ON GLOBAL FILIPINOS After nearly 40 years as an OFW, Delia Juarez is ready to retire
By Loida Nicolas Lewis
Delia Juarez, my executive chef since 2001, is one of those we call Bayani ng Bayan, the same title the Philippine government bestows on our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Last year, OFWs sent a record-high of $38.34 billion in remittances to the Philippines. The United States was the largest source, accounting for over 40% of the total, helping the country’s finances withstand the ebb and flow of the global economy.
Around 1986, Delia started household employment with Ambassador Philip Mabilangan and his wife Ada during their diplomatic assignment in China. Delia honed her craft as executive chef in the five years she has lived in Beijing, under the supervision of Mrs. Ada Ledesma Mabilangan.
Ada taught Delia special dishes to be served during sit-down dinners with high government officials and foreign diplomats.
During Philippine Independence Day, the Philippine Embassy would have an open house invitations. Delia and all the staff members of the embassy would have a 24 hours no-sleep marathon to serve more than 150 guests attending the Philippine national holiday.
When the ambassador with his family were assigned to New York in 1995 as the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations, he brought along his household staff. Thus, Delia and her co-worker in Beijing, Alice Balbuana, came to New York.
By 2001, Ambassador Mabilangan had scheduled his retirement. It was at that time when Ada asked me whether I needed a chef. My own chef Gloria Joshua was resigning to care for her daughter Addie. And without much ado, I said yes!
That was when executive chef Delia joined my household. Thus, my sit-down dinner parties are always a hit with my guests. She prepares like nobody else can: cheese soufflé, Chilean sea bass, sea food crepes, beef Wellington, Cornish hens, and more.
For buffet style service, she prepares Chicken relleno, Pancit palabok or canton, Baked salmon, Paella de marisco, Skirt steak with onions, Lechon kawali and the ever tasty Adobo chicken.
For dessert, her peach cobbler and baked pears in red wine are always exceptional.
During the summer in East Hampton, she served Broiled lobster, BBQ ribs, BBQ chicken, Pork chops, Sword fish, Pork and beans, Steak, Hamburger, Potato salad, and Ceasar salad.
During her nearly 40 years of being an OFW in China and in the United States, Delia never married. But she has supported several nieces and nephews in their education. Rodel graduated with a Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) degree and is now working in Shopee Express as an assistant supervisor. Crystal also finished her HRM and now works in Iqor Company as a call center agent. Melque finished multimedia studies and now works in G-Faith Merchandise in Information Technology (IT). Honey Grace finished psychology and works in Human Relations with a Japanese company. Rinante has a degree in IT.
Three more grandnieces are still in college: Tiffany, Sairah, and Kristine Joy. In the Filipino tradition, the elder sibling pays for the education of the younger sibling or niece or nephews. Thus, Delia’s frugal approach to her salary brings those working dollars to her family, lifting them out of poverty.
She also purchased land in Occidental Mindoro where she built a concrete house where her mother, Celerina, and her “adopted” nieces live. Her father Bienvenido died 10 years ago. Delia supports their college tuition and other expenses. It is the only house in the barangay which has solar panels to save substantially on electric bills.
She also bought several hectares of rice land. Each of her four brothers (except one who removed himself from their family) and her only sister were made in charge of planting rice and managing in her rice fields. Their rent payment to Delia is in sacks of palay after each harvest. To facilitate harvest, she bought a Black + Decker thresher machine which she also rents out to neighboring rice lands.
Two of her brothers studied tailoring so they now make school and office uniforms and have customers in town. She bought two tricycles which her family use as “car service” for her extended family.
In addition, she enlarged the small sari-sari store patronized by the entire neighborhood as the town grocery store. She decided to enlarge it so it becomes the local “Seven Eleven” which sells everything from the common staples like rice, flour, sugar, soft drinks, snacks, chocolates, water as well as fresh meats, chicken, and fish.
Last November 14th, Delia celebrated her 70th birthday. That is the signal for her to retire and go back to the Philippines. I will miss her and I do not intend to replace her because nobody can equal her ability and talent in cooking, planning a party and executing the planned strategy of running my household.
Delia Juarez embodies the values of hard work, integrity, talent, values that pave the way for a life well lived and a rewarding retirement in the Philippines.
