ENDEAVOR
How do we celebrate the life and times of a remarkable woman celebrating her 100th birthday? Here are verbatim excerpts from a Viber chat group:
“Whoa, a century old! Blessings!”; “So beautiful. Happy Birthday to Mommy and Congrats to the clan!”; “Congrats for reaching an amazing milestone!”; “May bonus na sa City Hall?”; “That’s my bribe to her, everyday. Mom, you’re gonna get 100K when you reach 100!”
And who is our centenarian honoree? She is Leonarda Navato “Narda” Camacho. Narda, a name that resonates with strength and grace, dedicated her life to socio-civic endeavors.
Her father was Isidro Lopez Navato; her mother was Antonina Enriquez Fermin. She has three sisters, Corazon, Alicia, and Rosario. She married Teodoro Quindoy Camacho Jr., the son of a former Judge who became governor and congressman of Bataan, Teodoro Banzon Camacho Sr. She is mother to six children, grandmother to 20, and great grandmother to 17.
Her daughter Chacha published a mock issue of The Philippines Herald dated Nov. 5, 1923 with the banner headline: A star is born. That’s because after obtaining a journalism degree from the College of the Holy Ghost, now the College of the Holy Spirit, her first job was youth and student section writer of the Herald.
She served as the Public Information Officer for Governor Isidro Rodriguez of Rizal. In 1965, she was appointed by then newly-elected President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. as director of the National Cottage Industry Development Authority (NACIDA), the forerunner of today’s rural-based livelihood projects in impoverished communities.
She has traveled the entire archipelago, even going into known dissident strongholds in the Sierra Madre to educate grassroots communities on nutrition, herbal medicine, responsible parenthood, and consumer education. She was also a UNESCO commissioner for Science and Education until her retirement in 2010.
Writes her daughter Chacha: Narda is a visionary, a woman born ahead of her time, a strong woman with strong opinions and unshakable integrity, fiercely independent, go getter, an action person. A renaissance woman, Narda’s crusades spanned a full gamut of pressing national and international issues including feminism, anti-apartheid, disarmament, responsible voting, women’s issues, and environment.
In a global forum of environmentalists, then British Prime Minister John Major, honored her thus: “If it were possible to reduce Narda to an essence and pour it in the rivers and lakes, and thereby contaminate them with this woman’s enthusiasm, perseverance, and ingenuity, then, indeed, there would be hope for the world!”
Then President Fidel V. Ramos fondly called her Basura Queen, for having introduced pathfinding recycling solutions to Metro Manila’s appalling garbage problem. Her Linis-Ganda Program for waste management, piloted in Mandaluyong and San Juan, was cited by the United Nations. With Gen. Victor Corpus, Narda initiated reforestation activities all over the country and advocated the enactment of the Clean Air Act and Solid Waste Management Law.
Narda was president of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines (NFWCP), where she established chapters in almost all 79 provinces at that time, making it the largest women’s organization in the country.
As an art patron, she curated 100 years: 100 artists an expression of the Filipino soul, an art exhibition of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1998, to celebrate the Philippine independence centennial.
Among the accolades and awards she has received are: a Merit Award from the United Nations; Most Inspiring Woman of the Year from the Philippine Commission on Women; Most Outstanding Alumnae of Holy Ghost College; one of 10 Go Negosyo’s Women Entrepreneur of the Year awardees; Ilaw ng Tahanan Award of Meralco; Woman of Global Distinction Award and a Rotary International Service Award.
Daughter Chacha writes: “But more than any of these accomplishments, awards, and recognitions, she treasures most her six children as the jewels in her crown. Widowed at an early age when her lawyer husband, Teodoro Jr. passed away at age 49 after a lingering illness, Narda supported and raised her six children almost singlehandedly.”
At age 17, Teodoro IV or Teddy, the eldest, was his mother’s lieutenant and co-breadwinner. He is now chairman and CEO of LGTM Corporation, a developer of medium cost housing, resorts, and memorial parks nationwide. He is married to Ma. Teresa Maddela with four sons and eight grandchildren.
Maria Socorro, or Marissa, served as president of the Association of Foundations; senior fellow of Synergos Institute founded by Peggy Rockefeller-Dulany; trustee of Jollibee Group Foundation; and chairperson of CODE-NGO, the largest network of Philippine NGOs, from 1997 to 2002. She was also vice-president for Partnerships Development of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.
Jose Isidro, or Lito, served as Finance Secretary under then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and retired recently as vice chairman of Credit Suisse Bank Asia Pacific. He is currently the chairman of the board of Sunlife of Canada (Philippines) and chairman of the University of Arts Singapore. He is married to Maria Clara Acuña and has six children and one grandchild.
Maria Concepcion, or Chacha, is a design consultant, fixer upper, builder, events stylist, a balletomane, and a Rotary past district governor. She founded Greenheights Trading and Management Corporation that is also into construction and real estate development. Since 2010, she has been president of Philippine Ballet Theatre, the country’s premier classical dance company. She has two sons, Dax and Rafa, and three grandchildren.
Jose Maria or Joemarie, provides critical engineering support to nuclear power plants and military installations in the US and is an adviser to nuclear power projects around the globe. He holds three US patents for his ingenuity in food freezing and refrigeration. He currently lives in Orland Park, Illinois with wife Julia Miranda Lallana and two children, Julianne and Teo.
Jose Ramon or Jayar, the youngest of the brood, was only seven years old when daddy Teddy passed away. Together with his wife, Vinia Buenaventura, he leads Primebeef Company that has subsidiaries engaged in livestock, meat processing, importation, retail, restaurant management and housing. They have four children: Ysabel, King, Leon and Luis.
“If you will ask her six children,” writes Chacha, “Mommy Nards, is their number one supporter, cheerleader, fan, defender, and friend. They grew up with her pounding in their heads and hearts the values of honesty and integrity, hard work, education, humility, and compassion for those in need. She has not stopped being a caring mother, even now that they are all grown-ups, accomplished and with their own families.”
Narda Camacho’s 100 life story is a saga of gratitude, a tribute to a remarkable woman who, in her lifetime, transformed not just garbage into gold but challenges into triumphs; and who shares with us lifelong lessons on purpose, determination, and boundless love.