Most memorable moments with Lola

Gabby Licauco

In Powerbooks, we would periodically open new stores and every time she would attend a ribbon cutting or new store opening, she would first walk around the store to make sure everything was in order. She would always tell me that “This shelf should be over there” or “This display should be done this way.” She would then explain why that is the case and when she does, you learn things that you can only find out through decades of experience.

Xandra Ramos-Padilla

When I was in college, I accompanied my Lola to New York City to attend the big book fair, then called ABA (American Booksellers Association).  She is considered an icon among the international publishing community since National Book Store is one of the biggest book accounts.   Our publisher friends were so excited to fete her in New York City, as it was very rare then for her to travel. One even bought scalper tickets for front row seats for Miss Saigon which starred Lea Salonga and it was a hard-to-score ticket then.  After a dinner at the Four Seasons, my lola scolded me for ordering an expensive menu item since someone else was paying.

She was also invited to a luncheon at the convention center, but when we got to the venue, there was only one seat, and the organizer turned us, her companions, away. Lola walked out in a huff, something I never witnessed her do, and marched out of the convention center. We ended up in the McDonald’s in Times Square eating Chicken McNuggets.

The book fair is now called Book Expo America, and when I attend every year,  I still remember how Lola showed me how to work the fair by meeting our established business partners first, then alloting time for seeking new publishers.  She taught me how to  present our company, negotiate for terms and spot the bestsellers.  She would tell the publishers to teach me the business so I could learn. Twenty years later, she still tells that to the publishers we are meeting. (yes, even at 89, she still goes to the office and conducts the meetings with the foreign publishers.)  But I really learned most of the tricks of the trade from her, as her lessons are still applicable today.

Martin Licauco

My best memories of Lola were all the times when she would be singing and I would be playing the piano accompanying her.

Trina Alindogan

The last time that Lola had the opportunity to travel with the whole family was when we all went to Monte Carlo for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2005. It was significant not just because we were all there, but also because I think this was really the start of her “Golden Age.”

It was the Entrepreneur of the Year award that started an avalanche of other honors for her.   All of a sudden she had speeches to make, interviews to give and so many more functions to attend. Now, she even has a weekly column in the Philippine Star! I don’t think she would ever have imagined she would be writing a weekly column … much less an advice column. Lola has shown us that you are never too old to learn, it is never too late to start and exactly what can be done when you reach your 80s!

Miguel Ramos

One of Lola’s favorite activities is to take pictures. She likes to have pictures of all her speeches, functions and most especially our family gatherings. These could be anything from a simple Mass in the cemetery on Nov. 1 to big gatherings to celebrate Christmas or a significant birthday. Often the designated photographer, I have seen many of her life’s highlights through a camera lens. Unfortunately, that also means I have very few pictures with her.

Perhaps one of the most important moments — not just for me but for her — was the time when she received her Doctorate of Humanities Honoris Causa from the Ateneo de Manila University.

She has arguably received more distinguished awards, but I think her first doctorate degree (La Salle would later give her a second one) will always be special. This is because Lola has always said that her one regret in life was her inability to get a college degree. She has also said that her lifelong dream was for her children (and later, grandchildren and great grandchildren) to get what she never had: a college education.