Ninong Leony

My first impression with Leonardo "Ninong Leony" Lejano was that he was a friendly, easy-to-get-along-with person. Kowboy, as the Pinoy slang would put it.  I have experienced this first hand when we had a family reunion with the Valdeses (he was the husband of Ninang Baby Valdes-Lejano, my Dad's first cousin) in Cambridge, Cubao many summers ago. While he was having a drink with other uncles, I either approached them or someone from them called me.  He showed fondness and interest in me, asking me questions about my studies, etc.  

Almost a decade later, we saw each other again in the same house.  We had a few drinks with other uncles (I can drink by this time!) and, to make up for the time we haven't seen each other, recalled on the many events that happened in the family: stories that we're passed on to me (e.g. How Ferdinand Marcos made promises to Lolo Susing Valdes - Ninong Leony's father-in-law - only to break it in favour of the former dictator's uncle Simeon Valdez, a distant relative), stories that I have been an active part of, etc.  Ninong Leony kept on telling me "You have a good memory!". For his part, he reminisced those precious moments he had with his grandkids and how he regarded his wife with love and in high esteem.

A few years later, he and Ninang Baby stood as one of the principal sponsors when I got married.  And even when I migrated to Europe, we kept in touch by e-mail and Facebook.  When I had queries on the family, how we are related to So and So, etc. he was one of my resource persons. I once told them that the first house where Nidz and I lived in the UK was located on Leonard Avenue!

Apart from being such a wonderful family man, I was also fascinated with how he and Ninang Baby would join other kababayans on what was called "the parliament of the streets" to fight for what is right. I still have a vivid memory when I saw both of them on TV wearing black and raising their clenched fists in defiance of then President Joseph Estrada (when he was impeached in 2001).  I guess he was unhappy when this ex-convict plunderer won as mayor of the capital city.

I told him how amazed I was looking at his photos in Facebook when he joined the throng of mourners for the late President Cory Aquino's burial in 2009.  He mentioned to me how people like Cory and the late Cardinal Jaime Sin made a difference in the country.

Yesterday,  as I was having dinner I got a message from my Dad informing me of Ninong Leony's sudden death.  Chiara was observing me and she became disturbed.  She asked "Daddy, why are you sad?". I never thought that she read sadness on my face. "Your Lolo Leony died," I told her.  It was the first time my daughter and I spoke of death in the family.  She has lost a grandfather who once described her to the rest of the Valdes clan as beautiful.  I have lost an uncle and godfather whose affirmative friendship, strong sense of justice,  infectious jolliness, and abiding gentleness will be surely missed.

Ninong Leony, thank you for being such a good person!  You will be sorely missed.  May the angels bring your kind soul to our Father, whose compassion and love you have mirrored while you were with us.

To Ninang Baby, cousins, nephews, and nieces my heartfelt commiserations.  Rest assured that you are all thought of at this time of sorrow.

Maganda

She was the only ‘Mrs Valdes’ that I have known and met among my Lola Piling’s sisters-in-law. Born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte on 9th May 1920, Leticia “Lola Letty” Madamba-Valdes was the wife of the late Dr Jesus “Lolo Susing” Valdes, Lola Piling’s older brother.

I have a very vague memory of her and the times we would visit them in their house in Cambridge Street in Cubao, Quezon City. It didn’t help especially when she and Lolo Susing later moved to the US in the 80s. We would occasionally meet when she visits the Philippines. Strangely, a number of these occasions were when someone in the clan has died.

I do remember when I have to break the sad news of Lola Piling’s death to both relatives and friends in the Philippines. As I called the Valdeses in Cambridge Street, I was hoping that one of my uncles would pick up the phone. It was Lola Letty who was on the other side of the line! I struggled to tell her the news as she was getting anxious. Tio CB, I was told later, had to bring her to the market to divert her attention.

She came with Ninang Baby (her eldest) to the Requiem Mass for Lola Piling in Gagalangin and praised me for the eulogy I have delivered on behalf of the clan. That was the last time I would see her although I keep in touch with Ninang Baby especially when Lola Letty was hospitalized a few months ago. She later succumbed to cardiac arrest on 10th July 2009, at the blessed age of 89. Her remains were finally laid to rest in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte next to her beloved Susing.

Short as our encounter may be, Lola Letty comes across as someone who is ‘maganda’ (beautiful). This is what people would often consider as her attribute. I looked at one of her portraits and had the impression that she looked like a popular Filipina actress. An uncle refuted my claim saying it would be cheap to compare her with that showbiz personality.

She was ‘Maganda kahit matanda na’ (Beautiful even in old age.) as an old Tagalog saying would put it. I think the reason for this is because her beauty is not only on the outside, but more so on the inside. A beauty that was there when she dutifully performed her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

I recall how Tia Ching (a New York based OBIE Award winner, actor, director, and visual artist) dedicated to her mom her first ever solo exhibit entitled “Memories…Reflections…Dreams” with the sub-title “For Leticia”. This exhibit was held in Sining Kamalig at the Gateway Mall last July. The photo in this article is actually her painting of Lola Letty that was displayed in that event.

It is this same beauty that we should aspire for as Christians and as citizens of this world. A beauty that will inspire us to be single-minded in all our endeavors, to “see and listen only with the heart” (If I may borrow those lines from Tia Ching). A beauty that is celebrated as seen in Tia Ching's works of art. A beauty that is being fought for as witnessed in how Ninang Baby and Ninong Leony closed ranks with other Filipinos during EDSA Dos. A beauty that will be perfected when we come to see God face-to-face.

Rest now, Lola Letty in eternal peace where the beauty that you have possessed will reach its fullness.

I am one with you, Ninang Baby – Ninong Leony, Tia Inday – Tio Earnest, Tia Ching, Tio V, Tia Rosemarie, Tio CB, Tio Jojo – Tia Mariel, Tia Tina – Tio Stanley, Tia Dulce – Tio Caesar, Tia Cherie - Tio Michael, Ninong Noel-Ninang Dina; cousins; nephews; and nieces in paying tribute to this great woman whose 40th day after her death we commemorate this 20th August.