Ateng (as we’re used to calling her) would have been 83 on April 16. She had a stroke and was in coma for more than a week before she was weaned off from her respirator at Cardinal Santos Medical Center last Thursday. She has four children.She started as a talent in radio dramas when she was 17 then graduated into scriptwriting.
She crossed over into TV acting in “Baltic & Co.” and later, “Iskul Bukol”, which made her a household name. She later continued working behind the scenes as writer and radio producer. We used to be with her at the parties of the late Inday Badiday, who was then married to her brother, Gene “Bo” Palomo. We last saw her at the premiere night of “Mama’s Girl” at Trinoma, which was written by Gina.
When Gina saw us then, she said: “Hoy, hinahanap ka ni Mommy.” So we stood up and looked for her and had quite a long chat, catching up with each other’s lives. Little did we know it will be our last time to see her. Godspeed, Ateng. Goodbye and rest well in the bosom of our Lord and Creator.
