Emelia G. Palencia
Emilia Palencia’s parents were from the poor slums of Tondo and yet all the children came out well-behaved 1st generation of highly educated professionals. Her siblings Ben and Manuel became doctors, Emilia became a pharmacist graduating from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and her sister, Flor became a teacher. Emilia was a very private person, very reserved, highly intelligent and was also visionary just like her husband, Abundio Sr.
Emilia and Abundio met when they were just in high school They were in fact childhood sweethearts. At one time, Emilia needed an escort to an event. Abundio refused to escort her because unbeknownst to her, he did not possess any shoes.
Because of her beauty, Emilia had many rich suitors and yet she chose Abundio, a penniless farmer who would later become a medical doctor. Their dates consisted of going to Ma-mon-luk where he would buy her a bowl of noodles for their date. He would take her out on a date once a year because he was poor, was busy farming the fields during summer breaks.
Possessing discipline, they got married right after he finished his medical degree. He opted to go to the remote barrio of Libmanan- a town in Camarines Sur that didn’t have single doctor in the community. Together, Abundio and Emilia served the people of Libmanan for half a decade. Their operating table was the dining table. Emilia performed all the roles of a nurse, a pharmacist, medical assistant helping Abundio in all his operations with primitive facilties. They became highly admired, respected and loved by all the people in the small barrio of Libmanan.
By : Josephine G. Palencia
