Divina Lancion Caladiao

Ipinanganak si Divina Lancion kay Maximo Lancion at Dominga Labaguis noong May 8,1939, sa Paye Mogpog, Marinduque. Si Divina ay pangalawa sa sampung magkakapatid, panganay sa mga anak na babae. Si tatay Maximo ay mangingisda at si nanay Dominga ay maybahay na nag-alaga sa mga anak. Mahilig si nanay magluto ng mga kakanin. (Ito ang mga natatandaan ko sa mga kwento ni mama.)

Mahirap ang buhay habang lumalaki ang kabataan kaya si mama Divina ay nakatapos lang ng elementarya. Sa murang edad natuto si mama na tulungan si nanay Ingga sa pagpalakad ng kabahayan lalo't si tatay ay madalas wala para mangisda. Naging responsibilidad ni mama ang pagluluto, di lang dahil sya ang pinakamatandang anak na babae kundi dahil sa murang edad ay nakahiligan din nyang magluto. Si mama ay nagtinda ng mga kakanin na natutunan nyang gawin mula kay nanay Ingga para makatulong sa bahay.

Sa mga edad na 16, umalis si mama sa Marinduque para maghanap ng trabaho sa Maynila at makatulong iahon ang pamilya sa kahirapan. Ang naaalala kong pinagtrabahuan ni mama ay La Elegancia na isang pawnshop kung saan sya ay naging parang messenger. Habang nasa Maynila, nag-aral si mama sa Philippine Columbian sa gabay ni Lola Unying. (I think that's the name she told me in her stories.)

Sa Philippine Columbian restaurant ibinuhos ni mama ang kanyang kabataan di lang dahil sa hilig nya sa pagluluto kundi dahil alam din nyang ito ang paraan para maiahon ang pamilyang iniwan sa Marinduque. Natuto syang magluto ng awtentik na lutong Pilipino at ng kaaya-ayang presentasyon ng mga pagkaing kanyang ihahain.

Dahil sa kanyang determinasyon, natulungan nya ang kanyang magulang at mga kapatid na unti-unting makapamuhay sa labas ng Marinduque. Si mama ay nakapagsimula ng iba't ibang karinderia sa tulong ng maraming taong nakilala nya sa Maynila. Ang madalas mabanggit at maikwento ni mama ay ang pamilya Estanislao. Itinuring ni mama na pangalawang pamilya ang mga Estanislao kaya walang dalawang isip ng kinuha nyang ninong at ninang ang mag-asawa sa kanyang kasal kay Alfonso Caladiao.

Natanaw at napusuan ni papa Ponching si mama Divina habang nanananghalian si papa sa isang restawran kung saan si mama ay namamasukan sa Paco Maynila. Di na binaybayan ni binata ang dalaga, hanggang sila ay maikasal sa maiksing panahon.

Ang kanilang pag-iibigan ay nagbunga ng apat na pagbubuntis subalit 3 lang ang kanilang nabuhay na mga anak. Nag-umpisa silang magpundar para sa kinabukasan ni Carol, Ronald at Josie.

Habang si Papa ay nagta-trabaho sa Subic Bay sa Olongapo at sa Saudi, si mama naman ay nagpatuloy ng pagtatrabaho sa Maynila. Si mama ay magaling na negosyante at ang kanyang pangarap ay ang magkaroon ng sariling negosyo sa pamamagitan ng mga kainan. Madalas nyang maikwento ang mga kainan nya na malapit sa mga eskwelahan at ang maraming mga estudaynteng kumakain sa kanila, ganun din ang kainan sa gasolinahan ng pamilya Estanislao. Nakapagpatayo si mama at papa ng bahay sa Antipolo Rizal sa sikap at sakripisyo. Ito ang katuparan ng isa sa kanyang mga pangarap.

Maraming natulungan si mama para sa ikatataguyod ng kanilang mga buhay at sari-sariling pamilya, kasama na dito ang kanyang mga nakababatang mga kapatid. Itinuring ni mama na mga anak ang kanyang mga kapatid dahil sa sense of responsibility na inako nya bilang panganay sa mga babae. Marami ring napag-aral si mama mula sa kanyang sakripisyo at kaalaman sa buhay. Mababasa ang ilan sa mga testimonya sa kanyang obituary.

Mama & Papa continued to strive for a better future for their family which is why in the late1980s they helped their three children get to America. Caroline, Ronaldo and Josephine lived and established a life of their own with 9 of the Caladiao grandchildren. Carol had Kristine and Mark who now respectively lives in Montana and Washington. Ronald has Rebecca, Justine and Ryan, all in Sacramento. Josie had Nikki, Abby and her twins Alex & DJ who started their young life in Chicago and are all now residing in Texas.

Mama lived in San Jose when they came to the US where mama was a cook at Lumpia and BBQ Food Outlet. She helped a couple establish their restaurant business which mama spent most of her time in. She was happiest as a cook as that's what helped raise her own family. She cooked her specialties like pansit palabok, kaldereta, dinuguan, adobo, pansit bihon, menudo, BBQ in sticks, homemade lumpiang shanghai and many more catering dishes. She met a lot of people in and out of the restaurant, who became close friends. She enjoyed the company of her restaurant peers and was able to go to Washington and Canada with the people she treated as her other family.

Mama had a strong and unique bond with each of her children. Thanks to Carol, mama got to see beaches, amusement parks & got to see Reno for the first time. She helped raise Kristine and Mark when they lived together which explains how the 2 kids are able to understand the Tagalog language. Mama was there for Ate Carol through her journey with breast cancer which ultimately took her at a very young age of 36 in 1998. How difficult it must have been for a mother to lose her first daughter and to worry about what would happen to Kristine who was only 13 and Mark, 12, and their journey to teenage life?

Mama took care of papa when he was sick with leukemia. I can't imagine losing the love of her life in 2001, at only 62 years old. To have hoped for a life together in old age but suddenly being alone after 42 years together.

Mama reached her furthest city, Chicago, through Josie where the Aquinos established their young family, and later in Texas to build their home. Mama was with Josie through her own battle with breast cancer. Mama lived with Josie and her children while Josie was on chemotherapy. They would take public transportation together when Josie was already unable to drive. Mama would also cook for Allison, Abby, Alex and DJ. Mama was excited to tell me how fond the kids were of vegetable dishes she'd cook, as my kids didn't like vegetables. The kids most especially loved her homemade hamburgers, from my recollection, and would tell of how the dogs would steal them from the kitchen counter. Cancer ultimately took mama's youngest daughter in 2011, a 3rd heartbreak for Divina.

She stayed the longest with Ronald hence helped raise my children Rebecca, Justine & Ryan. Ronald and mama's favorite spots were the slot machine seats at Cache Creek & Thunder Valley. The kids would enjoy mama's cooking aside from the cash they got when Mama would win at the slots. Mama would go back and forth between Sacramento and San Jose where most her friends were. She loved the time she spent everywhere she went, and cherished everyone, family or friends.

Mama was a hard-working and a resilient woman. We witnessed her persevere to get better after her stroke in November 2017. Even with arthritis, she tried very hard to get back on her feet, doing physical therapy in the two rehab facilities she was in. She made good friends with her roommates and employees with her charm and big heart. She would often give the workers massages as soon as their arms and hands touched her hands. She knew how to give back in her own way for her appreciation to what they were doing for her.

If not for Covid-19, I can imagine her getting back to her old self and not be hindered by the complicated issues surrounding her. She was making so much progress, but rehab stopped as her knees grew weaker. She was still able to communicate with us verbally which made us very happy and hopeful.

Thanksgiving of 2023 when we were told mama only had 24 hours to live due to another brain bleed. We opted for no more surgery and just let her go in peace. I don't know how she did it, but she hung in there for us and made it another 2 years and 4 months. I think she knew we were the ones who were not ready yet. Two days after the 24-hour time limit on her life, she was talking, a little slurred but what she was saying made sense. She knew family around her, would still be able to tell stories of her youth and the home in Maries she loved so much. She continued to give advice to her grandkids.

Mama would talk less when she went back to the Nursing home she stayed in. We loved the happy expressions we saw through her eyes and her smile. We loved the slight massages she still gave and were sad with her when we had to leave. I wished we visited more. We love you mama!