Grade-school student and fulltime grandma: A 79-year-old is unstoppable from reaching her dreams

It seems like nothing can stop Lola Librada Gemal from achieving her dreams—not even her age. In fact, at 79, Librada is currently a grade school student at Tisa II Elementary School in Cebu. 

 

Being illiterate for decades, she knows very well how hard it is to live without having any formal education. 

 

“Narinig ko isang beses ang mga parent, 'Bakit nag-aaral pa, eh matanda na? Wala nang kinabukasan,'” she recalls. “Sabi ko, mabuti ang buhay ng nag-aral.”

 

This wasn’t the only moment when Librada was looked down upon because of her illiteracy. She shares that she used to roam around her community to ask if she could have any decent-paying job.  But then, she would be asked about the highest education level that she has obtained. And as answering “Wala po” would be a sure way for her to get denied, it was inevitable for Librada to dream of eventually enrolling even just in grade school.

 

And that’s exactly what she did.

 

Age doesn’t matter

 

Emily De Saluta, one of Librada's teachers, can still clearly remember the moment Librada approached the school's administrators to ask if she could enroll. 

 

“Siya ang taga-linis dito. Siya rin nag-aalaga sa mga halaman,” she recalls. “Tapos sabi niya, 'Teacher, puwede pa [ba] akong mag-aral?' Sabi ko naman sa kaniya, 'Puwedeng puwede, lola, kasi wala naman tayong pinipiling edad.'”

Librada became one of the most notable students in school not just because of her age but also because of her incomparable perseverance. Emily says, “Hindi ko naman narinig ‘yung sinasabi ni nanay na nahihirapan siya. Ang naririnig ko lang talaga sa kaniya [ay] gusto pa rin niyang mag-aral, gusto pa rin niyang pumasok.” She adds that Librada barely misses her classes.    
 

 

The 79 year-old also serves as an inspiration to her younger classmates as despite her aching body, she would walk a long distance to and from school.

 

“Inspirasyon ko siya. May inspirasyon kami para hindi kami umabsent,” says Librada’s 

classmate Steven Fernandez.

 

No pain, no gain

 

Every morning, Librada goes to the community’s water pump to fetch water for her neighbors. This is just the first of her many odd jobs in the community. 

 

“Nakakapagod po. Mabigat ang tubig. Hindi ninyo nakikita, nag-aalso ako ng tubig,” says Librada, who earns P5.00 for every pale of water.

 

When she’s not fetching water, Librada does her neighbors’ laundry. One rainy day, she was seen to be still doing the laundry despite the gray weather so a neighbor handed her an umbrella. But she didn’t take it. Instead, she continued with her duty while singing a song she just made up: “Ang palasyo’y natagpuang kapalaran. Araw-gabi’y ako’y nagdarasal sa kalangitan.”

 

Later on, Librada talked about her dream to be a nurse. Now at 79, she doesn’t see any reason yet to stop dreaming. 

 

“Ang pangarap ko ay mag-nurse para magamot ko ‘yung apo ko,” she says. “Gusto kong mag-uniporme ng nurse dahil may makakatingin sa akin [at sasabihin], ‘Wow! Nurse na kayo?’”

 

Though she can’t don a nursing uniform just yet, she presses and rubs people’s body parts to heal their pains. Librada is also known as a great masseuse in the community rumored to have healing powers.

 

“Siya ay gifted. Parang may healing powers,’” says one of her children, Zenaida Avancena. 

 

“Iyong mga may kapansanan sa [kanilang] katawan, inaasikaso niya. Siya ang naghihilot,” she adds. 

 

Zenaida explains later on that Librada can actually heal more serious body conditions such as crippled legs. Her mother’s ability to heal serious physical conditions has earned her several nicknames, such as Mother Lily and Doctor Herbal, among others. Librada gets paid P150.00 by every client.

 

But why couldn’t she have just stopped having odd jobs so she could just rest at home? Librada is a perfect example of kayod-kalabaw, a Filipino endearment for those who work hard. “Kung hindi ako [mag-trabaho], masakit ang katawan ko. Hindi puwede. Walang [kikitain] kung ganu’n-ganu’n lang ako sa katawan ko,” she says.

 

For Jomar, lola knows best

 

Librada is just like any loving grandmother. She lives in a humble house with her 11-year-old grandson, Jomar, who typically just stays with his cousins in a different house while his lola is out and about. But when Librada gets home, she makes sure to spoil Jomar with whatever she can give. Lessons on reading and writing, for instance.

 

“Kaming dalawa lang [ni Jomar ang magkasama] sa bahay naming maliit. Ako ang nag-aalaga kay Jomar nu’ng maliit pa siya,” she shares. When she gets home, she teaches Jomar the new lessons that she has learned from the day’s classes in school.

 

Jomar's mom left him with his grandma and ever since, Librada never stopped working just to give her grandchild all the love and care that a child is supposed to get from their parents.

 

Librada says, “Hindi man siya kaparehas ng mga pinsan niya [na] may papa [at] may mama, ako man ang nag-alaga sa kaniya."

 

Rising to the occasion

 

Given Librada’s age, it shouldn’t be a question anymore that she’s already experiencing some health conditions. Optometrist Kirby Tadlas looked at Librada’s vision and said that her eyes’ lenticular area is already fuzzy, which means there’s a development stage of cataract. He notes that Librada can possibly lose her vision if her cataract worsens.

 

Meanwhile, psychiatrist Narcissa Cinco reveals that Librada is already having a hard time raising Jomar alone. But Narcissa is quick to add that Librada is not a quitter.

 

“Kaya she went back to school in part so that she could teach [Jomar] at home. And to her credit, Jomar at 11 knows how to read letters, can read short words, [and] knows his numbers,” says the child psychiatrist.

 

But Librada isn’t the only one who has a health condition. Jomar, apparently, has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which means he has a short attention span, is forgetful, will not do something unless he’s told to, and makes a lot of careless mistakes. 

 

Cinco warns that children with ADHD have high risks of drug addiction, thus Librada needs to be coached on how to deal with a child with ADHD, or else Jomar will probably go through the unwanted path. 

 

Prayer works. Or at least that’s what keeps Librada from thinking positive. She says she prays that Jomar grows up to be a good person. “Kawawa naman ang bata. Walang napag-aralan,” she comments.

 

When asked if she finds it hard to be raising Jomar alone, Librada couldn’t help but burst into tears. “Humihiling kami na si Jomar, hindi na siya [maging] bad, na mag-school na siya,” says Librada.

 

Jomar saw his lola’s reaction so he threw his arms around her, trying his best to calm her down. Despite their limited means, Jomar evidently grew up as a sweet, loving kid. As Librada recalls, “Sabi [ni Jomar] isang gabi, ‘Gama, mag-very good na ako.’” Of course, this made the hardworking lola smile, with hopes sparkling in her tired, teary eyes.

 

After all, they’re already used to having just each other. One day, as the clouds become gray and the skies start to weep, Jomar goes to fetch his lola, who’s doing the laundry alone by then. He quietly sits beside her without saying anything. And in this quiet moment, Librada couldn't ask for anything more. —Juju Baluyot/BMS, GMA Public Affairs

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