“Like working with Dolphy,” says Mommy Elvie. “Idol ko talaga siya and I’m just older than him by six months. Nag-guest ako sa ‘Pidol’s Wonderland’ niya as the mother of Richie D’Horsey. Ginawa rin namin yung wish ko to watch a beautiful sunrise, do my own ice cream commercial, and eat everything I want to eat. Marami pa.”
A government employee for 44 years, she worked at the COMELEC from the time of Pres. Roxas to that of Pres. Ramos. She got married at 25 but gave birth to Ariel when she was 35. “Isa lang ang naging anak ko kasi I have a problem with my ovary. My husband left us when he was 67 years old. Mabait si Ariel, wala kaming naging problema. He doesn’t drink or smoke.”
She was a victim of Ondoy in Provident Village. “Ako lang naiwan sa bahay with a maid. Ariel went to office at pumasok din ang son niya sa San Beda. Bigla pagtaas ng tubig. I thought we’d die but our neighbors saved us. Tinuklap nila yung bubong at dinukot ako from the ceiling. We were on the roof from 1 PM to 3 AM. 13 hours before lifeboats came to rescue us. Basang-basa kami. Nagka-trauma ako doon, ayoko ng umuwi so natira muna ko sa only sister ko na mother ni Joey de Leon. Ngayon, nakatira na ko kay Ariel at sa misis niyang si Cristina Decena sa Makati.”
How’s Cristina as a daughter in law? “Mabait siya. Talagang pinanalangin kong makatagpo si Ariel ng bagong partner na makakasundo niya at ibinigay naman. Pati mga anak ni Cristina, napakabait. Kasundo ko rin. Nakakatuwa dahil dati, wala akong kasama sa bahay pag umaalis si Ariel. Ngayon, marami na kami.”
