Friday, December 30, 2016

#ThankYou, Tatay Ko


2016 is one of the best years of my life!

This year marks memorable and major personal and family milestones in this journey of discovering the wonders and beauty of the world. Some of the unforgettable simple joys I achieved in the last 12 months includes scoring my first-ever “touchdown” in an inter-company patintero competition; conquered my fear of driving a car after more than a decade of avoiding the steering wheel due to a minor accident; and got promoted from being a contributing writer to a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

I achieved these small victories on my 40th birth year which coincides with my only child Charles’ 7th birthday and 10th wedding anniversary with my dearest Leah.

Truly, I am very thankful to God for all the blessings that came my way in 2016. That’s why when I saw the AirAsia #ThankYou campaign video online, I was inspired to write about thanking someone who has rode and stuck with me in every bumpy and turbulent ride life had offered me. The clip was sincere and moving that it will make us realize that saying thank you is more than just an expression of appreciation but is also to tell someone that he has done well and should continue with his kind ways.



Being more close to my mother, I hate to admit it but I might have sometimes forgot to show my appreciation to my father and all the things he has done for our family. I hope that through this story that I will share, I would be able to really say the words I should have told him years ago. And what a perfect time to tell him this during this season of love and gratitude.

I’ve met people who consider their nice-looking cars or different gadgets as their prized possessions. Not my Tatay Momoy. For a simple man like him, his old but reliable hammer is his well-kept treasure. I want to share an anecdote that happened 10 years ago a few days before Christmas.

Tatay came here in Manila from Agoo, La Union in the late ‘60s as an innocent just-got-20-years-old man armed only with the tool he purchased using the money he have saved for years.

Good thing he easily got a job as a carpenter in Paco, Manila where he also met our future Nanay Conchit. To make the story short, they got married and had six children. I am the eldest and have witnessed how Tatay have raised this family for more than four decades and counting, though thick and thin.

I still remember my Tatay's way of expressing his appreciation every time I got high grades in school. When I was in third grade and entered top 10 in class, he made me a wooden scooter that was the “in” thing during those times. When I was second honor in 2nd year high school, he built me a pigeon house for my pets. I just can't remember if I even thanked him for all his efforts.

With Tatay Momoy, Nanay Conchit, my son Charles and my wife Leah

Today, Tatay no longer works as a carpenter because he claims that he already lost his “carpentry skills.” I think that is just his way of denying rheumatism and arthritis.

But of all the great things Tatay has given me, the one that he did in December of 2006 before my wedding day was the most memorable and touching of all. I just came home from work when Tatay approached me. He asked me to come with him and check something he made for the house I was building for my future family.

He led me to the kitchen and showed me a pink (favorite color of my wife) cabinet that he made under the kitchen sink. His voice sounded apologetic, “Pasensiya na anak ha? ‘Yan lang ang nakayanan ng Tatay. Wala pa kasi akong perang pambili ng wedding gift e.”

I know I wiped my eyes that time but I did not show it to him because I felt it was kinda corny. I can't minced a word to thank him because I might just burst into tears. But I know he knows I was very thankful that time with the way I reacted. I can’t help but smile when I saw a familiar fellow near the just finished cabinet --- the hammer that was used to build our home 40 years ago.

P.S. For the curious souls, below is a snapshot (almost) of the pink cabinet :-)


#ThankYou, Tatay Ko. Thank you for being the second tatay to my son Charles who you nurture with the same love (or even more) you have given me. If ever I’ll be blessed to win this blog contest sponsored by AirAsia Philippines, I will be able to finally fulfill one of your life-long dreams of being able to travel on a plane.



I prepared a list below of possible destinations you may want to consider. Pili ka na, Tay. I will hammer things out to make this possible. Promise, hindi mapapako.






20 comments:

aci bornea said...

Nasan na ba yung tissue :(
Ang sweet ng tatay mo papa chard!
For me mas matimbang ang mga bagay na ginawa ng kamay. Pinaghirapan at pinagisipan, pinaglaanan ng panahon at lakas. Na touch ako ng bongga!

Now I missed my pappi too.

Unknown said...

Isang akap tula ni kelly john biasong

Tulad ng paghihirap ng isang NANAY
Mula pagdadala hanggang masilayan
Patuloy mo nga akong inalagaan
Binuhat mo mabigat man o magaan

Mula paglaki nandyan ka lang sa tabi
Hindi mo iniwan kahit hating gabi
Ikaw pa nga naglalagay ng twalya
At sa iyong haplos akoy sumasaya

Ikaw na nga ay bigay ng Diyos saakin
Sana ina sa muli kong pag-gising
Ako ay iyong yakap at hagkang muli
At ang lahat ng itoy hindi pa huli

Ang pag-ibig mo ngay hindi magwawakas
Kahit ang panahon ko man ay lumipas
Alaala moy hindi ko malilimutan
At palagi nalang ako nasasaktan

Ngayong ngang matanda na ang aking ina
At siyay patuloy na nanghihina
Kami naman sayo ay mag aalaga
AT sa mga Darating pangang umaga

Nandito kami sa iyo ay sasama
Magtutulong kami kasama si ama
aawitan ka at laging sasamahan
tulad ng isang batang pinapatahan

Dito na nga ba magtatapos ang lahat?
ang lahat ba ng ito ay naging sapat?
Iniiwan mo na nga kami aking ina!
at ngayong kami ina ay lumuluha

Itong tulang ito ay ginawa ko habang nakaduty sa isang hospital para ito sa mama at papa ko na inspire ako kasi nakita ko ang hirap ng isang nanay, na binibigay lahat ng kanyang lakas maisilang lang ang sanggol na nasakanyang sinapupunan masarap isipin kapag may nanay kapa lalo na’t may gumagabay pa saiyong magulang , kaya habang nandyan pa sila pahalagahan hindi lang tuwing mothers/fathers day kundi araw-araw ,minsan kasi nababalewala natin ang ating mga magulang sabi nga ng isang quote ”We are so busy growing up, we often forget that they are also getting old”. kaya sa lahat ng mga anak magiging magulang kadin someday pahalagahan mo kung ano ang meron kapa:) Happy newyear ����

Wilmar Duldulao said...

Inspiring story. Hope you will the contest, bro.

Unknown said...

I hope you win the contest. My dad is in heaven now, but I do have a lot of great memories with him as well. Hopefully, I can also impact my own children greatly. That was the original goal of making my blog site. :)

Lhourdes Mercadero said...

After reading this naalala ko Na naman si tatay. Naiyak tuloy ako, inisip ko rin of nakapag Thank you ba ako SA kanya before.
If given a chance, I still like to say Thank You to my tatay who passed away after masunog yung house namin. Sobrang istrikto pero napaka loving Na lolo at tatay para sa akin sa 6 Na anak nya.He was a truck driver and kahit 60 yrs old Na sya nakiusap sya SA company nya Na hayaan parin sya magwork dahil ayaw nya daw maging pabigat SA amin at gusto nya parin kami mabilhan Ng mga kailangan namin SA bahay at sa school.
Sobrang inspiring Sir Richard nitong post mo, I hope you win in this contest.

Happy New Year! ��

Mylene M. Calleja said...

Nakakainis, naiiyak na tuloy ako, I missed my Dad, he just died recently and katulad mo, dami kong naalala na andaming moments sa buhay ko na pinili ng tatay ko na mapalayo sa amin, mapag-aral lang kami, wala akong maalala na nagdebut ako, wala siya, graduation ko, wala rin siya, pasko , bagong taon, wala siya. Ngayong magulang na rin ako, naiintindihan ko lahat ng sakripisyo nya. Di ko nga rin maalala na napasalamatan ko siya sa lahat ng bagay na ginawa nya para sa akin.

Your blog post Sir was really inspiring, tagos sa puso at ramdam ng lahat kung gaano ka kaproud at thankful sa Tatay mo. Goodluck at sana you win ! Happy new year.


Mitchteryosa said...

Your post reminded me of my father who passed away just two months ago. :( If mothers know best, fathers are the best in most cases!

Blair Villanueva said...

Thank you for sharing this personal post to all your readers, and we are lucky reading it. You are an amazing Dad and you deserve everything awesomee!

Hey #AirAsia! Let my friend win!!!

Richard Mamuyac said...

Cheers sa lahat ng Tatay sa Mundo. Tnx for the friendship,Aci! :)

Richard Mamuyac said...

Very inspiring poem, Kelly. Happy new year to you and your family :)

Richard Mamuyac said...

Thx bro. See you soon :)

Richard Mamuyac said...

Same here, Carlo. This personal blog was intended as a diary of my journey towards fatherhood. Medyo nadiskaril nun umpisa kasi my first child passed away. Pero eventually I got the inspiration to continue when my son Charles was born.

Richard Mamuyac said...

Salute to your dad, Lourdes. Tnx for sharing your story as well :)

Richard Mamuyac said...

Ganyan siguro mga tatay. They don't mind kung mag thank you ka o Hindi basta trabaho lang for the family. Well, not all but. But we're just glad we are blessed to have fathers who strive hard to raise us. Tnx for sharing your story, too :)

Richard Mamuyac said...

Sorry to hear about your lost. I'm sure fresh pa yun pain ng pagkawala ng dad mo. But I'm sure madamaming memories niya ang forever Na magpapangiti sa yo. God bless

Richard Mamuyac said...

Tnx Blair. Have a great 2017 and see you soon! :)

Ruchelle Flores said...

I want to thank my eldest daughter Hannah. She has been my bestfriend since her dad left us. I am working at a call center at night and she became a responsible ATE, taking care of her siblings. She wakes up early and prepares food before they all go to school. She also helps in doing household chores. I understand that growing up in a broken family is hard, but this experience of ours made all of us mature and view the situation in a different perspective. And I know no matter what happens, she will always be by my side.

Richard Mamuyac said...

Thanks for sharing your #ThankYou story, Ruchelle :)

Ria Hazel said...

Bakit ka nagpapaiyak ng gabi? Huhuhu Seriously, I was so touched. Im also not so close with my Dad pero I know that he provided well for the family. :)

Happy New Year to you and your family :)

jolaris said...

every parent gives the best to their children in whatever way they can and your dad in no different
treasure our parents and show them our love while they are still living