City honors another centenarian
BAGUIO CITY – The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved a resolution honoring Aurora delos Santos Agad as a centenarian of the city.
Under Resolution No. 002, series of 2021 that was signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, city legislators stated that inspire of her weak condition, Agad still has a sharp mind and shows no signs of senility.
Ms. Agad was born to Martina Cachero and Nicasio delos Santos on August 13, 1920 in Batac, Ilocos Norte, the eldest among four children.
She subsequently moved with her family to Agbannawag, Rizal, Nueva Ecija during World War II.
The city’s new centenarian believed from the start that education is important, thus, she had to reportedly sacrifice her dreams and instead helped her parents tend their rice field during her childhood so that all her siblings can go to school for them to be able to acquire appropriate education to help them hurdle the difficulties of life.
Aurora married Jose Agad, her childhood friend, on September 12, 1936 at the age of 16 and the couple was eventually blessed with 4 children.
Unfortunately, the council claimed that their second and fourth child allegedly died when they were still toddlers because of reported blood infection and that the hardship of life and the distance of their residence for the family to seek and avail of appropriate assistance and social services from the government prompted the family to transfer to Baguio city in 1950 when her husband was hired as a construction worker during the building of the Ambuclao dam in Bokod, Benguet.
Aurora’s youngest daughter, Josefina Agad-Colocol with 4 children passed away in 1994 at the age of 46 while eldest child Leria Agad-Zamora passed away in 2005 at the age of 64, both due to hypertension.
At DPS Compound barangay, she is happy spending time with her 5 grandchildren whose love and care keep her resilient despite her weak physical condition.
Aurora considers her grandchildren as blessings in having a long life coupled with a healthy lifestyle by eating ‘dinegdeng’ and ‘pinakbet,’ both Ilocano delicacies.
In her home, she is reportedly very responsive to visitors, joyful recalling and sharing them her life experiences.
The council stipulated that Agad should be awarded with the privileges pursuant to Ordinance No. 45, series of 2016, as amended, as part of the city’s recognition for residents who reach a milestone in their lives as such achievements are commendable, especially with the prevailing conditions. – Dexter A. See
