Brebeufian of the Week: Ma. Celeste Lea Amor M. Bellotindos-Pangandaman

Since it's her birthday week, our Brebeufian of the week is no other than Ma. Celeste Lea Amor M. Bellotindos-Pangandaman!

If there was one non-conformist in every group, Celeste would be it for the Magic Eight. This tall, slighty tomboyish gal with a sensitive heart, a predilection for “Sorry Cards”, thin shafted ballpens and small Sans serif 8 fonts surprised us all by joining the PMA, getting married (albeit not really a secret, pero parang ganon na rin yun, considering that no one in the class knew about it at first) and being one of the first few mommies in the batch. Considering that not many of us are able to keep in touch with her, this interview is probably the most information that we have gotten out of her out for the past 9 years since highschool. Cels, we miss you, girl! Magparamdam ka naman sana once in a while. Hehehe…

Interview by Carlo Jose Esperat

Edited by Mae Angelica Arevalo

If there was one non-conformist in every group, Celeste would be it for the Magic Eight. This tall, slighty tomboyish gal with a sensitive heart, a predilection for “Sorry Cards”, thin shafted ballpens and small Sans serif 8 fonts surprised us all by joining the PMA, getting married (albeit not really a secret, pero parang ganon na rin yun, considering that no one in the class knew about it at first) and being one of the first few mommies in the batch. Considering that not many of us are able to keep in touch with her, this interview is probably the most information that we have gotten out of her out for the past 9 years since highschool. Cels, we miss you, girl! Magparamdam ka naman sana once in a while. Hehehe…

Name: Ma. Celeste Lea Amor Bellotindos-Pangandaman

Status: Married
Occupation: Deputy G3 for Admin and Operations

C: Now yo prigunta stuff? Mga tanong ni Mae to. Ako lang taga-tanong (laughs).
Cels: What man you will ask? Can I answer "No Comment"?
C: Hinde daw kasi man imbento daw le sagot pag no answer or no comment bo (laughs).
Cels: Ok… shoot…

C: How is married life?
Cels: I have a very happy married life. My husband's name is Jabbar Ali Pangandaman. He is a first lieutenant in the Philippine Army. Slightly more than a year kami before we got married. He is 28 years old now. We met in one of our schoolings in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. We got married last 25 June 2004 in Quezon City, Manila.

C: Describe naman your wedding day. Kahit konti lang… I mean, ang feeling mo on that day, aside from the usual very happy feeling, hehe.
Cels: No one else was there except him and me and the solemnizing officer… (laughs) It was a civil wedding. We cannot marry in church kasi he is a Muslim and I am a Christian… (I felt) Excited, thrilled, nervous and scared!... Scared of what our parents would say if they found out. Wala namang kasing ibang nakakaalam except the two of us eh… Nalaman lang ng Magic 8 nung manganak na ako last 16 August 2005… I know nagalit or nagtampo sila sa akin. Alam nina Mae na nanganak ako pero hindi nila ako binisita sa hospital kasi nagtatampo yata sila.

(Hirit ako! In defense of the Magic 8, hindi kami nagtatampo ke Celeste. We found out about it by accident from Celeste’s mom and not Celeste herself. We weren’t sure if she wanted us to know, kasi we figured that if she did, she would have told us and not yung malalaman pa namin galing sa ibang tao. So, we didn’t visit her anymore kasi baka ayaw niya ring makita kami… So, may point naman kami di ba? – Ed)

C: Yung parents mo?
Cels: We told them nung buntis na ako. Nung 2 months pregnant na ako, saka nila nalaman.

C: What's your daughter's name?
Cels: Jenan Lyca Bellotindos Pangandaman - 1 year, 2 months.

C: Anong feeling nung buntis ka?
Cels: (Laughs)… Ano ba namang tanong yan?... Excited.. Wala naman akong pinaglihian. Mahilig lang talaga akong matulog…. After 12 hours of labor and in so much pain, Caesarian Section din pala bagsak ko (laughs). Maliit lang naman yung baby. 6 lbs and 12 ounce pero na cord-coil sya, ewan ko kung tama ang term ko pero yun yung umikot yung pusod nya sa leeg nya.
C: Anong pusod... AMBILICAL cord? (Humirit pa, no? –Ed)

C: Nung nag graduate ka, any awards?
Cels: Wala.. rank 56 ako out of 139… Hindi ako ang typical na army na nakikipag giyera. Nasa Engineer Brigade ako. More on the constructions kami like constructions ng mga roads, buildings, water systems, etc..

C: O, describe high school in one word... When you look back, ano naiisip mo? But one word lang.
Cels: "Friends"… Hindi sya nagdedescribe ng high school pero yan yung kung ano ako nagkaroon.

C: Most memorable and embarassing moment sa HS?
Cels: Ano ba naman ito? Slum book? (laughs)… During one of the Ateneo Fiesta, may isang booth ang college dun na where they will take a picture of your crush then palagyan nila ng dedication. Yun.. meron akong dalawa na pinakuha, dun pa rin sa bahay nakatago. Hindi ko lang sure kung saan ko naitago.
C: Sino yung pinapicture mo? Kilala ko ba yan? Di ko na maalala crush mo dati.
Cels: Never mind mentioning names na (laughs).

C: Okay, lets proceed… Favorite person in high school.
Cels: Father Gascon! Sunshine girl ako, eh.

C: One thing you could change sa HS experience?
Cels: Wala. Kasi kung meron, hindi ganito ang kalabasan. At kontento naman ako sa nangyari sa buhay ko.

C: First date... sino, saan, any memorable moments?
Cels: Wala. Better forgotten… (laughs)

C: How’s sex life na lang?
Cels: It's good kung magkasama kami. Pero mostly bad kasi malayo man naka-assign hubby ko. Wala naman akong ibang partner… (laughs)

C: O, what or who is your biggest sexual fantasy?
Cels: Wala eh. Satisfied naman ako.

C: Describe yourself using your name.
Cels: Ang hirap naman nyan..
C - Care and
E - Everlasting
L - Love's for
S – Sure… (laughs)… Charing!

C: If you will get stuck on an island, anong dadalhin mo?
Cels: Family picture. Para kahit sa picture man lang hindi ako mangungulila. Charing!!

C: Given a choice, sino sa Brebeufians gusto mo makasama sa island?
Cels: Naku! Mangdamay pa ako ng klasmeyt sa island!... Si Norman… (laughs)… crush ko man sya dati. Wala… Tititigan ko na lang sya… Hindi ko kasi yun nagawa nung high school tayo eh.
C: Titigan lang, ha?... Talaga lang, ha?
Cels: Oo.. May asawa na ako eh, and faithful ako.
C: Kung walang asawa?
Cels: Kung wala akong asawa, I would probably seduce him! (laughs)... Patay ako nito… Oy, kung i-publish nyo ito, huwag nyo naman i-cut ang ibang details… Please.

C: Genie in a bottle grants you 3 wishes… ano mga yun?
Cels: Mahirap yan ah… Better career, strength, and great health for my daughter.

C: How do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Cels: Retired from the military service and having my own business. Para more time sa family ko. 2 more kids... 3 lahat.

C: Last na. Message to the Brebeufians
Cels: I just hope na one of these days I could find time at may oras din kayo para magkita-kita tayo para ma-update natin ang isa't isa… para sa lahat especially sa Magic 8, though I don't really keep in touch with you often, you are always remembered in my thoughts and prayers. Ingat lang lagi. Yun lang…

Celeste Bellotindos-Pangandaman can be contacted through this e-mail address: balot02@yahoo.com.