I mean, a mother can do that?

The 2024 Paris Olympics fever has almost settled down by now but the much publicized conflict between two-time Olympic gold medalist Caloy Yulo and his mother, Angelica Yulo, seems to be far from over. It has even reached a point where the mother has publicly announced that she has evidence to prove that she did not abuse, squandered and spent the savings of his son from his winnings on fancy things. I cannot imagine how a mother would make such statements publicly.

I mean, the general public may have gotten wind of the problem between Caloy and his mother who has also publicly announced her dislike to her son’s girlfriend, Chloe Anjeleigh Fernandez, and it’s a normal course of things especially in our country whose main side business is gossiping. The big but is the timing of the public statements of the mother. Right after the whole world watched in awe and the country celebrated the golden performances of Caloy, she answered queries from the media about her reaction to the achievement of her son and the state of her relationship with her son.

Today, it’s the media that is being blamed for turning the whole thing into a circus. It’s the role of the media to ask both relevant and irrelevant questions. Motherhood tells us, however, not to make a big fuss about family problems in public especially on money matters. Being responsible, on the other hand, is about making sure that the spotlight is not diverted from a family member’s shining moment especially in the case of Caloy Yulo who has achieved what no Filipino has done in more than 80 years. Sadly, the more righteous citizens of the country pinned the blame on the media.

I am a son of a mother who would fight her way up to her last breath to make sure that I get what I need and at least have a little of what I want which many times our family cannot afford. She confronted my elementary teacher who scolded me because of the usual favoritism issues in public schools. She died of a car accident after I asked her to attend the burial of the grandfather of an ex-girlfriend to which I would still have what ifs waking me up at night every now and then. My memory of her getting mad and shouting at my siblings telling them not to waste food because we are very poor is still vivid and I miss her sudden change of mood each time I tell her to calm down and reach out for something inside my pocket. I miss her sudden smiles every day.

I have never heard her complain about the money or at least about the little something that I give her regularly. When she died, her friends told me that she felt bad that I have to share a lot for the tuition fees and needs of my siblings and that it was not my responsibility but the salary of my father was never enough. The only instance I remember that she went her way out of her normal self was when I got separated from a girlfriend who was her favorite. She talked to me so seriously that I burst into a loud laugh.

And this is my nostalgic comparison and recollection of the current situation of champion Caloy Yulo and her mother Angelica. I mean, I am not taking the side of Caloy but a mother can do that?