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Friday, March 29, 2024

The one and only Christine Herrera

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Sadly, this one is for my dear friend Christine, the hard-hitting, exposé queen of this paper. I say sadly because Christine, true to character, shocked everybody when she suddenly passed on. Family and friends could not believe the news because we all knew that she was in Thailand with friends for fun and some business. She even posted on Facebook a happy photo of herself in a red silk kimono the night before she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

To many, Christine was Mamu, a term of endearment meaning mother. To me, Christine was and is, a very good friend. It took me days before I could accept that my vivacious, live wire friend has indeed gone ahead of us. We exchanged messages regularly. We discussed all sorts of things from political controversies, personalities, and off-the-record chismis to food, places, and what we call ‘wala lang’ topics. Her sentences, depending on her mood were always punctuated with ‘hmph’, ‘kainis’, and ‘hihihi!’ She used colorful words. For instance, she would refer to discussion about controversial figures as ‘wakwakan’ sessions. She was so full of life.

In sadness, I reread many of our messages to each other and could not help asking why she went too soon. She was too young and was only turning 50 years old next January. Now she is gone.

As a journalist, Christine was feisty, fearless, thorough, and uncompromising. As another journalist put it, Christine ate libel suits for breakfast. Her pieces were always headline, or at least, front page material. She was a class A journalist who would not compromise her sources. It will be remembered that she herself became the news in 2015 in relation with her pieces on the alleged pay-off to legislators for the passage of the then Bangsamoro Bill. Representative Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. was pressuring her to name her sources but she stood her ground.

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I met Christine at the House of Representatives many years ago during the advocacy for the passage of the reproductive health bill. I was not yet writing for this paper and Congress was her beat. We hit it off instantly because according to her, “pareho tayong mataray!” The father of the RH law, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, credits Christine for the initial public attention that the bill enjoyed. Edcel said that of the so many provisions of the bill (and indeed, the bill was long), Christine latched onto the one saying that the ideal family size is only two children. She called the bill a “two-child policy,” a tag that caught on. Since then, the RH bill attracted attention and was covered more by media. The said provision was deleted from the bill towards the end of the legislative process.

We were always present at the HoR whenever the RH bill was calendared. During the intense plenary debates, we were joined by hundreds of advocates from poor communities. Christine was also always there to cover the proceedings. Many times before the plenary would start, she, in her usual “siga” posture would, in a loud voice, say, “Hey, Angsioco! Nasaan ang mga tao nyo? Dapat lagi ninyong punuin ang plenary!” This would then be followed by her usual giggles.

Christine would always ask me for quotes whenever she wrote about the bill. After the bill passed and other problems cropped up, she would tease me and say, “Baby mo yan, noh?! Dapat lang na ituloy mo ang trabaho!”

Our friendship was borne out of the RH bill but extended beyond it. I came to know her family as well and she, mine.

As a person, Christine Herrera, her katarayan aside, was actually a very kind, helpful, and protective person. One time during our usual chika moments, she mentioned something about me targeted by some people in power because of my pieces critical of government. She said that it was over and has been taken care of. I pestered her for details but she only said that it was about my previous political life which linked me to others who happened to be considered enemies by some of those in position. I wanted more but she said, “Tapos na yun. Kukunsumihin mo lang sarili mo!” This is how she was. She would do things for her friends even without being asked to.

Her public persona notwithstanding, Christine was a loving, doting, and protective mother. She was very proud of her daughters and always had stories about Nikki and Abby. Her messages were screaming with delight each time Abby accomplished something in school. When Nikki was pregnant, we learned that Christine put “buntot pague” in Nikki’s room to ward-off “aswang.” When I asked about this during her last birthday party, she said, “Aba! Wawakwakin ko kapag may lumapit na aswang!” We all laughed but I knew she was serious.

Christine was very happy when her grandson was born. She even had her house renovated so the baby would be more comfortable, she said. She was very excited and was intending to be the best grandma in the world.

Sadly, she had to leave. It will be hard to find another like her. Her daughter Nikki was correct in describing her as “THE ONE AND ONLY CHRISTINE HERRERA.” I already miss her. She will not be forgotten. May she now rest in peace.

bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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