Your Name

One day, your Dad and I were driving in Lakewood while I was pregnant with you. We were figuring out names for you.

If you were a girl, I wanted to name you after your grandmothers, Esther Louise is Dad's mom and my mom is Casimera. What's the best way to combine them?

Casimera is a mouthful and even my own mom does not like her name. She is called Mer. She also told me that sometimes she would be called Mary by her friends when she was growing up.

So, I thought that I would suggest Mary as my tribute to her. Esther Mary did not sound quite right, but Mary Esther did. I suggested it to your dad and he liked how it sounded, too.

If you were a boy, it would be Jack and some other name. Since Jack is also your dad's dad's name, I wanted to pay tribute to someone in my side of the family. This we did not agree on so quickly. More later.

More School Memories

I graduated elementary school with Third Honorable Mention, fifth in about 130 kids. I was told I got the highest score in the IQ test that was administered sometime during the schoolyear.

I entered high school when I was 13. The sections were all named after gemstones. I think it was First Year-Ruby. I would confer with my best friend from high school who I am still in contact with it about the sections for second, third and fourth years.

Some highlights---

I won an essaywriting contest with an essay I wrote dawn of the day of submission in about half an hour. I won 200 pesos, I dont' know what I did with the prize money. I do remember the Essay Title - "If MIDES Were Alive Today" MIDES being the founder of RVM (Religious of the Virgin Mary, the order of the nuns who were running the school). MIDES stands for Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo. At that time we were also praying for her beatification.

We had Citizens Army Training (CAT) on the last year of high school. For most of my elementary and high school, the country was under martial law and one of its manifestations is the military training for every senior girl and boy. The boys were also required to take ROTC in college. Our school did CAT- Army training, Friday afternoons, we would change to military uniform, green fatigues, pressed neatly, tucked in, nelted with that military belt with the gold buckle, white handkerchief, tickler in pocket, black socks, black shoes shined to shiniest shine and name tag. We would do marching drills, with and without a wooden dummy rifle, get trained in things army, do cheers and a 3-day bivouac where we slept in tents for 2 nights, went on a longm arch, did mountain-climbing, tested for loyalty, war games--- usually, a Filipino's first taste of camping away from home. It turned out I was good in map-reading--- I won first place at an inter-school meet. I got 9 out of the 10 questions right. With this and my being a member of the Model Platoon got me the honor of Best Cadette at the end of the year.

Graduated with First Honorable Mention, third in class of about 180. To be first, I needed higher grades in Communication Arts and Social Studies and a lot of extrac-curricular activities. I was neck and neck with the Salutatorian as far as academic grades went but she beat me when it came to involvement in school activities. I cried when I learned this, cried on my Daddy's shoulder, first time I ever did. Dad said that I was first in his book.

Not All About Me

But, for now, it is as I still need to interview people...

So, a little bit more about your mother.

I first went to formal schooling at the age of 6, for kindergarten at the Our Lady of Grace Academy in 11th Avenue, Grace Park, Caloocan City. The 2-story wooden building that comprise the school sits behind the church of the same name. It was a Catholic school run by nuns. I wore a uniform, a white baby-collar blouse, adorned by a string-tie bow, underneath a royal blue jumper with box pleated skirt. From pictures taken, the skirt ended above the knee, the nuns did not seem to mind it then. Then, white socks and black patent or leather shoes. Oh, and you have to have your ID card pinned to your chest and carry a handkerchief inside your skirt "secret" pocket.

After kindergarten is Grade 1. I was in the first section, Gr. I- Lily under Miss Carodan. The section consisted of about 40 kids and the smartest of the whole grade level populatin are segregated into the first section. I think, there were 3 sections of Grade 1.

Then Grade 2 was with Mrs. Diamzon, Gr. 2 -Champaca. Grades 1 and 2 were designated flower names for the sections, Grades 3-6 were fruit names. What I remember most about Grade 2 was how good I was jump-roping, getting to over 100 with missing a step. I had this really nice jump-rope made up of rubber bands strung together. I also would compete with other great players from the other sections during recess and lunch break.

Grade 3 - Macopa under Miss Cruz. Two memories stand out, singing Paul McCatrney's "My Love" in front of the class as part of our Christmas party program and then, beating out fourth graders in Math contest.

Grade 4 - Pineapple under Mrs. Barros. I remember being envious of the kids that get to be Most Well-Groomed Girl of the Week. I never got to be one while this girl Ma. Asuncion Zuniga seems to always have her picture up. Again, I sang during our Christmas party, this time it was Elton John's "Skyline Pigeon."

Grade 5- Atis under Miss Maat. Miss Isabelita Maat, if one is allowed to have a crush on a teacher, I had one on her. She was the nicest teacher ever, kind, approachable, young and pretty to boot. Everybody liked her.

Grade 6- Mabolo. The 5th and 6th graders were housed in the High School building, 12th Avenue, Grace Park. We were on the old wing, 4th floor during Grade 6. I loved this classroom because it had this map of the world that covered the whole back wall. I was chosen to represent the school, along with 2 other girls, on a prestihious Math competition. I remember coming back from a 2-week absence (I had acute pharyngitis and measles) to be told that I would be turoed extra by this nun, after school to get ready for this contest. I wish I can remember the name of this nun, she was dour and strict as nuns go but very smart and very endearing underneath her gruff exterior. I also liked that she recognized my math talents.

St. Pancratius Parish

Your mom grew up in Grace Park, Caloocan City, along Rizal Ave. Ext. In an industrial section of the city, the site of the family home is next to a machine shop called Kiwk-way Engineering and flanked on the other side byt a Heavy Truck dealership.

When I was much younger, I remember a bus terminal right next to the entrance to the La Loma Cemetery, a few locations south of us. So, it is Kwik-way Engineering, then a gas station (I think, it was Esso, then changed to Petron), then the bus terminal and then the cemetery entrance.

Inside the cemetery compound is St. Pancratius Church. It is a 3-minute leisurely walk except during Todos Los Santos, November 1, All Saints Day, when the way is jam-packed with vendors and stall vying for space with cars, tricycles and people paying respect to their loved ones who had passed away.

My mom is a regular church-goer. Every Sunday, she would go to the 6 o'clock mass. When I was a kid, she would drag us along, especially the girls. On our visit May-August 2008, she only managed to drag us along a few times as you and I couldn't be ready by this time, too early. Actually, there was only one time we had gone to hear mass at this church, it was during the feast day, May 11th at a 5 pm mass that mom had sponsored. We did not hear a Sunday mass.

But, still that church had always been a part of my life.

You were baptized there when you were almost 2. You had all my brothers and sisters and their spouses, as well as my best friend, Rowena Ong-Cortez as sponsors. Officially, you have Virgilio F. Vergara (my oldest brother, you would later call Ninong Kuya) and Rowena as Ninong and Ninang. Their names are on your baptistmal certificate. Your other Ninongs are Victor Romeo Vergara (later, you would call him, Daddy Guapo), Agripino V. Diestro (Ninong Nonoy) and Rik Gatip (Tita Gina's husband), then the other Ninangs are Gracia V. Diestro (you would later call as Ninang Ate), Edita Ng Vergara (Daddy Guapo's wife, you would later call Mommy Sexy, at her behest), Virginia Vergara Gatip (Tita Gina) and Valerie Vergara (Tita-ba! or Tita Val).

Birthdays

Can't remember if my parents had a big party for me (or for my other siblings for that matter) on my 1st and 7th birthday. I think it was not the norm when we were growing. Your generation in the Philippines had this tradition.

Probably had to do with what my parents can afford. Raising 5 kids, building a business during the first 20 years of their marriage did not leave much room for extravagances. By the times, Valerie was born, the family was more well-off and Valerie did have the big parties. Then, we would also have birthday celebrations. By then, just having family and some friends over is already a big party. We would usually have them at home. People do not need an invitation or long notice to come. Everyone is welcome. The affairs were mostly just time to come together, chat, catch up and eat. On occasion, when one is celebrating an "0" birthday or 25, there would be some kind of program. Otherwise, it would be just lots of food and maybe a cake.

Some Childhood Memories

I remember having my elder brother, the one I call Diko, the one just older than me and my younger sister as my constant playmates.

We would play in the driveway (back then, it opened out to the street, no adult supervision. Thirty years later, the driveway's got a 15 foot gate, with irons bars topping it, kept locked from the outside at all times and locked from the inside from 9 pm till 5 am, kids will aso have adult supervision if they happen to venture out into the driveway, which is no longer regularly done) for some time until supper which was usually at 6 pm. Of course, we are never ready to get back in, as we want to keep playing. Mom will come out to yell for us. And we will ignore her. Then, she would make like she was coming to get us. We would still ignore her. When she actually gets to the San Francisco plant and motions like she was twisting off a sapling from it, that's when we come running. She would use this sapling to beat us home. And those things sting.

Another memory is of us playing house in our garden. We used to have pond with a concrete bridge crossing it. The pond would have tadpoles in it and probably had fish at one point. We liked the tadpoles. We would catch them and pretend they were fish we can cook. We did try cooking one time. My brother found a tin can (Reno Liver Spread size), got some uncooked rice, added water and set it on a tripod of stones, with some twigs for kindling, lit the fire and got cooking. I don't remember the cooked part. I think it was taking too long and it was time to do something else. I think we have also tried to cook some tadpole soup.

Then there was catching dragonflies and clipping their wings so they would not fly away. And stepping on a cockroach and holding it by its antler and scare somebody with it. My brother would also swipe at a fly, hold it in his fist, shake it up and throws the fly down to the ground and while it is dazed, squash it flat.

You can tell we did not have toys like you have in your childhood. We had each other to play with and the outdoors as our playground and whatever we can find in that outdoors as our toys. We grew up OK, anyway.

Immediate Family - Victor's Progeny

My dearest daughter

Your mom, me, was christened as Vilma Francisco Vergara, born on April 22, 1964. I am the fourth child of Victor Tantoco Vergara and Casimera Darlucio Francisco.

Victor - Daddy or Dad to his kids, Lolo or Lolo Vic to his grandkids, was also called Ching by his parents and some relatives, is known as Vic in his circle of business friends and referred to as Manager or Sir Vic by his employees. He was born on March 6, 1936.

Casimera - Mommy, Ma or Mom to her kids, Mama Mer or Mama May to her grandkids (never Lola), called Mer or Ate Mer or Misis or Donya by everybody else. She was born on December 16, 1935.

They have 6 kids:

Virgilio Francisco Vergara, born November 24, 1958.

Gracia Francisco Vergara, born October 22, 1960.

Victor Romeo Francisco Vergar, born June 8, 1962.

Vilma Francisco Vergara, born April 22, 1964.

Virginia Francisco Vergara, born January 22, 1966.

Valerie Francisco Vergara, born January 3, 1977.