Let me share two great women in my family’s life, our grandmothers, Isabel and Brigida.

My grandmother, Isabel is a businesswoman and my grandfather Lauro was a politician and a stationary engineer by profession. My grandmother was widowed in 1970 when my mom was just 10 years old. After my grandfather’s death, she raised her 10 children while she was also working. Her industriousness and perseverance were invaluable. I admired her dedication and determination to thrive. 

My grandmother, Brigida Agito was a public school teacher. She was married to my grandfather Virgilio who was a building custodian in the Court of Appeals. They had 6 children; one of them is my dad, their second child. My grandmother’s hard work and dedication as a teacher was incomparable. I learned so much from her when she was still alive. Her colleagues, my aunts and uncles, and some of our relatives, who were once her students, shared beautiful and inspiring memories of my grandmother. I remember how much passion and love she had for cooking and making remedies using herbal plants. This has led me to become more interested in botany.