So my action-packed day went like this:
12:30 noon - lunch meeting at Rockwell
3:30 PM - meeting with web designers at Kuni
6 PM - meeting with Tita Virgie for Swatch
7:45 PM - HP Thanksgiving dinner at the Tower Club, where I was awarded a plaque of appreciation.
During dinner, we received a text that Jeroen's friend Wim Schols died at Makati Medical Center around 9 PM after a hard battle with cancer.
We thought we had time to finish dinner before heading to Makati Med, but by the time we got there, sadly the body was already transferred to the Morgue.
The body will be buried in Holland.
![Jeroen with Maricor and Wim]()
Jeroen with Wim (R) and his partner Maricor in 2006
Wim and Maricor left a present for me. I don't feel like opening yet. No biggie, but I'm feeling kind of sad.
To make matters worse, one of KC & Piolo's most rabid fans wouldn't stop attacking me on Twitter even as Mark Nicdao offered her a copy of his Vantage book personally autographed by Piolo and KC, to stop fighting me. (Mark, please don't. Jejetroll doesn't deserve it.)
I developed a migraine and headed home.
So last week my mom's driver of about 20 years died from cancer.
Diagnosed in 2008, Fredo fought the brave battle by taking oral chemo.
Though he lost a lot of weight during treatment, he was able to continue working during remission and when he was feeling strong.
He was buried early this morning.
On Tuesday evening Jeroen and I drove with my driver of 18 years and a bodyguard to Fredo's house in Cainta where the wake was being held.
Tell you the truth I was scared to go, afraid of what I might see after seeing the BBC reality feature of bus driver Josh West who stayed in the humble home of jeepney driver Rogelio Castro.
But my fears were laid to rest when we entered a village in Cainta with paved roads until we reached a string of townhouses painted in blue.
![IMG_9746]()
One of them was Fredo's house that he shared with his wife and three grown children.
![IMG_9742]()
As expected, friends and relatives ate, drank and gambled under tents along the driveway.
![IMG_9740]()
Jeroen and I entered the small house where the body was laid in a white coffin.
![IMG_9728]()
I hugged his wife Helen and was introduced to his son and two daughters, some of whom were sent to school by my mom.
![IMG_9726]()
I recognized a few faces that have worked in our family's households as maids and yayas at some point.
![IMG_9730]()
The mood was light, I cracked some jokes to entertain them and Helen started to tell the horrible way in which Fredo passed at home.
He apparently died three times that day—as in he died, came back to life, died, came back to life, until he finally breathed his last.
Helen stopped because she thought I would get scared of the story.
Funny when you're the boss' daughter talking to an entire family that has never met you, everything you say is interesting and funny.
I'm holding court in there and thinking, geez, I could win an election here.
One of the three-year-old kids sat on my lap and stayed there after I gave him a bag of Oishi crackers.
We took many photos, as you can imagine.
![IMG_9736]()
All in all, a great evening. It was then that I found out my dad's company had provided housing for their longtime employees. My dad's driver and assistant also have houses there.
I came away with a warm feeling that my parents had cared for the people who serve us.
I can only wish to share my riches and reach out to as many people as I can.
For these I learned from my parents and hope that my children can learn from us too.
God bless Wim Schols and Godofredo Amador.
![IMG_9739]()
12:30 noon - lunch meeting at Rockwell
3:30 PM - meeting with web designers at Kuni
6 PM - meeting with Tita Virgie for Swatch
7:45 PM - HP Thanksgiving dinner at the Tower Club, where I was awarded a plaque of appreciation.
During dinner, we received a text that Jeroen's friend Wim Schols died at Makati Medical Center around 9 PM after a hard battle with cancer.
We thought we had time to finish dinner before heading to Makati Med, but by the time we got there, sadly the body was already transferred to the Morgue.
The body will be buried in Holland.
Jeroen with Wim (R) and his partner Maricor in 2006
Wim and Maricor left a present for me. I don't feel like opening yet. No biggie, but I'm feeling kind of sad.
To make matters worse, one of KC & Piolo's most rabid fans wouldn't stop attacking me on Twitter even as Mark Nicdao offered her a copy of his Vantage book personally autographed by Piolo and KC, to stop fighting me. (Mark, please don't. Jejetroll doesn't deserve it.)
I developed a migraine and headed home.
So last week my mom's driver of about 20 years died from cancer.
Diagnosed in 2008, Fredo fought the brave battle by taking oral chemo.
Though he lost a lot of weight during treatment, he was able to continue working during remission and when he was feeling strong.
He was buried early this morning.
On Tuesday evening Jeroen and I drove with my driver of 18 years and a bodyguard to Fredo's house in Cainta where the wake was being held.
Tell you the truth I was scared to go, afraid of what I might see after seeing the BBC reality feature of bus driver Josh West who stayed in the humble home of jeepney driver Rogelio Castro.
But my fears were laid to rest when we entered a village in Cainta with paved roads until we reached a string of townhouses painted in blue.
One of them was Fredo's house that he shared with his wife and three grown children.
As expected, friends and relatives ate, drank and gambled under tents along the driveway.
Jeroen and I entered the small house where the body was laid in a white coffin.
I hugged his wife Helen and was introduced to his son and two daughters, some of whom were sent to school by my mom.
I recognized a few faces that have worked in our family's households as maids and yayas at some point.
The mood was light, I cracked some jokes to entertain them and Helen started to tell the horrible way in which Fredo passed at home.
He apparently died three times that day—as in he died, came back to life, died, came back to life, until he finally breathed his last.
Helen stopped because she thought I would get scared of the story.
Funny when you're the boss' daughter talking to an entire family that has never met you, everything you say is interesting and funny.
I'm holding court in there and thinking, geez, I could win an election here.
One of the three-year-old kids sat on my lap and stayed there after I gave him a bag of Oishi crackers.
We took many photos, as you can imagine.
All in all, a great evening. It was then that I found out my dad's company had provided housing for their longtime employees. My dad's driver and assistant also have houses there.
I came away with a warm feeling that my parents had cared for the people who serve us.
I can only wish to share my riches and reach out to as many people as I can.
For these I learned from my parents and hope that my children can learn from us too.
God bless Wim Schols and Godofredo Amador.
