PAGBABAGO
My friend, nonagenarian Polly Cancio turned 99 last May, and is still relatively healthy and able to move around with the help of a caregiver. When she celebrated her last birthday, she cheerfully accepted greetings from friends.
We chatted about old times some 49 years ago when she served as a senior attache at our embassy in Colombo where Andy and I were assigned – he, with the Food Agriculture Organization and I, with UNESCO. Polly was also my matron of honor at my wedding.
Polly’s first assignment was Jakarta, then Cairo, and after Sri Lanka, she was in Honolulu, and later, in New Zealand before she was recalled to the home office. Here, she worked for a few years at our Foreign Affairs department before retiring with the rank of ambassador.
As a close friend, I would surmise, it is because of good genes in addition to having a well-balanced social life including having regular mahjong sessions with former diplomat friends. This explains why she still has a strong hand grip and a fairly clear memory of good times we shared five decades ago.
Polly’s eldest is a daughter, a technology executive in Honolulu. The other two sons are business executives.
Ruth Garcia Prudente, who turned 99 this month is the mother of my good friend, Felice P. Sta. Maria, recipient of several international and national awards for her work as food and culture historian, and Karen Prudente who had taken over after Ruth’s earlier position as executive director of Kapatiran Kaunlaran Foundation (KKFI) seven decades later.
Ruth was the first executive director of this social development institution which had evolved to become one of the trusted non-government organizations in its service to the underprivileged in our midst.
Among its programs and projects are provisions for educational assistance to children and youth, community organizing, and livelihood skills training.
Felice, had earlier written about her Mom’s predilection – her liking for the color red. “None of the boring, conservative black, beige, and navy blue for her whose enthusiasm for life is contagious. She is assertive, passionate and toughened by her experience during World War II,” Felice noted.
Ruth is married to the late educator and freedom fighter, Dr. Nemesio Prudente, whose patriotism had earned him a niche at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani.
Then there is Atty. Antonio Pastor, who is now 96. Born in Batangas City to a family of eight brothers and a sister, he is also an uncle to Marian Pastor Roces, art critic, curator, and historian, and Tata Medado, president of the Asia Pacific College. Tony is executive director of the Batangas Cultural and Historical Commission and is deeply involved in heritage preservation.
He wrote me after reading my column last week and said we must thank God that at this stage of our life we can still enjoy and talk sense.
I met Tony for the first time at the Sunshine Place Recreation Center where he was invited to play the piano during one of our social activities. Since then, he has become their favorite guest artist. We again met at his famous heritage house in Batangas where he entertained our group by playing several classics and singing a duet with his younger brother.
Last month, he received an ovation for playing Mozart and Chopin at the Manila Piano Concert Hall. Yes, he noted, “I started pinching myself after reading your article.”
I am sure that the three, like myself, are frequently asked about their secret for longevity. Analysts differ in their views about the importance of genes. But most agree about the positive effect of a healthy lifestyle – eating well, exercise, sleep.
Having low levels of glucose, creatinine and uric acid also contribute to longevity. Other factors include having protective immune cells and environmental factors. Psychologists emphasize the importance of having close social connections and reaching out to others or undertaking volunteer work with various groups in the community.
Nonagenarians are receiving more attention from the government which has allotted ₱3-billion in the 2025 national budget to provide cash gifts to elderly Filipinos aged 80, 85, 95, and 100. This is part of the Expanded Centenarians Law which aims to honor and support the elderly by giving them ₱10,000 for each milestone age and ₱100,000 upon reaching 100 years old. The average life expectancy in the country is 71 years for men and 78 years for women.