“ (Philippians 4:6-7)
On the 14th of May, 2011, the NZ-Filipino Devotees of Señor Sto. Niño celebrated the achievement of 24 MOTHERS coming from all age groups and backgrounds who were awarded based on the merits of their special gifts, excellence, unique experiences and their enormous contribution to the society. Meet the Mothers of Distinction. They have in their hearts the mission to teach, nurture, enlighten, transform and inspire others. They are part of communities serving North, South, East, Central and West Auckland and have been named and nominated by the group to which they serve. Here, they are described in the words of their own children. Consul General EMILIE P. SHI
DOLORES PATAGUE
Our mother is our strength..the wall that we lean on and that supports and shelters us.our inspiration that guides us and fires us up to do our best...to be the best..Mother is our model ..a model of firm and decisive confidence.. She is our teacher who taught us how to work hard, to love what is good and know how to enjoy our life...all that we say and do is a reflection of her.”
"Mum is a gourmet chef extraordinaire, part-time amateur psychologist and full-time family cornerstone; tireless, stable, dependable and constant. She displays amazing courage and determination even when facing the most trying of times not only for herself, but also for other people. Her selfless devotion to her family reflects the unconditional love that she so readily gives, making her a true Queen of Hearts."
ALLEN VILLAMOR Patient, giving and kind. My Mom is the epitome of perfection... & poise.
BABIE RAYBOULD “I nominated her because she is a good mother, always supportive of her son and his activities, friendly and sociable in the filipino community. very likeable and devout Christian.”
CECILIA DELLUTA “She is a mum not just to us (her children), but also to our children (her grandchildren). She does a normal 8-5 job, is active in the church/community, and yet still finds all the time and energy to cook up a storm and care for her apo's (4 active boys!) when we visit her on weekends. She has nurtured us with all the love in the world and nothing beats that!”
LORNA GAYATIN “I nominated her because she is like a Mother to everyone in our Family, she is very caring and treats everyone like her own. She has supported and aided each of our relatives in coming from Philippines to New Zealand, without her, we all wouldn't be here right now. She is also a devoted Christian and has aided the church in any way she can, she is part of the Legion of Mary of St. Annes.”
CONSUELO del CASTILLO “The most valuable trait our mother have is her unconditional love for everyone (family and friends alike)--no matter what our life circumstances may be and regardless of our personal history and background. She has a way of understanding things when nobody else will. Even if a negative situation arises, she still expresses her love and concern for us again and again. She always expresses her love in so many ways and mechanically without expecting anything in return. Our mother demonstrated her greatest act of love when she fought long and hard to give us, her children, a better life in New Zealand than what we had growing up. And she exhibits the most profound mental flexibility, a.k.a. patience and this has taught us her children to be calm when things go awry. What makes her stand out as a very special mother is her unreserved dedication—to her family, work and church. She continues to embrace her role as caregiver, protector and friend even to her already grown-up and mature children and this role extends to her work as a relieving teacher and the unflagging service she has given to the Auckland Catholic Filipino community. God has given all the qualities we can ask for for our mother and we thank God for the most tolerant, sacrificing, and above all loving mother one could ask for.”
EDITH CARPENTER “My mother is a very caring woman, she just puts so much effort in everything she does even if it something little. She makes everything significant and believes that everything she does has to be meaningful. Overall my mother is a very caring and loving person who will go to extra mile, she is very supportive. She will sacrifice so much, even relaxation just for others to make them happy. My mother has always stood out because of this and she will continue to stand out forever more.”
FLOR SACAY “You are a hard-working woman determined to give us good education which lead us to succeed for what we are now. Your strength, courage and positive outlook in life have given us inspiration to stand up with dignity in every trials that come our way. You have taught us important values in all aspects of life. Thank you for the many years, the many ways you have raised us up! Mother . . .you Rock!
JANE ROQUE “My mom is the most generous and thoughtful mother. She'll always put other people's needs before her, specially for her family. She is strong willed and have very strong faith in God.” “My mum is a caring and a very giving person who always thinks of others. She takes good care of her family and makes sure her kids are well looked after. She spends every morning preparing for all of our lunch and when welcome home from school or work she always makes sure that dinner is ready for us.”
MAYETTE VILLANUEVA “There are SO many reasons why our mum is very special to us, but to put it in simply, it's us knowing whole-heartedly & experiencing every second of our lives that WE ARE LOVED. Nothing we can say or do could ever repay her enough for cocreating us, for her sacrifices & for her constant, unceasing prayers. We thank God for giving her to us and ask Him to bless, protect & heal her. We love you Mum, our superwoman!"
MILA HERNANDEZ “She puts her children first before herself. She is not only our mother but also the mother of other people that are close to us. This kind of attitude teaches her children to help others and share our blessings to others. She's a type of person that puts her whole heart into what she do. Her strength is extraordinary that her children admires, not only physically but mentally. Her whole persona is something to see because every time she walks into the room she makes other people feel comfortable.”
CLARITA ROYO de la ROSA
NYMPHA MARIÑAS
“Our beloved Mama has been kindly bestowed with an angelic voice and the love of singing for the Lord. She has joined choir at the age of 12 and has been singing in the church and special events since then. At home, she is our great friend and our confidante. She always put her family first buy serving unselfishly and untiringly. She is the most wonderful mother in the whole wide world and we love her dearly.”
Loving and kind. My mom is an ethical good woman.
MARIVIC MURRAY “She is kind and caring that is why I think she is special. She is so bubbly and cheerful. She makes people laugh and make them feel happy. She is a really nice mum. "
She is great. She would give whatever she could to help any of us kids, and she taught us to stand on our own two feet and think
NAOMI DACULAN “I nominated my Mom because raising five kids with different personalities makes her one super mom. When my Mom got sick, she still tried her best to try and support me and my siblings in anyway she can. My Mom supports us in our activities, our choices in life and steers us to the right direction when we tend to look away from where we're supposed to be headed. I love my mom.”
ROSALINA GAYATIN “I nominated her because she has always been there for us ever since my first child was born which was 35 years ago. since that time, she has been helpful in all ways until now when she is already 86 years old. She practically raised our kids when we were away working, looked after the household, including cooking, and helped financially me and my family.”
FELICIDAD SAEZ YUMUL Nanay Fely is a wonderful mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. She possesses outstanding qualities which have made her so unique and special to all of us. She has a deep love for her family. Daddy and Nanay persevered and had worked so hard to make sure that all their children obtained good education and finished their degrees. Nanay Fely is selfless and very generous and would put our welfare and happiness first before her own and wouldn't mind doing the extra mile just to please us. She is well-loved and adored by all her grandchildren because of her loving nature, her caring heart, her loving touch and her gentle smile. Now that Nanay has reached the age where forgetfulness sets in more often than not, we want to create more great memories with her and for her. Para pagdating ng araw, ang hindi na kayang maalala ng kanyang isipan ay maalala man lamang ng kanyang puso.... We thank you for everything Nanay and we thank God for you . We love you so much!” hosted by:
BALANCING WORK & FAMILY By: Joy Caballero
Ado
“Mommy gave up her career in nursing to be a great mother to 6 children, a great wife to Daddy and a great sibling and a great sister to her community. She was a demure young lady that grew up to be a great cook, great baker and great homemaker. We love her dearly. She is the best mother in law and a great mother to all of us.”
TEODORA DINOLAN
MEL AMBROSIO
FAMILY SHARING
REMEDIO PEREZ PERALTA
s Flore
Drive n . Acco mp lish e d . Devoted. Three words to describe our next resource person. A top officer at VECTOR, her rise in the corporate sector is a testament of her talent in management & information technology. There is a softness to her persona though. She is a doting mother to three wonderful children, Martin, Alyssa & Isabella and loving wife to Boboy. How did she manage to juggle career & family? We will know in.a few minutes.
“She is endearing despite appearing to be overly stern. A quality shared with her first granddaughter. Both even claim they look and walk alike. She makes sure all her grandchildren are fed well and is always there all the time. A simple no fuss person, she has discovered belatedly the joy & reward of shopping. A phenomenon to delight , again, of her first grand daughter. She cooks the best Dinuguan in Auckland, a title her family will defend with its honour. She also has a Facebook page but prefers the old fashion long distance call to check what is happening in Cebu.”
SUZETTE ORQUEJO “Mama in our eyes is an epitome of true beauty, a true woman of substance, we are so blessed with her selfless & unconditional love for the family. Mama always puts herself second and puts her family first in everything in life...she is the light, the rock, the strength and the greatest source of inspiration and love in our family... Ma, words are not enough to express our deep love for you, we are so thankful for our patience, understanding & support through the years. We aspire to be like you in character and in deeds....God was so generous in blessing our family with the most beautiful Mama and Lola....We Love you so much....”
WHELMA SALDUA My Mom is a loving and compassionate person that any child could wish for.
MIRIAM BATUCAN Thanks Mum for loving and supporting us kids in the special way that you do. We appreciate the lessons we've learned by watching how you've raised us over the years and pray that we can be as good parents to our kids, as you have been to us. All our love and prayers - Happy mothers' day mum.
Cherry Fernandez
We had the privilege of having 3 amazing mothers who were willing to share their family life experiences. Their stories were very helpful - passing along a little encouragement, smart tips and even prayers. Survival Note:
On Hindsight:
By: Georginna Hermanoche
By: Miriam Batucan
Mother of 6 highly motivated and talented kids. She believes i n t h e p owe r o f t h e subconscious mind. A payroll officer and pastry cook, she can juggle her career, family, home, school, church, business and community projects. Conscious motherhood for her is about opening your heart and expanding ones capacity to receive and give love.
An unassuming Papal Awardee. Civic & religious leader known for her role in propagating the Catholic faith in New Zealand. Mother to five children, she is a very proud Nana to her grandchildren. Fostering the 3rd generation of Batucans in New Zealand & Australia, her life experiences are a treasure. Her youthful looks belies the years. One of the prime movers of the Sto. Niño NZ Group, Miriam Batucan.
REARING 6 KIDS
THE NEW ROLE