Evaristo Orosa at 101
Blessed man says it never rained on his birthday the past 100 years
Who among you can ever, ever claim or recite this line in your lifetime: “It has never rained on my birthday for the past 100 years.”
Quote is from Evaristo Orosa, who whispered to us as we greeted him, gave him a hug in celebration of his 101st birth anniversary on Oct. 26, a Wednesday. It had been raining mad like mud the past couple of days, on the eve of a storm, and we were worried sick it might rain on his parade as the lunch-to-dinner party was set in the garden of Fermin and Elsa Orosa’s sprawling home in Tierra Pura, Quezon City.
Tito Evar, as we call him, a lawyer by profession, welcomed guests, mostly relatives and friends of his children, standing tall and happy and grateful for his longevity on this planet. He never missed a beat, acknowledging every guest by his first name, making sure he or she was comfortable.
Eldest son, Fermin (nicknamed Mitoy), a garments businessman behind Henson’s Clothing, says he’s amazed, at the same thankful, that his dad, a widower, has remained active in his old age, his mind alert and functioning. Evar tells me he credits the Manila Bulletin’s daily crossword puzzle, which he has been solving for the past 90 years or so, as part of his survival kit. He remains a Bulletin subscriber to this day.
So, what makes him one of the last few men standing?
Evar says he tries to maintain a happy disposition, no matter the difficult situations he may find himself in.
“Avoid too much stress. Eat less protein. Eat healthy. Be fearful of and faithful to God” are his words of wisdom.
Plus: “Be humble.”
Elsa says her father-in-law, who lives with them, in time-sharing with daughter Tintin, eats salad for breakfast with Kewpie dressing and generally eats small meals.
(left) with Evar (seated, middle); and (from left) cousins Jerry Orosa Paraiso, Rene Orosa, Fermin Orosa, and Kelly Orosa Grey
He enjoys dancing and, at some point during the party, in the middle of the day as the sun shone, lover-ly, he picked up two elderly ladies to dance with him one after the other. With his close friend of long standing, Viring Orosa, all of 96, he grooved, through tiny, little yet graceful steps, to the up-tempo song, “Sway,” by Michael Buble, blasting from a blue tooth-run sound system. Earlier, party guests thrilled to the wonderful music of international violinist Merjohn Lagaya. Merjohn also played church hymns during the mass officiated by Fr. Jerome Secillano.
Evar had always been a ladies’ man on and off the dance floor. Always a neat, fastidious dresser (you can never catch him not well dressed, even at home, says grandchild Andre, a medical student), he wore a light blue long-sleeved shirt over gray slacks and black leather shoes on this milestone of his. He was to slip into an even more formal coat-and-tie at some point to pose for ace photographer Rudy Liwanag.
Are there any more on the wish list of a 101-year-old? Evar can’t think of any. He says he finds comfort in praying constantly, listening to music, enjoying the company of his three children and 13 grandchildren. He was elated no end when his old parish, Nuestra Senora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish in Sampaloc, Manila, honored him on Oct. 28 with a plaque of thanksgiving for his continued support to the church.
A few years back, on his 98th birthday, he told me one of his frustrations was not being able to attend anymore the annual homecomings at his alma mater, De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas.
“It can be very lonely, as all of my classmates have died,” he said.
‘Avoid too much stress. Eat less protein. Eat healthy. Be fearful of and faithful to God” are his words of wisdom.’
In their absence, he tries to make new friends among the younger ones.
One of them is his grandson, 31-year old Edward, by his son, Manny, who’s based in San Jose, California. Edward would bring his lolo to the casinos, where, not so long ago, they could play from evening till dawn the next morning.
Edward too has a way of making his grandfather laugh out loud. Instead of asking him how he was or how he felt at a certain time of day or night, rain or shine, Edward would blurt out, “Lolo, what’s your sperm count today? I hear those ladies there love century egg?”
