A Gen Z based in Bacolod became emotional after recalling how her life changed since her mother passed away due to brain aneurysm.
“In one glimpse po nawala po talaga lahat nung namatay si mama. Minsan napapatanong din po ako, ba’t ang unfair po? ‘Yung buhay ko po parang sobrang komplikado po ever since until now po. Masasabi ko lang po, ginagawa ko po ito lahat dahil mahal ko po ‘yung mga kapatid ko,” she told The Philippine STAR.
22-year-old Diana Martirez said her parents separated when she was young. She then grew up with her father.
“Nung naghiwalay po ‘yung parents ko, nag-move out po ‘yung mother ko sa bahay namin. Ako po, na kay papa po ako, kasama ko po ‘yung kuya ko which is ‘yung kuya ko po sa mother’s side,” she recalled.
Adding, “Since may new family ‘yung mom ko and bagong panganak siya, Mama was not able to support us because nasa hospital po siya for like a month nung nanganak siya. ‘Yung kuya ko po nag-stop mag-school and nag-work po siya para ma-support niya ako. At the same time po, gumagawa ako ng lumpia tsaka cheese stick para mabenta ko po sa school, para may pambaon ako araw-araw.”
Diana admitted that she was distant to her mother while growing up but chose to forgive her.
“Our childhood was not perfect and marami pong pagkukulang si mama. At the same time, meron din siguro kami bilang mga anak. Pero iniisip pa rin po namin na—pero malaki pa rin po ‘yung respeto namin sa mama namin, sobra po. At the end of the day, mama ko pa rin po ‘yun,” she noted.
There was also a time that they had to stay under one roof including her mom’s new family.
“Since the setup is very unusual po, and of course, it’s really not normal, sobrang nahihiya po ako sa mga kapitbahay namin. At the same time, palagi pong nag-aaway-away,” said Diana.
In November 2024, her father was diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer, that’s why Diana stopped going to school and worked as a call center agent to help sustain the needs of their family.
While facing a lot of problems, Diana’s mother unexpectedly got sick.
“Nanghihingi lang siya sa akin ng pera pambayad and then pambili ng medicine ni papa. So binigyan ko siya. Kasama niyang umalis ‘yung bunso namin. Hindi na siya nakauwi kasi sinugod na siya sa hospital kasi habang sumasakay siya ng modernized jeep, parang bigla siyang na-unconscious,” she narrated.
“Kinabukasan, unconscious na talaga si mama. Hindi na siya gumigising. So, pinag-decide kami ng doctor if papatubuhan na namin. Habang nagde-decide kami is wala nang hininga si mama. So, na-revive siya for nine minutes,” she added.
Diana was distressed about what happened to her mother but chose to be brave for her two younger siblings, Bambam and Bembem.
“So ‘yung mga kapatid ko po, before po pumanaw si mama, naka-visit pa po sila sa hospital. Inorasan lang po sila ng doctor for like 10 minutes.‘Pag nakikita po ko nila, sinasabihan po ko ng bunso naming kapatid, na ‘Okay lang ‘yan, ate. Nandito naman ako,’” she said.
Her mother stayed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for five days but later passed away on March 1, 2025.
“Hanggang sa wake ni mama, sa burial, kami lang po dalawa ng kuya ko po ‘yung nagbayad. Nag-ask po kami ng donation, ng help sa government. Minsan po napapaisip ako what if hindi ito nangyari? Gusto ko din maging katulad ng mga kaedaran ko po. ‘Yung nagta-travel, nag-school or nag-aaral na walang iniisip na problema,” she said while crying.
Adding, “Pero ‘yun nga po, ‘yun po ‘yung pinagkaloob ng Diyos kahit minsan po, opo, gusto ko pong sumuko kasi para po sa akin napakabigat po. Knowing na ako lang po ‘yung biological daughter ng father ko. Sa dalawa ko pong kapatid, super hands-on po talaga ako kasi syempre ako lang naman po ‘yung anak na babae po.”
Diana tries to be positive as she wants to be present to her siblings. She also went back to school to achieve her goal of graduating from college and providing a better life for their family.
“Minsan po, natatawag po kong mama ng mga kapatid ko kasi nakakalimutan din po siguro minsan. So, ngayon po,nagtutulungan po kami sa responsibilidad ng mga bata. Ma, if naririnig mo ko ngayon, I hope you’re proud of how I am stepping up. I have been granted a 100% scholarship and I know it’s not luck, it’s also because you’re working behind the scenes and lahat po ng ginagawa ko is para din po sa’yo,” she said.
She also vows to look after her minor siblings no matter what happens.
“Nandito ako and pupunan ko kung ano man ‘yung iniwan ni mama at kung ano man ‘yung pagkukulang niya after niya mawala siya. Wala po kong na-promise pero, I’ll work really hard. I’ll study hard until maka-graduate ako. Gusto ko po silang paaralin, pagtapusin, hanggang magkaroon po sila ng magandang buhay din po. Lahat po ng ginagawa ko ngayon ay para sa kanila po,” she stressed.
