Happy Birthday, Lolo!

Today would have been Lolo Iking's 96th birthday if he didn't pass on more than a decade ago. Eventhough he's been gone for quite some time, the family still misses him a lot. He taught us so many things: generosity, dignity, honesty, uprightness, love for family, love for spouse, love for children, love for grandchildren, and living life to the fullest with no regrets.

Some of my best childhood memories would be going with Lolo to Unimart and going grocery shopping. Or going to the Camp Aguinaldo commissary and getting groceries there as well. We'd sometimes go to Harbour View and have early dinner with the entire family while watching the famous Manila Bay Sunset. Summers in Bicol and he'd ask that we be served food "army style" with aluminum, partitioned plates like soldiers use. Sometimes we'd have breakfast by the beach, with the table set on the shallow part of the lake so that we'd be eating with our feet in the water. Then if we wanted fresh Buco juice, Lolo would ask one of his tauhans to go climb a Coconut tree so we'd get it really fresh.

Lolo loved it when my Tita and cousins from Barcelona would visit the Philippines and everyday would be like a big party. I remember hanging out with them in Tito Pocholo's house in San Juan or Tito Vic's place in Greenhills. Lolo was happy when the whole family was together.

Even when we were adults, Lolo never got tired of taking care of us and making us feel like little grandkids. Almost every week, he'd take us to Tropical Hut in Quezon Avenue where he'd often order spaghetti then I'd order Hawaiian Glee. Then we'd pass by the grocery to buy Lola's Blue Bonnet Margarine, and Grapefruit, and honey.

One thing I can't forget about him is how much he loved Lola. When Lola passed away, he was distraught almost everyday. At the mere mention of Lola's name, he'd just cry and say how much he missed her. I remember how Lola Talen and Lola Nining would try to comfort him, sometimes even scolding him saying that he shouldn't cry like that. But the sense of love and loss was just too great that he wouldn't listen to his siblings, and continue to mourn.

Lolo loved Lola so much that a few months after Lola died, Lolo eventually followed her. We were told that he was calling for Lola a few moments before he passed on. It's one of those stories that tell me that true love does exist and true love does prevail.

My Lolo was a really great man. A General. A Gentleman. A Patriot. A man who stood by his principles even if it meant giving up a position he held so close to his heart. My Lolo is a person who's absence will always be felt and who's presence will always be remembered with fondness. They don't make men as great like Lolo Iking anymore. That's why I miss him so much.