MEDIUM RARE
At age 94, there’s not much in the world that surprises Tony Pastor, leading citizen of Batangas City who sings and plays piano, a philanthropist who keeps himself happy by helping others.
But when he received a letter last month from Lipa Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera telling him he had been chosen by Pope Francis to receive the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, “I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t expect this, coming from the Pope!”
From the Pope it did, a “pontifical distinction” conferred on lay persons for their “exemplary service to the Catholic Church” and inspiring fellow ministers. Fellow music lovers and a wide circle of family (including a troop of nephews and nieces), priests and pastors (lower case) know him as a gentleman with an infectious sense of humor and love of life.
Ask him for the secret of his long life and he’ll reply without batting an eyelash, “No wife.” There’s another side to that secret: He has six mistresses, each of them in the shape and form of a piano on which he lavishes his attention in the ancestral home that has hosted scores of soirees whatever the season. “I like those mistresses as you call them — they don’t talk or argue, they allow my fingers to go anywhere!”
When he’s not singing in church or playing piano at Sunshine Place, he’s with a bunch of younger senior citizens lunching at different restaurants, “home by 4 p.m., good therapy.” For this mission of entertaining the elderly, he bought a van, just like that. What’s a new car compared to the substantial donations he has contributed over the years? Somebody need a hospital? Give them a piece of land. An auditorium without a piano? No problem.
Face-to-face charity is what Tito Tonying prefers because it’s personal and it’s the Filipino way. The award from Rome was conferred on him last Dec. 6 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian, Lipa City. As it is the season, he has a Christmas wish: “To reach 100 and beyond, still kicking and singing, playing piano. Eating crispy pata, Angus steak, lechon, in moderation. My blood tests are okay. I’ve no more friends and classmates in my age group. I sang at their funerals.”