Of Survivors And A Sin Of Omission

This is a tale of two survivors. Both are beauty conscious but while one is a mere client, the other is the beauty expert. Both are known to the local media, especially among the lifestyle and entertainment journalists. One is a strong woman of substance, while the other became a woman several years ago through a sex change operation. Both suffered depression not only physically but also financially, which led to discouragement. But, thank God, it never resulted to wrecked lives.

Today, Wendy Mendoza, the beauty expert, is in a small parlor at the basement of Plaza Fair with her faithful son Joseph who is a nursing intern at the Cebu Doctors' Hospital. She has a loyal friend named Alice who keeps visiting her. She is no longer extravagant as before, although she would still feed and give gifts to the street children at the Parian Drop In Center on her birthday. Several years ago, she would mark her birthday with a lavish celebration in a big hotel with people who claimed to be real friends. These days, these are the very same people who spread "tsismis" just because she is now in a small place and is no longer very generous to them - "friends," the very people who took advantage of her generosity. This includes even a very close relative.

Late last year, the visa of the woman of substance, Mrs. Josie Sanchez Pereyra had expired. She was scheduled to renew it right after her birthday on January 9 but her mother in Los Angeles was rushed to a hospital in New York by her US-based brothers. She wanted to be at her mother's bedside so much even if that meant that she had to leave her husband, Mr. Pete Pereyra, who has been bedridden in the last eight years.

Despite everything, like the real trouper that she is, she had to promote the movie " Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros," especially that its main cast, Nathan Lopez and his knight in shining armor and once upon a time Cebu resident, JR, were here.

Just before Christmas, her mother died. Her brothers had to reach a delicate decision - which was against her will - to cremate their mother. On January 9, on her birthday, there was no lavish celebration. There was no roasted calf, the usual lechon, delicious escabeche, several sweets, goodies and ice cream. Above all, no friends to celebrate it with her; only the family, Luda Seno, Roger Serna, daughter Chona with husband Edgar Escalante. On January l7, the cremated remains of Mrs. Amparo Aguilar vda. de Sanchez was brought home and stayed for an overnight wake at Chapel A of Sacred Heart Church. The following day was a funeral procession that brought the remains to the Cebu Memorial Park to be buried beside her late husband. A formal dinner was served at Grand Convention Center after the burial. Josie says she survived and will survive, because God is with her.

Am taking up a reaction to the article, which came out in this section some weeks ago. It is a sin of omission on my part and this is a public apology. I wish to apologize to the Barba family for omitting the name of Mr. Gregorio Barba (second to the last paragraph of that article), younger brother of the late Capt. Cipriano Barba, and elder brother of siblings Alejandro, Marcelo, and Felix. To the Barba family, especially the daughter of the late Gregorio and the late Mrs. Trinidad Gabuya Barba, Mrs. Cheryl Barba Cortes, I am sorry for the sin of omission.

The late Tiya Trining or Trinidad, for those who still don't know, passed away only last year.