. When I visited the wake the next day, the daughter of the dead told me pulang-pula daw yung ipinadala kong mga bulaklak. Parang pang Chinese New Year. It was my fault. I told Sgt. Jerry na pumili sya ng magandang bulaklak. I forgot to tell him to get white flowers only.

The mass was finished when we arrived. There was a guy choking up while giving his farewell to Donald. I couldn’t recognize him from afar because my eyes are labo. Only after the ceremony that I was able to recognize him, it was Donald’s right-hand man, Art Alejandrino.

I asked Jun Ortiz and George Barcelon how come they did not speak,  eh maiiyak daw sila.  Masahol pa silang mag-aasawa kasi halos araw-araw at gabi magkakasama sila.  They also traveled together with their respective wives.  The PCCI and Philexport guys would terribly miss Donald.

I didn’t send flowers nor a mass card. Prayers na lang ha Donald?

Urn

Everyone complimented this photo. It perfectly captured Donald’s happy moment. He looks so good in this photo. Medyo mataba pa sya dito. It reminded me that before my 80th birthday I should start choosing na my nice photos for my funeral. Baka puro pangit ang piliiin nitong asawa ko mainis pa ako sa kanya.

Kitang-kita ang kaibahan ng burol ng matataas na tao sa lipunan, sa bulaklak na lang. Grabe sa dami ang nagpapadala ng mga magaganda at mamahalin na bulaklak. Karamihan white orchids. Hanggang labas ang bulaklak, hindi na kasya sa loob ng chapel. Nakakalibang rin tingnan ang mga pangalan ng naka lettering sa ribbons. Makikita mo na puro matataas rin na tao, past presidents and the current officials. Pero kung ordinaryo ka lang na tao, syempre wala kang ganyan dahil hindi ka naman kilala. Swerte ka ng padalhan ni meyor ng isang libo, o eto ikaw na lang bumili ng bulaklak mo. 

Dito rin ibinurol si Atty. Leonardo Siguion Reyna, Sr. Natatandaan ko, namangha kaming lahat sa ganda at laki nung ipinadalang bulaklak ni former Pres. Joseph Estrada. Napakalaki at ang ganda. Siguro 1.5 meters in diameter.
Etong ipinadala nya kay Donald maganda rin pero mas maliit. Donald mukhang mas mahal ni Erap si Sig kesa sa’yo.  Nang-intriga pa ako.

Me with the officers and directors of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry which Donald also belonged.

After greeting Donald’s widow, Ophie and her beautiful daughters, including her eldest daughter Apples Aberin, Oyen and I went out to the dining area to get a drink. Everyone was busy eating including the business group. Maaga pa daw sila dun kaya mga gutum na gutom na.

One of the things that I discovered later in life was the amount of food served at the wake of rich and prominent people. One week 24 hours buffet. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, afternoon snack. Daig pa ang wedding. Sa Binangonan kasi nung araw, kape at pandesal lang ang handa. At saka nung araw, naka-ugalian ng mama at papa ko na never kaming nakikain sa burol. Kahit kape o tubig, hindi umiinom ang papa ko.

Times have certainly changed.

I stood up to get iced water but I ended up getting a glass of halo-halo.

Via Mare was the caterer.

It’s too soon to tell if there will be unlimited dimsum, seafood hotpot, and prime rib during my wake. I don’t know yet. It’s too morbid and too far out to think about those things. That’s still at least twenty-five years into the future. Baka malampasan ko pa si Kirk Douglas, 102 na sya. Ewan, it would depend on my mood and budget. Patay na ako bakit pa ako gagastos sa pagkain ninyo? Gusto nyo tinola?