Hermoina S. Tolentino

On the 20th of April 1907, "APO" or Apo Moing as she was fondly called by many, was born in a little town in Mexico, Pampanga, Philippines. She was the eldest and the only girl in a family of 3. We can still recall the stories of our grandfathers (her brothers) saying how she stood as the father and mother to them since their parents died while they were still young, but young as her age, she was responsible and worked in the fields to help them survive the daily living. In August 1928 she married a farmer, Bibiano V. Tolentino, and were wed at the Sta Monica Parish Church, also in Mexico, Pampanga. Because both came from a family of farmers, the couple decided to move to a nearby farm in Concepcion Mexico and made farming their means of livelihood. The 49 years of marriage bore 9 children, but unfortunately 3 of whom died in infancy namely, Consolacion, Corazon and Prudencio.

Because of fear during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, they decided to buy a house in the city. But after the American liberation of the Philippines, they moved back to the farm to go on with their lives. The rest of the kids opted to stay in San Fernando Pampanga for better education. Luck was with them because despite the hardship in the crucial living, her children got themselves established in their fields of endeavour. Nobody wanted to go back to the farm so the children decided to look for a house in 1975 wherein they finally settled in San Fernando, Pampanga.

During their stay in Pampanga, she had a backyard piggery and we took turns in helping her clean the pig’s house after school. Not long after, her husband died in 1978 so the youngest of the siblings, Uncle Fred who was in the United States Navy then, filed a petition for Apo to migrate to the United States. While awaiting for her immigration papers , she spent more than a year helping my mom in the canteen and to mention that she was a good cook, she was dearly loved by the employees of the bus station where my father worked for. She knew how to mingle with the people around there so that even if my mom was around, they would always call on her to serve the food, because she gave a little more than what they paid for. She was so kind hearted that she would not eat without having called or invited the people around to eat with her. In 1981, Apo joined Uncle Fred in Tennessee but as told to many, she did not enjoy her stay in the US because it was indeed a total change, call it culture shock, but it was really one to her. It was only in 1984 when Auntie Monic and Auntie Ling joined her in the Unites States that she found comfort once again. We have fond memories of Apo’s stories.. like when our two aunts were out for work and the phone would ring, and the person calling probably would ask “ Can I talk to Monic or Ling?” Her reply remained constant and proudly answered them “No Monic/Ling today, tonight only” and then she would hang up.

She has a great fear for lizards or of its kind, of lightnings and of thunder. I still recall in my younger days, when lightning strikes, she gets a litany of all the saints and she does not stop praying with eyes closed until it stops. Above these all, Apo would be most remembered as a God-fearing person, she always puts the Lord Almighty in everything that she does, thinks and utters.

At the age of 90, Apo obtained her citizenship in Sept 1997. The consular officers were amazed on how, with the help of an interpreter, she answered all the questions brilliantly. In our dialect, when asked who the present president was, she replied.. “ e d si Reagan sino pa?”

I don’t remember having seen her in the hospital until her old age. At almost a hundred years old, she would still volunteer to do the dishes and unpack all the stuff aunties brought home from the grocery store or the mall. And as a mother, she would stare at the clock when the sun starts going down and if nobody is home yet, she would call the roll and ask where everybody is at. By the time she gets bored, she would instruct aunties to go fetch my dad especially if he comes home late, then initiates the praying of the “orasyon.”

In April 2007, Apo had the chance to celebrate her centennial birthday at the Anchors & Spurs Club and this was one of the precious moments we would always cherish. When she about to blow the cake candles, she was asked what her birthday wish was, she whispered she wanted another five more years in life.

The LORD headed to her prayers, we had the chance to celebrate her 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th, 105th and the last was her 106th birthday in April. We can say we are more than lucky enough to have spent longer years with a grandmother like you than anybody else in this world..APO...

You will be missed.. terribly because of what we are and what we have been, all your 22 grandchildren, your 36 great grandchildren and your 2 great great grandchildren whom you haven’t met but sure have heard of your kindness. We are assured we have another angel to watch over us, your family. We will see each other again APO. In HIS time.

“Gratitude is the memory of the heart." Our Family and I would like to thank everyone who sympathized with us in our moment of grief. That you took the time and made the effort to condole with us is truly appreciated. It made the load bearable. It made us focus on the glorious truth that APO’s life is now with the Lord. Your support eased the pain of loss. Maraming salamat po. Vivat Jesus.