Monica Feria–my Tita, my editor

Monica Feria from the photo shared by Chuki Feria Miranda.

I was a provinciana in 2008 when I set foot in the College of Social Work and Development at University of the Philippines in Diliman. I was doing a master’s in Women and Development when I met several women whom I had known only in pamphlets, newspapers and books. Among them was an American mestiza who would later change my life and lead me to another path of advocacy.

‘Do you know Dolores Feria’

In 2009 I enrolled in the Gender and Sexuality class of Dr. Sylvia Claudio, which started from 5:30 p.m. ending at 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday. She was late. The room was full since many PhD students were also taking the subject as cognate. I was sitting in the sofa and she sat beside me. She was smiling and I smiled back. I kept stealing glances at her. She reminded me of someone I knew, at least from a picture. I will always remember the smile that never changed and the voice, “Pwedeng umupo?” she asked me. Dr. Claudio called our attention and introduced her: Monica Feria.

My eyes turned bigger! “Kilala nyo po si Dolores Feria?” (Do you know Dolores Feria?).

“Kilala mo ang nanay ko? she asked me back, her eyes smiling.

“Binabasa ko sya!” (I read her.) I proudly told her.

She became my Tita Monica. She was not an Inglesera. I loved her more for that.

Whenever she came early to our Wednesday class, we chatted. She told me stories about love and life and how she survived them all, but not always unscathed. She praised me for not changing my name into my husband’s surname. She asked me the reasons why. Satisfied, she just smiled.

But during our class, my younger classmates and I would admonish her for always asking questions that sparked debate, thus we would go home a little bit late.

“Tita Monica, we want to go home early!”

She would sometimes skip class due to her work. I did not know that she was an editor then. Maybe that was the reason why she liked me. I was interested in her, not her work.

After I finished the academic requirements, I went back to our province and traveled back and forth to Thailand to document the stories of the Karenni women. At the same time I was writing my thesis.

Tita Monica and I lost communication.

First feature story

In 2011 I immigrated to Thailand with my family. There were many stories in Thailand waiting to be told. In December of 2011 my family and I visited a refugee center called Elpis run by Filipino missionary women. I wrote my experiences with the refugee children and also the three women who were working with them. I wrote the story without any idea where to publish it. When I finished the story, I emailed some friends at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Penelope Endozo, a former correspondent, told me to email my story to Ms. Monica Feria, the editor of Global Pinoy.

I immediately emailed my Tita Monica. She was surprised to learn that I was in Thailand. She jokingly wrote back: “Akala ko namundok ka na.” (I thought you became a guerrilla.)

On January 22, 2012, Global Pinoy published my first story, “Three Women in a Mission of Hope.” It was the beginning of my relationship with Monica as my editor, mentor and as a real tita who would oftentimes reproach me for not doing things well.

Working with Monica

I wrote several stories for Global Pinoy. Tita Monica did not ask me to send pitches. She wanted me to write full stories. She gave me the freedom to choose what and whom to write about. I think we gave a new face to Global Pinoy. We started having themes in our monthly issues like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day or whatever “day” crossed my mind.

Tita Monica was not particular on grammar. Oftentimes, we worked on a story at least twice. She wanted me to explore more and to highlights the struggles and how these changed the life of a migrant worker. She asked me to probe deeper and even told me not to rely on a single interview but to do follow-ups and Skype calls. She told me to focus my stories on the struggles, not only on the good things. Whenever she wrote that in her email, I told myself, I would never write again! But after a week or two, there would be an email from her asking for stories.

Her mother, Dolores Feria’s book, which introduced me to Monica Feria.

In 2014 I was nominated by the Philippine Embassy in Thailand for the Migration and Media Awards of the CFO (Commission for Filipino Overseas). Even if I did not win it, I was overwhelmed because our articles were recognized for tackling issues about Filipino migrants.

Tita Monica wrote :

Ako dapat magpasalamat sa yo dahil may materials ako for Sunday at napupuri pa ako kung maraming nagrerespond. Keep up the good work! Pwede ka talagang journalist dahil may nose ka for news and human interest angles. cheers, monica (I should be the one to thank you because I’m able to have materials for Sunday and get praises from readers who respond. You can really be a journalist because you have a nose for news and human interest angles.)

On August 24, 2014 she wrote her last email to me. She said that she would go on sabbatical and would no longer be my editor. She endorsed me to Ms. Margie Q. Espino. I continued writing for Global Pinoy until it was shut down. I then transferred to US Bureau in April 2015.

However, during those times, Monica and I never met again, and now never will. I never found time to thank her personally for molding me. I don’t know why. Maybe because we both wanted to remember her as the Monica in our class. Maybe I was afraid that she would criticize me. Maybe.

But I know she is mighty proud of me. In her memory, I will write about the migrant Filipinos, not for fame, not for the payment, but to give faces and voices to our silent heroes.