Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Tuesday, 1.7.2014
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Reached Davao at about 10 pm++
(Wednesday, 18.06.2014)
(Wednesday, 18.06.2014)
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Taking turns to ''look'' after Granddad's coffin. Andrew and I were taking turns
because mum's cousins and relatives are not in Davao.
because mum's cousins and relatives are not in Davao.
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Mum and my grandmother's younger sister.
She spoke to me in English even thou I do understand Ilonggo.
Back then in the olden days in the Philippines, you can only learn
English if you're from the rich family.
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Tito Rey and I. My favourite Uncle among
all. Not to mention, his son, Matthew, is so handsome
and dashing.
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Taking pictures of mum -_-
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Nepomuceno Parish Church
The church where I was baptized as a baby
and where Granddad's funeral mass was held.
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Lord Jesus in the middle
Mama Mary on the left
Father Joseph on the right
Holy Spirits around them
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Told myself I won't cry but end up I can't take it
when I see my mum cry. I was also wearing
contacts
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I had a cousin/relative name Jesus.
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Granddad was buried beside my grandmother and surrounded
by my grandmother's cousins. His last wish is fulfilled as he wanted
to be beside his wife and wanting to go to Bacolod.
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With lola Marisa. She's one of the people who took
care of me whenI was a baby. Gonna help her and
tita Helen when I start working.
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Incomplete family picture.
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A day after the burial.
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At Forest Park Water Garden, Bacolod City.
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Campuestohan Highland Resort, Bacolod City.
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Look at the mist. Campuestohan Highland Resort is near
the mountains.
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Famished and yet mum still wants to take a picture
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At Bacolod Silay International airport,
going back to Singapore.
going back to Singapore.
The two maids and Aunt Himaya said past few days before 17th June 2014, granddad has been acting weird. Like he has been telling them he miss Linda (my grandmother's name, Erlinda Piodena), he wants to go fishing and farming in Sum-ag (A village beside Bacolod City), wanting to go back to Bacolod City to just visit Tito Sean and Tita Jen and the night before 17th June 2014, he asked the two maids to shower him, which is the same way before my grandmother passed away.
(Tita means aunt, Tito means uncle, manang means sister, manong means brother)
My mum don't suspect Aunt Himaya will do anything to ''make'' granddad die because she told my mum over the phone when she took Granddad out of Isabella (verge of crying) that she'll take care of granddad because it's his last stage of life and how long can he live? And the two maids, they're around my age but capable of doing housework and good at cooking.
By the way, Aunt Himaya isn't my cousin/relative, she's my mum best friend for 16 years, a year after David was born in 1997. She was actually furious with my cousins and relatives as she told me when Granddad is alive, nobody gives a fuck about offering to help take care of him. When he's dead, it's like the whole world offers to help. The reason why Granddad has to leave Singapore it's because the immigration decline to re-new his green pass. Granddad came to Singapore on 2001(A year after my grandmother passed away) to 2012. So Granddad has been in Singapore for 12 years.
In the afternoon (17th June 2014), Andrew and I left home to his place to take his passport and pack his clothes into the luggage. Then back to my place to put his luggage before going to Lucky Plaza with Andrew and my parents. The air tickets were expensive because it's an emergency and last minute. After purchasing the tickets, Andrew and I went to West Mall to get the stuffs that we need while my parents went home.
(Wednesday, 18th June 2014)
In the morning, we left home at 6 am to catch a taxi as we need to check in at 7 am++ and the flight is at 9:50 am. Here's the flight destinations/schedules:
•Singapore → Manila → Davao (Wednesday 18 June to Saturday 21 June)(Granddad's coffin is still at Davao)
Davao → Bacolod City (Saturday 21 June to Friday 27 June)(To process Granddad's coffin to fly with us from Davao to Bacolod City, settle Granddad's burial, meet my cousins/relatives and tour around Bacolod City)
Bacolod City → Manila → Singapore (Going back to Singapore)
We reached Davao at 10 pm++ because of the flight delays. Fuck Cebu Pacific.
I didn't really enjoy the environment at Davao and everywhere we go, there will be two bodyguards to accompany Andrew and I because the shopping mall is like damn far. There'll be bodyguards around us, even at the funeral parlor because Aunt Himaya is an undercover cop and working for the government. Means she's bound to have enemies wanting to kill her. It's my first time seeing and holding a real gun too, which makes me wanna have a gun license in the Philippines.
(Saturday, 21.06.2014)
About 2 am++, the two bodyguards send us to Aunt Himaya's place to shower, prepare and pack our luggage as we have a flight at 7:15 am to Bacolod City. Andrew and I were done showering and packing the luggages at about 3 am. So we sat on the sofas in the living room, watched television and smoked about 3 sticks before we dozed off. So here's what happened as Andrew told my mum and aunt Himaya when they came back from the funeral parlor at about 4:30 am++.
Andrew and I slept on the living sofa at about 3 am. About 3:30 am, Andrew woke up because he felt someone placing his/her hand on his forehead. He look at the ceiling, no one. Checked the rooms and there's only the two maids and Hiro(aunt Himaya's son) and all are asleep. So he went back to sleep.
At about 3:45 am, the door bell rang. One of maid woke up and Andrew went to open the door. No one, just a wind passing by. So Andrew closed the door and told the maid to go back to sleep.
About 4:30 am++, mum, aunt Himaya and one of the body guard came back. Aunt Himaya and Mum were in the room, probably packing her luggage or showering. I was still asleep on the sofa when Andrew and one of the bodyguard felt that there's someone outside. The bodyguard opened the door and went outside to check. Again, no one. After my mum and aunt himaya done with their stuff, Andrew told them what had happened and they believe it's granddad who came back and gave everyone in the house his blessing, the traditional palm method (Andrew, two maids, Hiro and me).
I was a lil angry and sad that why didn't I feel it. Did granddad gave me his blessing too? Why did he gave Andrew his blessing when Andrew is just an outsider? Or am I deeply asleep?
About 5 am++, the chauffeur drove us to the packaging part near Davao airport as we need to settle some paper work for Granddad's coffin to fly with us from Davao to Bacolod City. Before the workers carry Granddad’s coffin to put inside the crate, mum knocked the coffin 3 times. End up Granddad’s coffin weight reduce to 3kg lighter, which helped mum to save some pesos. We always believed that Granddad is really helping and blessing us.
In the morning, we left home at 6 am to catch a taxi as we need to check in at 7 am++ and the flight is at 9:50 am. Here's the flight destinations/schedules:
•Singapore → Manila → Davao (Wednesday 18 June to Saturday 21 June)(Granddad's coffin is still at Davao)
Davao → Bacolod City (Saturday 21 June to Friday 27 June)(To process Granddad's coffin to fly with us from Davao to Bacolod City, settle Granddad's burial, meet my cousins/relatives and tour around Bacolod City)
Bacolod City → Manila → Singapore (Going back to Singapore)
We reached Davao at 10 pm++ because of the flight delays. Fuck Cebu Pacific.
I didn't really enjoy the environment at Davao and everywhere we go, there will be two bodyguards to accompany Andrew and I because the shopping mall is like damn far. There'll be bodyguards around us, even at the funeral parlor because Aunt Himaya is an undercover cop and working for the government. Means she's bound to have enemies wanting to kill her. It's my first time seeing and holding a real gun too, which makes me wanna have a gun license in the Philippines.
(Saturday, 21.06.2014)
About 2 am++, the two bodyguards send us to Aunt Himaya's place to shower, prepare and pack our luggage as we have a flight at 7:15 am to Bacolod City. Andrew and I were done showering and packing the luggages at about 3 am. So we sat on the sofas in the living room, watched television and smoked about 3 sticks before we dozed off. So here's what happened as Andrew told my mum and aunt Himaya when they came back from the funeral parlor at about 4:30 am++.
Andrew and I slept on the living sofa at about 3 am. About 3:30 am, Andrew woke up because he felt someone placing his/her hand on his forehead. He look at the ceiling, no one. Checked the rooms and there's only the two maids and Hiro(aunt Himaya's son) and all are asleep. So he went back to sleep.
At about 3:45 am, the door bell rang. One of maid woke up and Andrew went to open the door. No one, just a wind passing by. So Andrew closed the door and told the maid to go back to sleep.
About 4:30 am++, mum, aunt Himaya and one of the body guard came back. Aunt Himaya and Mum were in the room, probably packing her luggage or showering. I was still asleep on the sofa when Andrew and one of the bodyguard felt that there's someone outside. The bodyguard opened the door and went outside to check. Again, no one. After my mum and aunt himaya done with their stuff, Andrew told them what had happened and they believe it's granddad who came back and gave everyone in the house his blessing, the traditional palm method (Andrew, two maids, Hiro and me).
I was a lil angry and sad that why didn't I feel it. Did granddad gave me his blessing too? Why did he gave Andrew his blessing when Andrew is just an outsider? Or am I deeply asleep?
About 5 am++, the chauffeur drove us to the packaging part near Davao airport as we need to settle some paper work for Granddad's coffin to fly with us from Davao to Bacolod City. Before the workers carry Granddad’s coffin to put inside the crate, mum knocked the coffin 3 times. End up Granddad’s coffin weight reduce to 3kg lighter, which helped mum to save some pesos. We always believed that Granddad is really helping and blessing us.
About 8 am plus, we reached Bacolod City airport. tito Sean and tita Jean fetched us from the airport. When tito Sean opened his arms wide to hug mum and I, mum just burst into tears, which makes me cry too. Along the journey to tito Sean's house, tito Sean and tito Jean explained to us the places in Bacolod City.
(Wednesday, 25.06.2014)
When we're on our way to the burial place, my cousins drove us there and there were total of nine 7 seater cars (cousins and everyone were inside squeezing and mostly the people in philippines tend to buy 7 seater cars as there's a lot of family members) and guided by two police officer. So that other cars won't cut into our lane in order for us to drive slowly behind the coffin. When we reached the burial place, I was very shocked to see a whole lot of group standing there. End up, they are all Granddad's neighbor. Couldn't stop my tears from running down my face. Total there were about 250++ people who attend Granddad's funeral mass and burial. Before the burial, had to help mum arrange the food catering for them.
Overall, I prefer Bacolod than Davao. During my stay in Bacolod City, I asked pesos from mum as I want to donate to the poor on the streets. Told mum that when I start working, I'll search for a trustworthy donation company to donate money to the poor. But mum said why not help some of my relatives and mum asked me which of her cousins I could trust and my answers are all correct. So I've decided to learn and nurture under Lord Jesus's and my Granddad's teachings.
I strongly believe in karma. My Granddad has helped so many of his families. He even adopted a few guys, not his own flesh blood, took care of them, helped them to finish their education and this is what he get? tito Herbert and manong Bike. They ''offer'' to take care of my Granddad at Isabella and end up, they just neglect him, took advantage and use my mother's money as every month, she'll send money back so that they can buy medicines and necessary stuffs for Granddad. Not only that, during the 3rd or 4th day at the funeral parlor, tito Herbert came and created a scene. Wailing loudly saying that my Granddad didn't leave any money for him. So next year June 16th, mum and I will be going back to Philippines again for Granddad's 1 year death anniversary but not sure which of my family member is coming with us. Mum is probably gonna ''talk'' things out with them. And when my Granddad stayed at Isabella, aunt Himaya was the one who ''save'' him and she said Granddad was so damn fragile and skinny. When I looked at Granddad in his coffin, he doesn't look skinny at all. So it means aunt Himaya did really took good care of him and feed him well.
Starting dislike the people in Singapore and Singapore. I do get stares and looks whenever I'm in the mall or in the streets in Bacolod City but not worse compare to Singapore. The people in Bacolod isn't proud, they are humble. ''The poor will only understand the poor.''
If things go smoothly as what Andrew and I had planned (no quarrels or anything related to my demand of perfection to every little things), it'll be wonderful. he's working now to save up the money. And then going to the UK to study the courses we like and then migrate there. He's taking up a course in doctor for scalp treatment while I'll be taking up tattoo course. Gonna get my half sleeve done in the UK too because UK tattoo artists are good with colouring *hands down*
My retirement will be in Bacolod City, and my death funeral will be at Nepomuceno Parish Church, the church where I was baptized as a baby and Granddad's funeral mass was held. We'll be doing side business with the help of tito Sean as he has 4 branches of bridal shop in Bacolod. Even Andrew felt that my cousins bonding I have with them doesn't feel fake at all. Not like in Singapore cousins.
The priests who did Granddad's mass mentioned that Love is the greatest key to all. I find it hard to Love, be it love in relationship or just pure love caring for humans. How?
P.S - Philippines FHM magazines are more wild than Singapore. I think Singapore is too restricted or are they trying to be decent? Lol.
Labels: RIP Granddad
Geraldine Alexa Toh Besana , July 01, 2014
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Take the good with the bad
