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THIS afternoon, at the Manila Memorial Park Sucat, I
lay my daughter Myra to rest. I have been praying to God to give me
the strength and the resolve to do what one generation owes to the
next—the acceptance of things that cannot be undone and to bury
the remains of one’s beloved to complete the cycle of life and
death. For if everyone lives forever, there will be never be decay
and death and mankind won’t be able to regenerate itself and
restore things in Christ. Myra died at 11:30 p.m. US Pacific time,
on March 29, 2008, in California, due to brain stem compression
resulting from cerebellar hemorrhage. Cerebelum is that part of the
brain that enables you to move and have a sense of balance. You
disable that and you cannot move at all. You are good as dead, even
if alive. She was single and37, half of the life expectancy of many
Filipinos. Found in her private files in California after she died
is a brief autobiography apparently written just recently.
Myra said she was educated in
Catholic schools most of her life. She finished a degree in
Communication Arts from the Ateneo de Manila University, a
prestigious Jesuit school. In June 2002, she earned a Masters in
Business from the same university. Myra didn’t mention that she
finished high school at De La Salle Santiago Zobel in Alabang and
went to Benedictine Abbey School Alabang, for her elementary
schooling. “Myra joined many social groups and extra-curricular
activities where she formed numerous friendships which have lasted
till the present,” says her autobio.
Then Myra talks of her career in
the past tense as if having a foreboding of things to come. “Her
career spanned a combination of 14 years of sales and marketing
opportunities. In 1993, she first had her taste in marketing when
she joined the Ace Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising, an
international-based advertising company with major clients like
Procter and Gamble, Toyota and Blockbuster. Here, Myra honed her
craft in advertising production and events.
“In 1997, she branched off to
do full time special events work, where non-traditional forms of
advertising and marketing have just started to become popular in the
Philippines. For the next five years, Myra spearheaded events for
major corporations like Bosch, Intel, Isuzu and Fashion Week.”
Then Myra moved to the US as an
immigrant.
“After one year as a meeting
coordinator for the Inn Marin in Novato, Myra then joined California
State Automobile Association as sales representative in July 2004.
Soon after, she became a member of the diversity group called Asia
Pacific Islander Connection. From 2005-2006, Myra organized APIC’s
internal events and currently serves as Events Director.
“During her free time, Myra is
very active in her local parish and Singles for Christ. Traveling,
cooking, reading and working out are current recreational
pursuits.”
That was my daughter Myra talking
about herself in a style full of candidness and little flamboyance.
Myra was deeply religious,
generous, kind, thoughtful, friendly, gregarious, forgiving to a
fault. She took life’s and outrageous fortune’s slings and
arrows in stride. Perhaps, it was her complete Catholic education
that gave her the values and strength to carry on with life with
such exuberance and zest. Perhaps, it was in her genes to be
generous, kind and forgiving.
Myra’s friend in the
Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Randy
Feria, a son of my college friend Rey Feria, says the BCP PALS are
in a state of shock. “My first reaction is that it’s not yet her
time—but who am I to say that it is or it is not yet her time,”
said Randy in his eulogy the other night at Mt. Carmel.
Randy thinks marriage was not
Myra’s priority. “She focused herself on her relationship with
the Lord, with her relationship with her family and with her
relationship with her friends. She kept herself really busy. I
didn’t even know that she was the Chairman of the Board of
BizNewsAsia and also works as a sales rep in AAA California.
“I didn’t also know that just
a couple of weeks before she died, she sent gifts to Tito Tony and
to Ciara. I just found out after reading Tito Tony’s article. You
should all read it.
“That is so consistent to the
Myra we know. You see, Myra was the Martha of BCBP PALS. Don’t get
me wrong, I am saying this in a very positive way. You see, while
Jesus spoke about Martha, Jesus really loved Martha. He was in the
home of Mary and Martha very often and had a special place in his
heart for both of them. Martha knew the things that needed to be
done, and she was the organized, responsible sister, who made sure
that everything was fine and everything was in order. I’m pretty
sure that Martha is with Jesus in heaven. I’m pretty sure that
Myra is with Jesus as well.”
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