Happy Grandparents Day: I Heart You, Lo & La!

"God couldn't be everywhere, so he created grandparents."

I am one of the hundreds of people who was raised by their grandparents. And maybe just a few who is grateful to be one.

I moved residence from my biological parents to my grandparents when I was 9. It was not that hard because the place where I moved was surrounded by many people I can befriend wherein the place I move from is only limited to my cousin and 2 or 3 of her cousins.

I never called my grandparents lolo and lola but papa and mama. Papa was then a barangay councilor while mama was a "housewife". I quoted housewife because later did I know papa and mama were siblings. No, this is not incest. They just haven't found their partners when they were young so since they were the two who were left single they lived in one house and we are their children. Children it is; me, my 2 brothers and my 2 sisters. And we also have our tiya (aunt) who is Mama and Papa's aunt.

Papa is the breadwinner. Aside from being a barangay councilor then, he also was the one who cockfighters go to after a cockfight to have their wounded cocks operated. This job is of so much help because if there are customers we have additional 2 or 3 pesos from our everyday 2 peso allowance. Papa also finds time to give us a ride to school with our cycle rickshaw or locally known as "traysikad". One time, Papa was disappointed of me because I let our neighbor get my periodical certification that I somehow get a higher grade. Though I get a higher grade, I still failed to be part of the honor's list because, later did I know, a grade of 86 should be for my classmate that was given to me wherein I should be receiving 92. Nevertheless, I still let Papa walked with me on stage handed me my final grade and wore me a medal. I can recall how proud he was of me.

Mama, on the other hand, makes sure that we have delicious food on our table and that we will be neatly groomed. Mama also goes to school when we were on our elementary years to let us eat during our recess even if we already ate before leaving home. Mama is a graduate of Elementary education that is why I excelled and topped at school because she never fails to teach me things that I am confused about. Maybe I am mama's favorite because aside from always topping at school, one time my siblings recalled how they were spanked and whipped Mama said that it was just just for them then roll called Billy Jay, Dee June, Makring, Iten, and never included Dandan - that's me.

I have temper tantrums way back that Mama can no longer handle so there goes yiya, everybody's "someone to turn to". When we were sick, mama gaves us medicine but tiya will buy us with something that we want may it be a toy or food oand even both. I can still remember tiya, after I finished college, felt sorry that she was not able to give me some money to at least have some food on our table after graduation rites in the city far from home. So when I went home to look for a job, tiya gave me enough for me to use for my job hunt. This is how generous tiya is.

Papa, mama and tiya helped each other raise us well. Papa got married and has sons, mama was the one who again stands as mother of my Papa's eldest because tiya took the baby and bought him home separate from Papa's new house with his wife and would not let the baby sleep even for a night with his parents. Now, the baby's on his 8th grade and to whom I consider my younger brother. We told him what happened why he is separated from his papa, mama and his younger brother and let him understand those. And we did not see any complain from him to what happened because of how we care, value, and love each other.

I am gratified to have raised by my grandparents because even if they were not my mother or father's papa and mama they did not hesitate to open doors when my parents left me with them. Papa and mama are my pure lolo's (mother side) siblings.

Papa, though has his own family, never failed to always ask if we are doing okay with our lives and letting us feel that they are always there for us.

Mama, 73, Bogo City, Cebu, single and available. Joke. Kidding aside, mama is now taking care of my 4-year-old son. Until now, everytime my son sleep with me separate from mama's, my son gets up in the middle of the night to go back to my mama's side to sleep.

My younger brother asks allowance from me and gets more from tiya's. As long as tiya has some, even if school enjoys holiday off she still gives money which we never enjoy way back because we were under the impression that it should be no school, no allowance policy  but we never protested as we enjoy street games and not costly dotas, crossfires, counter strikes, etc.

This September 11, 2016, United States will celebrate National Grandparents Day that started since 1978. Though it is not recognized in the Philippines as a holiday, we should always still be grateful to our grandparents who were there to love us unconditionally.

Tiya, papa and mama cannot go to work to remind us that our smiles aren't enough to respond to customers, that ours eyes should be smiling too; cannot mock a splayed nameplate which I do not even have but my sister has; and especially to teach us that it is "mang-go" not "meyng-go", but I know that their support are with us until we will be able to reach our goals before time comes that we ourselves are then be grandparents.

From the bottom of my heart, to all grandpa, grandma, lolo, lola, papa, mama, tiyo, tiya, papalolo, mamalola, papalo, mamala, daddylo, mommiela, papieto, mamita, whatever we call them, happiest day to you!

"Some of our greatest blessings are called Grandpa and Grandma."