City honors another Centenarian

City officials recognized and honored Felisa O. Montemayor, a resident of East Modernsite, Aurora Hill, as a 2023 centenarian awardee of the city government.

In a resolution, city legislators stated that the local government is truly honored to recognize and honor Ms. Montemayor as the latest centenarian of the city and grant her the prestigious centenarian award not only for her reaching the age of 100 but for her display of the Filipino tradition and values of love and caring for the family.

Montemayor was born on January 30, 1923 in Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija and was the 3rd among 7 siblings. Her parents were the late Manuel Ortiz and Maria Samonte-Ortiz who were storekeepers. She is presently residing in their family home at No. 96 Torres Bugalion St., East Modernsite, Aurora Hill, Baguio City.

She was a nonagenarian awardee of the city last October 2019. She is a dressmaker and married to the late Florentino Montemayor, an established mechanical engineer and working at Shell Pilipinas. They are blessed with 7 children, 6 boys and 1 girl, 4 of whom are now residing overseas while the other 3 are in the Philippines. They are now successful in their own lives.

At her age, Montemayor is still physically strong enough to take care of herself. She moves around the house and can still manage to go out and attend Sunday masses. She goes to the market and the barangay hall accompanied by her caregiver. Her memory is still sharp as she can still recall some details of her life when she was younger.

She completed only high school because she was tasked by her parents to look after her younger siblings since her two older siblings refused the said task. Because she was an obedient child, she obliged, despite her intense desire to also pursue higher education. She remembers that her father was a gambler and it was her mother who was the one working for the family, so she simply supported her mother who did not talk much about their father.

Before World War II, when she was only 16 years old, a relative took her under their custody with her other siblings because their business went bankrupt due to gambling of her father, thus times were rough for the family.

In 1946, Felisa met Florentino Montemayor who she later married. They met through relatives. During that time, she had a boyfriend who was an engineering student. Her relatives were opposed to their relationship because they preferred Florentino, who was already working as a mechanical engineer. They insisted and despite her objection, she married Florentino on August 18, 1946, which proved that her respect for her elders was over her personal interest. It was a very painful decision for her, but she obeyed.

It took her a few years to forget her former boyfriend, but she gradually learned to love her husband because Florentino was a loving and responsible husband. The couple helped each other in the rearing and providing for their children. Florentino transferred from Shell to the Bureau of Public Highways. They were able to acquire property at East Modernsite, Aurora Hill where Felisa still stays to date. She occupies a 3-storey house where the first 2 floors are being rented out to be used for her basic and medical needs and the salary of her caregiver. She also receives regular financial support from her children and a monthly survivorship pension from the Social Security System. – Dexter A. See