dear ma,

first and foremost i would like to apologize for last year because i have not written anything that would make you the best mother in the world although we know you would win hands down given that we your children are the judges.

next i would like to apologize again for i am still not going to write anything that would make you the best mother in the world for this year.

of course there is no such thing as a contest on being the best mother in the world.

just like last year, i thought of making this post for you even though i know you will not read it since it would be posted online and you hate reading english.

similarly, i tried so hard to come up with the right words.

i thought of telling the whole online world how you went to manila from bicol because you had to work in order to support your family which started your career in household and family management. (i always say that you already have a phD in family life and childhood development which no diploma can attest to). and just like in any romantic movie, i would relate how you and pa met each other, then fell in love, got married and started your own family complete with the essential information and details.

then maybe tell of how you and paw managed to send us to a private catholic school for our elementary education because you hoped that we would learn a lot in that school which we did only that we did not become devout christians.

after that episode would be how you handled the four of us in our adolescent years filled with teen angst and rebellion. i know nothing beats my story in this part. drama again with realizations and resolutions.

i would end it by thanking you for everything that you have done for me and for the rest of the family and tell you how much we love you invoking all the drama and tears that your favorite teleserye does to you everyday.

and just like last year, i will not be telling those things this year.

a plain HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MAMA again.

p.s. but do not worry, i will be writing your story soon which the whole world will see in maalaala mo kaya (will you remember? or is it remember you will? whatever).