Powerful bond ties yaya to her ward
ADAN MAGNAYE HONG KONG
Valentine’s Day 2007, for Lolita Rozon, was a time
to mend a broken heart.
Her date was a kindly doctor, and they spent an
afternoon in a room at Queen Mary Hospital: The
cardiologist performed angiosplasty on the 58-year-
old Bicolana after she had suffered a stroke while
on holiday in Hong Kong.
Lita had been bothered by chest pains days before.
Acute enough to require a visit to the doctor but not
so severe to keep her from attending a wedding
ceremony in Central where she stood, proudly if
quietly, as “mother” of the groom.
It was one occasion she didn’t dare miss, but days
after the ceremony, the pain returned and she
experienced shortness of breath. Her doctor had no
choice. He had to peer into a heart bursting with
love for the son Lita never had and the family she
calls her own.
Lita is not an ordinary tourist. She is a former
domestic helper who left her heart in the SAR. In 25
years and four months, she had known only one
employer – the family of Boon Kiew Chan, a
businessman and engineer.
Three years ago, Lita returned to Naga City to care
for her ailing mother. She was made to understand
her job would be waiting for her once her mother’s
condition improved.
Lita’s mother died one month later and, despite
offers of support from the Chans and their
persistent invitations for her to come back, Lita
decided to stay home and take care of her family’s
small but thriving copra and coffee business.
Happily settled in a spacious two-storey house with
her three dogs and a couple of nieces to keep her
company, Lita did not see any reason to go back to
Hong Kong. Until she got a wedding invitation from
William in January.
William is the only son of Mr Chan and his wife
Sue, a mathematics professor at Canossian
College. He is three years younger than the couple’
s firstborn, Peggy. Mrs Chan was pregnant with
William when Lita arrived to work for the household
on August 26, 1979.
From the time William was born, he and Lita were
inseparable. In the soft-spoken but stern-looking
Bicolana, the boy found a yaya, friend, confidante
and more.
As loving and devoted as his mother Sue was,
William, it turned out, had room for another caring
older woman in his life.
At the wedding banquet, after families of the
newlyweds had offered toasts, Mr Chan told the
guests that William had a “second mother”.
He then asked Lita, the only non-Chinese in the
room, to stand up. “Di ko ma-explain ang feeling.
Very proud ako.”
When days later, Lita learned she had to have
angiosplasty, the Chan family made sure no
expense was spared – even if Lita’s siblings in
Australia and Canada had also offered to help.
When she joined the Chan household in 1979, Lita
recalls, the fare from Central to Robinson Road
was a mere 30 cents, nothing but murky harbor
water existed where the imposing IFC towers now
stand, door-to-door cargo services were still not
available and there were only about 7,000 Filipino
domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
The monthly pay back then was a mere HK$800.
“Si Blackman rin ang paboritong tambayan, pero
mabibilang mo ang mga Pilipino. Puwede ka pang
sumayaw doon na wala kang mababanggang tao,”
she says.
As Lita doted on him like a watchful mother, so did
William become closer to her. Their bond endured
even when William left for the United States to take
up engineering and, later, the Filipina had to tend to
her mother back home.
Lita, who is unmarried, has fond memories of her
alaga when he was growing up.
“Tuwing bago ako mag-holiday sa Pilipinas,
nagkakasakit iyan. Nilalagnat-lagnat. Wala naman
diperensiya sabi ng doktor. Siguro napi-feel ng
bata na aalis ako at mawawala ng matagal,” she
says.
“Minsan nagigising ng hatinggabi iyan, hahanapin
ako. Di titigil ng iyak hanggang hindi ko siya
kukunin.
“Pag magha-holiday naman ako ng Linggo,
kailangan magtaguan pa kami bago ko siya
maiwan. Minsan isinasama ko na siya,
nagsisimba kami sa St Joseph. Doon natuto
siyang tumulong at maglimos. Kaya lumaki siyang
napaka-generous.
Following her departure in 2004, William as well as
Mrs Chan would periodically call Lita to make sure
she was fine.
After typhoon Reming devastated parts of
Bicolandia late last year, mother and son were
gripped with anxiety for three weeks until
telecommunication lines in the region were
restored and they could finally speak to Lita.
Lita could not help but be touched by the Chans’
kindness and thoughtfulness.
And so this time when William asks her to return
once more and help care for the baby he and wife
Annie are planning to have, Lita readily agrees.
“Darating ang panahon ang mga Intsik magiging
ugaling Pinoy. Kasi mga Pinoy ang nagpalaki at
nag-alaga sa kanila.”
ADAN MAGNAYE HONG KONG
Valentine’s Day 2007, for Lolita Rozon, was a time
to mend a broken heart.
Her date was a kindly doctor, and they spent an
afternoon in a room at Queen Mary Hospital: The
cardiologist performed angiosplasty on the 58-year-
old Bicolana after she had suffered a stroke while
on holiday in Hong Kong.
Lita had been bothered by chest pains days before.
Acute enough to require a visit to the doctor but not
so severe to keep her from attending a wedding
ceremony in Central where she stood, proudly if
quietly, as “mother” of the groom.
It was one occasion she didn’t dare miss, but days
after the ceremony, the pain returned and she
experienced shortness of breath. Her doctor had no
choice. He had to peer into a heart bursting with
love for the son Lita never had and the family she
calls her own.
Lita is not an ordinary tourist. She is a former
domestic helper who left her heart in the SAR. In 25
years and four months, she had known only one
employer – the family of Boon Kiew Chan, a
businessman and engineer.
Three years ago, Lita returned to Naga City to care
for her ailing mother. She was made to understand
her job would be waiting for her once her mother’s
condition improved.
Lita’s mother died one month later and, despite
offers of support from the Chans and their
persistent invitations for her to come back, Lita
decided to stay home and take care of her family’s
small but thriving copra and coffee business.
Happily settled in a spacious two-storey house with
her three dogs and a couple of nieces to keep her
company, Lita did not see any reason to go back to
Hong Kong. Until she got a wedding invitation from
William in January.
William is the only son of Mr Chan and his wife
Sue, a mathematics professor at Canossian
College. He is three years younger than the couple’
s firstborn, Peggy. Mrs Chan was pregnant with
William when Lita arrived to work for the household
on August 26, 1979.
From the time William was born, he and Lita were
inseparable. In the soft-spoken but stern-looking
Bicolana, the boy found a yaya, friend, confidante
and more.
As loving and devoted as his mother Sue was,
William, it turned out, had room for another caring
older woman in his life.
At the wedding banquet, after families of the
newlyweds had offered toasts, Mr Chan told the
guests that William had a “second mother”.
He then asked Lita, the only non-Chinese in the
room, to stand up. “Di ko ma-explain ang feeling.
Very proud ako.”
When days later, Lita learned she had to have
angiosplasty, the Chan family made sure no
expense was spared – even if Lita’s siblings in
Australia and Canada had also offered to help.
When she joined the Chan household in 1979, Lita
recalls, the fare from Central to Robinson Road
was a mere 30 cents, nothing but murky harbor
water existed where the imposing IFC towers now
stand, door-to-door cargo services were still not
available and there were only about 7,000 Filipino
domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
The monthly pay back then was a mere HK$800.
“Si Blackman rin ang paboritong tambayan, pero
mabibilang mo ang mga Pilipino. Puwede ka pang
sumayaw doon na wala kang mababanggang tao,”
she says.
As Lita doted on him like a watchful mother, so did
William become closer to her. Their bond endured
even when William left for the United States to take
up engineering and, later, the Filipina had to tend to
her mother back home.
Lita, who is unmarried, has fond memories of her
alaga when he was growing up.
“Tuwing bago ako mag-holiday sa Pilipinas,
nagkakasakit iyan. Nilalagnat-lagnat. Wala naman
diperensiya sabi ng doktor. Siguro napi-feel ng
bata na aalis ako at mawawala ng matagal,” she
says.
“Minsan nagigising ng hatinggabi iyan, hahanapin
ako. Di titigil ng iyak hanggang hindi ko siya
kukunin.
“Pag magha-holiday naman ako ng Linggo,
kailangan magtaguan pa kami bago ko siya
maiwan. Minsan isinasama ko na siya,
nagsisimba kami sa St Joseph. Doon natuto
siyang tumulong at maglimos. Kaya lumaki siyang
napaka-generous.
Following her departure in 2004, William as well as
Mrs Chan would periodically call Lita to make sure
she was fine.
After typhoon Reming devastated parts of
Bicolandia late last year, mother and son were
gripped with anxiety for three weeks until
telecommunication lines in the region were
restored and they could finally speak to Lita.
Lita could not help but be touched by the Chans’
kindness and thoughtfulness.
And so this time when William asks her to return
once more and help care for the baby he and wife
Annie are planning to have, Lita readily agrees.
“Darating ang panahon ang mga Intsik magiging
ugaling Pinoy. Kasi mga Pinoy ang nagpalaki at
nag-alaga sa kanila.”
Darating ang
panahon ang mga
Intsik magiging
ugaling Pinoy. Kasi
mga Pinoy ang
nagpalaki at
nag-alaga sa kanila
panahon ang mga
Intsik magiging
ugaling Pinoy. Kasi
mga Pinoy ang
nagpalaki at
nag-alaga sa kanila
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