MY MAMA OPANG
She is my grandma but I call her mama. Rufa Dunal Vda de Villafuerte is a sof spoken woman from Consolacion, Dalaguit, Cebu, married to Pedro Villafuerte from Patupat, Barili, Cebu. I grew up with her, as all my sibling were. My parents were always in Agusan. My father worked in Luna Timber Company as a logging foreman and my mother would accompny him, to take care of him at the work site. Thus we were left under the care of our lving grandma whom we fondly call Mama Opang.
We were poor that my grandma would go to farms several kilometers away from Odiongan, my home barrio-to help in harvesting corn and other farm produce. In return, we will be given our share.
My lola would cook viand and leave it at a nearby store. In the afternoon she would collect the sales, leaving a certain percentage to the store owner.
Whenever I get sick, she would always be at my side, not sleeping until she sees that I am well. She would always comfort me when my elder brother would bully me. Whenever I cry because some neighbors would tease me because of my congenital defect. She would always say: "Bulahan ang dianugdaug kay gantihan sa Dios."
My grandma was always complaining about her aching rib cage the result of a vehicular accident in Barangay Lawit, then a logging camp.
Poverty would cripple her to an illness which led to her death on April 30, 1981, months after my high school graduation.
I would always remember my Mama Opang, with fondness. Ma, I will always have you in my heart.
We were poor that my grandma would go to farms several kilometers away from Odiongan, my home barrio-to help in harvesting corn and other farm produce. In return, we will be given our share.
My lola would cook viand and leave it at a nearby store. In the afternoon she would collect the sales, leaving a certain percentage to the store owner.
Whenever I get sick, she would always be at my side, not sleeping until she sees that I am well. She would always comfort me when my elder brother would bully me. Whenever I cry because some neighbors would tease me because of my congenital defect. She would always say: "Bulahan ang dianugdaug kay gantihan sa Dios."
My grandma was always complaining about her aching rib cage the result of a vehicular accident in Barangay Lawit, then a logging camp.
Poverty would cripple her to an illness which led to her death on April 30, 1981, months after my high school graduation.
I would always remember my Mama Opang, with fondness. Ma, I will always have you in my heart.
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