As I embarked on my new journey in the recruitment processing industry, I had the pleasure of meeting individuals who shared my passion for speaking Spanish. Among them were two young ladies who, like myself, were newcomers to the industry.
In Filipino work culture, there's a sense of familial camaraderie where colleagues often address each other with affectionate titles rather than by their names. For instance, older women may be called "mother," older men "father," and so on.
During my time in Ortigas Center, we affectionately referred to one of our colleagues as "daddy." May he rest in peace. Now, in my current workplace in Eastwood, these two young ladies affectionately call me "
mama," despite my insistence otherwise.
Personally, I prefer to be addressed by my name alone—simply Gerry. Being called "
mama" is something I cannot embrace, as it holds a sacred place reserved for one person—my mother. On this note, I extend warm wishes to all mothers across the universe on this Mother's Day.
