I have a very vivid memory of my dad showing me Auntie Inday’s acrylic painting of a rose.  It was framed and displayed in Wayan.  Dad was proud of it and said I might have gotten the creative genes from her.  That was during my elementary years.  I wonder if there were more paintings that she did and where they are now. Does anybody remember that rose painting?

My first thrift store experience in the US was with Auntie Inday 😄 It was when she visited New Jersey with Auntie Kit, during that time when Dad was hospitalized.  Our apartment then was small and so I had very little kitchen tools.  She bought me 3 cooking for a dollar each.  I still use them now..11 years later😄

One of my favorite images in life up to now, was from a painting by Auntie Inday
It was displayed in Wayan with her many other paintings. It was a beautiful pointilism of leaves of trees seen from below. Everytime I would walk under a canopy of tree leaves, I would see the same pattern and I would always remember Auntie Inday and her painting, one hundred percent of the time.

Auntie Inday was really an artist.
She was always well dressed and would look simple but glamorous effortlessly.
She would always offer that I borrow her blouses or dresses or shoes, she was very generous.

Auntie Inday used to attend a cooking / baking class series with its venue within the Sto Domingo church and convent compound. I was still in high school i think, when she brought me along one time. I think the classes were free, but you had to listen to a very lengthy sermon or discussion conducted by the church sisters before they instructed the cooking class.

Auntie Inday was the one who taught me how to tell time. Back when I was a kid, my yayas would make me sleep really early by telling me it's already 10pm when it's only just 6pm. Time wasn't taught at school yet so I didn't know. Auntie Inday saw this and she bought me a wooden toy clock and she taught me how to tell time so no one can trick me again. 😅😂

Auntie Inday always gave me books and toys. Even if it wasn't my birthday. There were times when she would take me to the mall and buy me stuff and clothes.

I remember when only the two of us were left in Wayan. She said she cooked something and that we should eat together. I saw that she was cooking nilagang baka so I was excited. But I saw her put the nilagang baka in the dog's bowl and we ate sardines instead 🤣😂

Auntie Inday would always bring me to church processions and make me kiss the various religious statues. 😅 there was a time when we went to church and she made me dip my fingers in the dipping bowl (i don't know what it's called) and then make the sign of the cross. I was grossed out and said it was yucky because the water was dirty. She said I shouldn't say that because it's holy water hahaha
Everytime I see a dipping bowl in church I remember that incident hahaha..

I have plenty of fond memories of Auntie Inday… 
When I was young, I am always excited to go to Masambong during Christmas.  Auntie Inday always gave the best toys for Christmas. There was one time that I received a big box.. it was a Balikbayan box and everytime I opened a box there was a smaller box inside.. I opened so many boxes until the last box was so small and when I opened it the small box had an eye glass in it.. I felt bad and Auntie Inday gave me another gift which was a Ball for basketball 😀 hahaha. Looking back to that memory makes me laugh 😀 …. 

Going to Masambong is always something I look forward to because Auntie Inday always prepares delicious Fruit Salad, Buko Salad, Lechon Manok and Coke… 

Auntie Inday also gave the best advice for different situations…There was a time that I place a handkerchief on my head like BadBoy Robin Padillia in high school and Autie Inday told me not to do that and that ladies would prefer a gentleman than a bad boy...This wise advice provided great benefit while growing up… 

Part 2

Auntie Inday taught me important life skills like doing laundry by hand because there will be times that there is no washing machine. 
Another life skill is going to the Market, preparing and cooking food..There will be times that I will be by myself and this skill is essential. She also taught me what fish and which food are nutritious which can be bought with a small budget so that I can survive if I had only a small amount of money… 

I also observed how religious and prayerful Auntie Inday was  when we were still living with her in Masambong… She frequently go to Mass which provided me a good impression of the Catholic Church because I saw the effect of having a good Prayer life in Auntie Inday… Auntie Inday sometimes would ask me to accompany her in Church and she taught me how to seat properly and how to act properly inside Church. Auntie Inday is a good Christian model for me...

Auntie Inday was a disciplinarian but I have always liked and appreciated the way she takes effort and time to teach virtue, discipline and life skills. I can always feel her good and loving motive behind the sermon. I feel blessed that I had an Aunt who gave her time and energy to teach me useful skills and mindset… 

Auntie Inday also have a good collection of Religious and Catholic books which I was able to read and benefit from in my older years…. 

When I was younger I was also fond of seeing Lucky and Weepy who are my cousins… I can see how loving, affectionate and caring Auntie Inday is with the way she treats Lucky and Weepy… 

I also remember going to her Office in Cubao where she was the one who decorated the place…  I saw her create a giant rosary in a very artistic way… I have plenty of positive, wonderful and beautiful memories of Auntie Inday. I love Auntie Inday 🙂 she was a great loving Auntie for me… I felt and understood the word “Family” from her.

Memories of Inday n as PapaToto relayed to me ( not specifically in this order:
1. She loves dogs… she feeds them wd chicken from Andoks and the others on the table contends themselves wd fried fish.
2. When her dog was dying or died na yata, Nonoy n Toto drove  the dog to the nearest dog clinic wrapped in a new imported towel. 
3. Toto n Inday hid in the cabinet to smoke cigarettes so Mommy would not see them 
4. She loves Korean teleserye n cud stay in her “office” the whole day
5. She also loves to drink energy “ booster” drinks 
6. She sacrifices herself not to join family gatherings bcoz nobody is left behind wd the dogs
7. While in Manila she’d ask Toto for me to bake mini cinnamon rolls
8. She has a collection of teapots
AND MANY HAPPY MEMORIES to many to fit here
We love you Inday and will always remember you in our hearts n in our prayers.


I was about 8 years old, I think. She brought me to her office at SSS. We didn't have time to go to fun rides at the mall but she took the time to have me ride an officemate's car (parked of course) at the building parking lot during lunch break. A fun substitute for a bump car ride...the real car and a very woderful substiture for a mom that day...my Auntie Inday.

-  Oliver 

Dear mama Inday
I am so grateful that we have been able to get together 
You are an amazing woman and thank you for helping us  everytime 
I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done
I miss you mama 
I love you so much 

I remember Auntie Inday
when my siblings and I used to go 
to Masambong during weekends, 
she took care of us 
with great hospitality.
I will always remember her 
as a loving aunt.

-- Jojo 



My condolences.

I remember Auntie Inday 
when my siblings and I used to go 
to Masambong during weekends, 
she took care of us 
with great hospitality.
I will always remember her as a loving aunt.

-- Jojo 



On summer breaks when we were teens, Inday would spend some wkends with us at Camp Aguinaldo where we live. My elder sister,wally, Inday & I attended parties at the military Hall inside the camp which was a few yards away from home. Many teen residents who came were all good-looking girls & boys. But Inday somehow stood out each & everytime. Boys would line up, fence her in, to make sure they got the next dance. Inday was always the Star of the night. She was gracious & pleasant throughout the evening no matter how tired she was. My dad who takes us to the venue picks us up a couple of hours later. The party has just started & so has our curfew! How we enjoyed those times with cuz! We will always cherish these memories & beyond. Love, thoughts & prayers dear Inday. God bless you and keep you safe & sound!muah❤️🙏🌹

Inday, although we didn't really know each other that well, I will always love you.   You, Mireya, and Sabrina are like the sisters that I never had.  And, let me clarify the 'we didn't really know each other that well' comment that I made.  I've met people that I have known for just a few months, and I knew more about their character, integrity, honesty, passion, pain, joy for life, etc., that I knew about most people that I have known for my entire life.  Does that makes sense?  For me, absolutely!   You always made me smile when you asked Auntie Kit and I not to throw away the simplest of things that most people wouldn't even think twice about throwing in the trash.  The word 'resourceful' is certainly appropriate. Then, there's the 'creative' side of you that (as the old saying goes) turned 'one man's trash into another man's treasure'.  You could have taken some old socks ready to meet their "fate" and turned those into doggy socks to keep dogs warm at night.  So simple, but nobody else would have thought about it (but you).  :-)    Speaking of dogs, then there's our dog, Bullet.  How can we forget the major sacrifice that you made to spend (from midnight to sunset) to be spend with Bullet in the last couple of months of his life.  I mean, who does that?  Uh, you know who does that?  A wonderful, generous, selfless, thoughtful, and caring person who will do anything to help their family and pets.  I know your love and passion for your dogs, and thank you so much for taking care of our Bullet in his final days.  I love you! 

It saddens me to loose a relative. Hope she is at peace and resting beside her love ones. My fond memory of her was when we were all living in Del Monte and seeing the love she had for her daughter. She will be remembered with fond memories. 


My fond memories of my cousin “Inday” as we fondly call her was when I was a little girl. At their house in LABO in QC. I love going to their house when I was little kasi she lets me play with her BARBIE doll. She keeps it in a glass cabinet but when I would be there and would ask her if I can play with her doll, she would let me 😊 How I enjoyed playing with that doll because she made them so many pretty dresses and I get to play with that too. I would play with the doll and changing her clothes for hours. I will always remember that. I also remember the time when I would spend the weekend at their house and one time I had such a toothache and I could not sleep and was crying because of the pain. She helped soothe  the pain by giving me a “hot water” bottle wrapped up with a piece of cloth that I would put on the area affected by my toothache. She was very caring and was always nice to me 😊 Have a heavenly journey Inday 🙏🏼 No more pain and suffering but an everlasting new life..May you rest in peace.  Love, cousin Gigi from TX 

Our sincerest condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family of Celia Portus. I met Cel while we were attending a Cooking Class at the Reformation Center in Sto. Domingo Church. I like her being animated and cheerful. After a few sessions at the Cooking Class,she came up to me and said: “Cindy,laging kang maaga sa class natin at diyan ka lagi nakaupo sa puwesto na yan.Para ka namang mauunahan sa silya na yan! I laughed out loud and said:”Gusto ko lang laging maaga pumasok.” I was once a professor in UST,of course,am always on time going to my classes. You have been an amazing friend,Cel,thank you for all the love,support and generosity you have given me.It has been an honor to be your friend and will cherish the happy moments and laughter that we shared. I love you so much and will always pray for you.Until we meet again!

OBITUARY

Maria Celia Nicolau Portus

25 February, 1946 – 1 December, 2022

Willow Glen Funeral Home

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services