Atty. Carmelo “Teying” Arcilla, Executive Director of Civil Aeronautics Board, was calling me early in the morning, like 6 am. I more or less knew why. His beloved mom, Ka Chayong, had passed away that morning. The Arcillas were our neighbors in Binangonan. Nung araw, ang mga magkakalapit bahay ay parang mga magkakamag-anak. Ngayong panahon na ito, hindi na natin kilala ang kalapitbahay natin.
Much as I wanted to go to Binangonan right away that afternoon, there were many important matters to attend to. I wanted to go to the burial at least twice before the funeral but I couldn’t, natyempo sobrang busy.
Edmund and I were able to go on July 12, 2018. The same day I had luncheon meeting with the Rotary Club of Manila.
Pag-uwi ko, rest lang ng konti, took off my jacket, then alis na agad. Traffic to go to Binangonan.
We got hungry along the way so we stopped to eat pinangat na dalag. OMB merong itlog!
Look at the eggs, oh my, favorite! Mahilig talaga ako sa itlog.
My Kuya Lito was texting, kung meron daw food duon. I told him he could join us but his driver took a different route. Gutom na gutom daw sya. He and his driver went to McDo instead.
Suggestion: before going to a wake, kumain muna sa bahay or sa labas ng bahay.
Photo: Ka Chayong with his youngest son, Engr. Mike “Tigi” Arcilla. Tigi is my childhood kalaro and kaaway. We went to the same schools, elementary, high school and college.
Mrs. Rosario Lopez- Arcilla died at the age of 99. She was the oldest of the Lopez-Romualdez family.
Is the former First Lady Imelda Marcos a first cousin of Ka Chayong?
Kuya Lito with his elementary and high school classmates. Ka Chayong’s eldest child and only daughter, Chit, is my brother’s classmate and barkada and is also a school teacher like Ka Chayong. She’s now based in New Jersey.
Our high school batch was also there in full force because of Tigi.
Dra. Raquel (standing directly behind me) arrived late because she cooked pansit. The previous night she cooked sopas daw, sayang I love sopas Binangonan. Our classmates were trying to pair Dra. Raquel with Tigi but at this point in their lives parang mahirap ng mag-asawa. Friend friend na lang, tinginan na lang. Dra. Raquel tells me she travels a lot and doesn’t need anyone’s permission. If she marries nga naman it can hamper her lifestyle.
One of my classmates is going through the most difficult time in her life right now. She got married when she was already in her 40s. I think she just got carried away. She married a guy who didn’t have a job. Sorry D, pangit na sya, wala pang pera, nanghihingi pa ng pera, wala pang trabaho, tamaditis, inaaway ka pa, nagpapabili pa ng kotse, naglalasing pa, may babae pa na mahilig mag-tong-its. Buti nga sinipa mo palabas. Paghumarang sa harap mo, hampasin mo ng tambutso.
Me with my two classmates who are both doctors of medicine.
