My Autobiography

Wilmer Blando and Sonia Tomas. “My father was a man who didn’t have much, but he had a big heart, ” my mom said. My mother was a woman who worked hard and often felt tired. Their paths crossed at work in the beautiful province of Nueva Vizcaya. The station was crowded; she was in the terminal, and my mother was standing, looking exhausted after a long journey through the winding roads of the Diadi Pass. My dad saw her, and he was captivated by her beauty. That was a simple gesture. That wasn’t all; they also met at work and spoke to one another, which led to a month of “sweet courtship,” and eventually, they tied the knot. On a rainy night October 08, 2006the universe decided to add a beautiful, cute little
daughter to their lives. I was born, and my father named me Monaliza. They thought it was clever because of the painting, the Mona Lisa and my father said it was a beautiful name.
They didn’t know much about the internet; they just knew they loved each other. After months, my dad got sick and lost his mind, and that’s when my father’s bad deeds started. When I was still a baby at home, my father was ready to dig a hole to put me in, but luckily someone saw him. My mom was all bruised, and that’s when they separated. My dad was taken to a mental facility for treatment.

My earliest “memories” are actually stories told to me by my mother. She told me that while the world was in chaos on that specific day in history, our small hospital room was the most peaceful place on earth. As a baby, I was what people call “observant.
” I think that’s where my love for patterns began. I remember the feeling of being squeezed between my parents in a small bed; that was my first version of “home.” When I was about one year old, life had become a challenge. My mother was a warrior, standing strong as a single mom. I spent my days strapped to my mother’s side or sitting on a small stool as she sold pichi-pichi, okoy, and suman. I watched her hands work tirelessly. She managed everything alone, and that was my first lesson in what it means to be “strong.” Everything changed when I went to school. I was about 5 years old. At school, my name was a target. I was shy and quiet, but eager to study and obedient. I never missed a day of class. It was also during kindergarten that my mother planned to leave to go abroad to work. It was painful for me because she made me sleep first before she left, and I cried a lot looking for her all over the house. She did it for my studies, to save money, and to fix our home.

A few months later, something unexpected happened: I had a tumor in my stomach. I was only 5 years old. I was taken to the hospital in Roxas and then transferred to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya for surgery. It was a difficult time, but I was able to cope because of the doctors who kept me happy. After a few months, I recovered. On the first day of Grade 1, even though I had a surgical wound and there were many things I wasn’t allowed to do (taboos), I still pushed through. I didn’t want to waste a year. After 6 years, I graduated elementary with honors. I am very proud of myself because I have overcome so many challenges.
High school was a time of realization. When I enrolled, I was alone because I had learned to be independent, even though I was shy. In Grade 7, I found friends quickly. I wasn’t thinking about romance yet. A boy bullied me, but I was a fighter.
I didn’t tell my aunts or my mom because I was scared, but because I stood my ground, he eventually stopped.

I got sick during exams and my grades dipped to the line of 7 grade, but I continued.
I started joining poster competitions because I loved drawing. On my birthday, my dad suddenly showed up at home.
I couldn’t calm down until long after he left. Today, that memory doesn’t hurt as much as it used to, but the fear of that moment is something I will never forget. These are my most unforgettable memories. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but I feel it when I remember it, or when I see others needing a father figure. When I graduated high school as an honor student, I wanted to hang the medal around my mother’s neck. Standing on that stage, hearing the name “Monaliza Blando,” even though my father was only “borrowed” to accompany me on stage and my mother was abroad, they were still proud of ”my grandmother and my mother.

I have graduated Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High without my mother by my side. It is my greatest dream that for my College Graduation, she will finally be the one standing next to me. Now I am in college. I was torn because my mom wanted me to be a nurse and I wanted to be an engineer. I passed all my entrance exams and eventually chose BS Information Technology (Web and Mobile Application Development) in Cauayan. I didn’t expect to pass the exam and interview. At first, I wanted to stop because it was hard to adjust to a course I didn’t initially want. I almost transferred to OLPCC for nursing, but I thought about whether my mom could afford it because it’s expensive, right? I decided to stay since I had already started. By the 2nd year, I slowly began to accept and love the course. I found friends who helped me when I was confused. Moving to a bigger city for university was scary, but whenever I feel overwhelmed, I remember how far I’ve come.

Monaliza T. Blando

Authobiography

My Autobiography