101-year-old still does house chores

ROSALES, Pangasinan, Philippines – Even at 101 years old, Lucrecia Tile-tile Tamin, of Barangay Rizal here, continues to be active doing household chores, including cleaning the house, washing her clothes and weeding her garden.

Lucrecia, fondly called Inang Isyang in her village, lives by herself next door to her eldest son Arcadio.

“She prefers to live alone so that we can lead our own lives,” Arcadio said, adding that his mother would get mad if they tell her to slow down and rest.

Born on Feb. 13, 1910, Inang Isyang was honored by SM City Rosales in celebration of Mother’s Day.

She said her six children make her happy, and she also finds joy in simple things like having some money to buy things that she likes, such as food from the sari-sari store.

She is uneducated but Inang Isyang is an expert on money matters as she used to be a businesswoman selling vegetables and other products in various areas around Pangasinan.

She shared that she wanted to continue doing business but Arcadio wouldn’t allow her to.

Inang Isyang has a caretaker who goes to her house to cook her favorite food such as chicken or pork adobo and sinigang na bangus. Sometimes, Arcadio also brings his mother food.

“I’m not choosy when it comes to food. I eat almost anything,” she said.

Asked about the secret of her long life, Inang Isyang said whenever she goes to sleep, she would jokingly ask the Lord if He might have forgotten to put her name on His list.

“I ask Him, please include me now on your list so that I could already go,” said Inang Isyang, who could still hear clearly and speak fluently, even if her eyesight has become poor.

During the SM event honoring her, Inang Isyang was serenaded by Renz Robosa, a Pangasinense who was the grand champion of GMA-7’s “Diz Iz It” talent and game show, and was given a gift by the SM City Rosales management.

Thankful for her longevity and the countless blessings that she has been given, Inang Isyang advised children never to forget their mothers and to always make them feel important, most especially in their old age.