MIKEWEEK Bulletin #212

RIP Papa Do (aka Boss Freddie)  A Grand Filipino Send-off

Quezon City—The wake for Papa “Do” lasted eight days and seven nights And for the past week Vince and I were either working or at the wake. 

There is no telling how many people came, although it had to be over a thousand, and certainly no way to account for all the food that was served. Many who showed their respects were from family and then there were people from the auto industry and workers at the insurance company which Papa Do (aka Boss Freddie) ran with Mama “Fel.” 

I guess the best way to describe company, is it is pretty much the Geico of the Philippines, all 7 thousand islands of them, when it comes to car insurance, and in particular Toyota's.

Both Felly and Papa Do have done a lot of charitable giving, including out helping the family members of local entertainers when they were sick and needed care (The GOP would be proud, there is minimal, as in close to nonexistent national healthcare here, and you pay for ICU as you go).  And, so on the final night of the wake some notable Filipino entertainers each took the turn at the microphone and sang some beautiful songs in his memory.

The day of the funeral began with a mass, and then of course, a full meal. Then we loaded into vans and ten full sized busses to the cemetery which is the final resting place mostly for well to do Filipinos and people of Chinese Ancestry. 

It is a nice spot that happens to be situated on the final approach path to Manila International Airport, so you get these interesting views of Air Qatar Jets on short final over a Pagoda Style memorial chapel.

The most memorable part of the send-off, for me, was the slow walk we all took behind the hearse bearing AlFredo. We were each issued a People’s General Insurance Company umbrella and we all opened them to shield ourselves from the hot mid-day sun.

 All that was missing was a Jazz band to transport this scene to New Orleans. One can imagine the producers of “Treme” having a visual appreciation for the moment.

I mentioned this trip marks my second typhoon, and the funeral day for Boss Freddie also marked the first time that I have ever been to Mass twice in one day—pretty amazing for this occasional Episcopalian.

And I thought I would include a final shot of Papa Do, from our last visit, engaged in a more happy activity—Dinner at a local Filipino restaurant.