Memoir

Rosario Mendoza Cloma

Marjorie and I grew up together through elementary and high school in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. We shared many things in common like our mothers were teachers at the Bohol School of Arts and Trades. We were both favorites of nuns and teachers of our school named St. Joseph’s College, eventually renamed the College of the Holy Spirit. Both of us were always selected to perform in school programs and dramas, such as our Kindergarten operetta called “Cinderella in Flowerland,” and the annual plays “Our Lady’s Lash,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “No Survivors.” In Kindergarten, I played the role of “Cinderella,” while Marj was one of the evil stepsisters called “Hollyhock.” Nevertheless, we began our friendship in the Kinder classroom with Sister Soledad, who fed us with hot milk and pan de sal during recess.

If we were asked the name of our school, our common answer was “sa madre,” a status symbol at that time because the Holy Spirit nuns, mostly Germans, and Belgians, were known for their discipline in academics and religious formation. Our elementary year were memorable. It was co-educational from kindergarten to grade six. Unfortunately, for some reason, Marj and I were victims of bullying by naughty boys calling us names every time we passed by the grandstand where they were seated watching us. She was called “Black Molly” because of her dark complexion, while I was called “Pakaw,” or bow-legged. But not once did we cry or lose our cool. We had better things to do than fight with the boys.

I was fond of spending time with Marj after classes in their house at Tamblot St., where she patiently taught me how to play one piano piece titled “Portrait of My Love.” On some days, our classmate Gloria Balili would be with us to teach us how to dance on the terrace of Marj’s house, the “Twist” or the “Mashed Potato.” During the long vacation after classes, our mothers took extra courses in Manila and Cebu for their Master’s degrees. Marj and I used to stay with her grandparents in the town of Ubay, where they had big poultry in their backyard. We enjoyed gathering fresh eggs every morning.

We grew up into young high school girls at the College of the Holy Spirit, now exclusively for girls. Before high school graduation, selecting honor students was quite challenging for our teachers because many of us competed for honors, and our grades were close. To satisfy everyone— parents, students, and faculty members— candidates for honors were asked to compute their grades publicly on the blackboard to show the difference in calculation down to 0.1. The results were: Valedictorian, Nimfa C. Abaya; Salutatorian, Marjorie M. Evasco; First Honorable Mention, Rosario S. Mendoza. I vividly recall that during our “Class Farewell” program, Marj read the “Class Prophecy” that she wrote, where she presaged that Nimfa Abaya would become a banker, that I would become a medical doctor, and that she would be a writer — which is exactly who we became in the long run.

Dr. Rosario Mendoza-Cloma is an Anesthesiologist who heads the Anesthesiology Department of the Makati Medical Center (MMC) from 2011-2021. She earned her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas in 1977 and her Philippine Medical Board Licence in 1978. After her Diplomate, she earned her Master of Medicine in Pain Management from the UST and the University of Sydney. She also earned in 2019 a Master of Management in Hospital Administration from PCU. She chaired the organizing committee for the “Pain Symposium: Global Year Against Pain After Surgery” at the MMC in 2017.