Tia Arling Lapus Gozon turned 92 a couple of months ago, and the same celebratory mood pervaded the air in the garden of Flor. People from high and middle places came bringing gifts and hugging her. There was love all around, and the light on each guest’s face was bright, like the glow of the capiz lamps hanging on the tree branches in Flor’s garden. There were stars in the sky for Tia Arling’s birthday.
This last celebration was full of stars, too, the stars being her grandchildren who gave the entertainment numbers. The program began with Bianca and Beej Jimenez acting as emcees. The two are grandchildren of Tia Arling’s eldest daughter, Kay Gozon Jimenez.
Then Miguel Jimenez, another grandson of Kay, enthralled the guests with a saxophone number. Then followed a piano selection by Isabel Gana, a granddaughter of Ben Gozon, Tia Arling’s older son. Another sax number came – from Jaime Jimenez, another grandson of Kay.
Then Anja Arogar sang; she is the daughter of Henry Gozon. Bianca Jimenez sang another number. Then followed a piano piece by Sofia Jimenez, another granddaughter of Kay. Still another number from Kay’s granddaughter – Laura Westfall.
A final number was rendered by the lovely singer Tricia Jimenez, Kay’s daughter-in-law.
Tia Arling was all smiles as she watched and listened to her mga apo sa tuhod sing and play musical instruments in her honor. I asked her how she was feeling that night, and she said, "Oh, I feel great, watching these little ones sing and play." I asked her if there was still anything that she wanted to do at her age. "I thank the Lord for letting me live this long."
She was seated in a wheelchair, but don’t let that chair deceive you. Tia Arling is actually strong for her age. Would you believe everyday she goes to the family farm in Antipolo to supervise the planting and watering of plants and loading of quarried rocks onto trucks to be delivered to dealers? She has also just begun planting thousands of coffee seedlings for a multinational company.
She is in constant motion. Although she had studied to become a pharmacist at the University of the Philippines, she became a businesswoman after she married Ben Gozon, a UP law graduate who was then working as a clerk in the Bureau of Mines (and who would later become Secretary of Agriculture, then governor of the Land Authority, now Department of Agrarian Reform). Because her husband was an honest government employee who would not be bribed, Arling had to supplement the family income. She made patis and delivered it to her customers, then went into salt-making, driving all the way to Dasol, Pangasinan to supervise her workers.
But there is yet another activity that Tia Arling continues to engage in. Prayer. Every decision that she makes is preceded by prayer. She taught her children to believe in the power of prayer, in faith being able to move mountains.
Tia Arling’s son Ben Jr. manages the Gozon Development Corporation. Kay is known as the "Bamboo Queen" of Carolna Bamboo Garden. (Kay’s husband, Menardo R. Jimenez, is chair and president of Majent Group of Companies.) Atty. Felipe is chair, president and CEO of GMA Network. And Flor is chair of Philippine National Bank.
She’s like Santa Claus, bringing balikbayan boxes bulging with goodies (shoes and clothes bought at sales festivals, toothpaste, coffee, towels, Dove soap, creamers, comforters, chocolates, etc.) for her what seem like a million relatives. Then there are the shopping trips cousins like to accompany her to because they always are rewarded with pearl necklaces from the Greenhills malls, or a fascinating, lovely banana fabric shawl from Ditas Sandico’s shop. Sometimes I wonder, not only in Chona’s case but in many of the Balikbayans’, if it’s the boxes and dollar bills handed out that make them so welcome. But in Chona’s case, though, it’s more than the boxes that count. There’s her presence: she’s kind and gentle in speech and manners, and she’s also tall and gifted with a fashion sense that makes her look so elegant even when she’s wearing a plain white shirt and denims and 3-inch high sandals.
Chona’s philanthropy has been made possible by the generosity of her husband, George McDonald (no relation to the food chain mogul), president and CEO of McDonald Group International Inc., which specializes in waste management systems. George has become so used to Chona’s filling up boxes to take or send home to Cebu and Cawayan, Masbate (her hometown) that he helps throw in towels and sheets and candies into them. He enjoyed the company of his affable father-in-law Ildefonso Estella (now deceased) and mother-in-law Presentacion, a public school teacher known for her good singing voice; for more than 40 years – until today although she has retired from teaching, she has led the school students and faculty in singing the national anthem at each school day’s opening rites.
Five years ago Chona and George, with their eldest child, then nine-year-old Abigail, hosted a reunion of relatives of Chona from Masbate, Cebu and even parts of Mindanao and Manila. More than 150 (elderly cousins of Chona’s parents, cousins and nieces and nephews and a throng of grandchildren) came to the dinner held at Mariott Hotel in Cebu City. Abigail danced bullet numbers and there was singing and dancing among the adults.
Two weeks ago, the couple hosted another reunion – this time among Chona’s brothers’ and sisters’ children – also at the Mariott. All three McDonald kids came – Abigail, now 14, tall and lovely, and the twins George and Daniel, I think they’re age 10, good-looking, and like their sister Abigail, A-students in their school. Abigail played two classic piano pieces, as did George at the electronic keyboard. Daniel played Malaguena twice on his guitar bought in the city earlier that day. (The McDonalds by the way are a very musical family. George Sr. plays the violin and bagpipes; Chona sings. Abigail plays the violin and flute as do the boys.)
Only three of Chona’s six siblings could make it to the party. Churchill and his family had to attend to something urgent. Maria Liberty was in Israel, but she was ably represented by her son, Alfonso (PonPon), a second year high school student at the Pasig Christian Academy. Rachel is a nurse in a hospital in Nebraska.
Brother Vharland came with his wife Emie, their sons Vharland Lance, 20, and a nursing student; Vharland Archangel, 19, and Kitana Royce, 10, who sang "Luha," and another piece.
Sister Malou’s husband, a mariner, was out at sea, so Malu brought only her daughter Stephanie, and sons John and Vladimir.
The youngest brother, Jun Jun, and his wife Jeanny, proudly listened to their eldest, Louise June Marie, 16 and a nursing student, sing, Don’t Cry Out Loud. Their son Calvin Christian, 14, did a great rendition of "Pinoy Ako." Enjoying their siblings’ performances were Julius Caezar, Samantha Kaye, and Princess Jasmine.
The parents took turns at the mike and sang to their hearts’ content.
At one table sat three women – Auntie Perek, as we call Chona’s mom, and cousins of her late husband – Bienvenida E. Ynelino, a retired school teacher from New York City, and Sr. Melchora E. Ynelino, CIC. Above the merriment, the three talked about the fun times they had with the late Mr. Estella.
Thank you George and Chona for the reunion and gifts and for more reunions to come.