11/09/2026
MY MEMORIES ON NIÑA
By Dr. Eliza T. Samson
Grade III Teacher and Adviser
In the life of a teacher, it always happens that there is a child for whom she/he has a special regard or attention which is different from the others. This feeling could be borne of a maternal/paternal instinct, which is similar to a situation in the family in which the parents have an apple of their eyes.
I should say that I am no different from other teachers and this happened once in my life and which I believe will be very hard to be duplicated. Why? From the several hundreds pupils I have handled for the past ten years of my life as a teacher, I found just one Niña Ruiz Abad who touched me as a teacher, a mother and a friend. That is why up to this moment, Nina is still my favorite and will always be my point of comparison with my other pupils in terms of academic excellence and attitudes. I would like to recall my memories with Niña by way of adjectives, words which I believe can aptly describe my favorite pupil.
NIÑA WAS AN EXCELLENT PUPIL
I can recall several incidents in class when Niña performed above her classmates. Since I was her English teacher, I gave them series of tests after several lessons. And always, Niña got the top score with just 1 or 2 mistakes. One time after I had announced the scores in a periodical test, Niña stayed after class. I wondered why so I asked her, “Why, Niña, do you have a problem?”
Niña answered with her usual humble voice, “Ma’am, what’s my mistake?” I know the number but I wasn’t very sure of.” I answered, “Niña, you need not to worry, You are the highest.”
And she replied. “Basta, Ma’am, please tell me my mistakes.” So I did not have any choice but to tell and explain her mistakes. The same thing happened each time I gave a test and she had some mistakes. Really, Niña was a perfectionist.
NIÑA WAS PERSEVERING AND PATIENT
I remember camping days with Niña and the other Junior Girl Scouts. As a troop leader, I always work closely with the girls. During their time in the elementary school, Niña was one of the patrol leaders. As a patrol leader, Niña was expected to perform her role as a big sister and leader to her youngest schoolmates. In spite of her health condition, she managed to perform her role very well. Aside from these, she never gave up any task assigned them even if it entailed a lot of physical stress. Niña also cooked in their stone stoves. She also helped build their tent, made their patrol flag, practiced their cheers and yells, participated in the games, and did the drills and fancy marching activities. These are the reason why, although she was physically weaker than the other leaders, the girls still enjoyed having her as their leader. They found in her an example of patience and perseverance that are seldom found among rich and spoiled children.
NIÑA WAS OBEDIENT
Niña always obeyed. This was one of her very important characteristics. For her, to obey authorities is a trait of a good girl. And she was right. She is always remembered today as the obedient Niña.
The pupils were assigned fixed cleaning schedules each day. Niña also belonged to one cleaning group and she was also the leader. In spite of her health condition, Niña obeyed school rules. She also cleaned on scheduled dates and never escaped from work. She did not attempt to make any “alibi” just to escape from work.
Aside from this, Niña always remembered what were told by her superiors. If the teacher said bring some cleaning materials, she would bring such the following day. When the teacher said that the deadline for the submission of projects would be the next day, she expects Niña to hand in her project the following day. For Niña, the teacher’s are laws which she had to obey. This trait is seldom seen/found among present-day students.
NIÑA WAS SWEET AND LOVABLE
I had the opportunity to be close to Niña. Perhaps this opportunity was brought about by my being her teacher for several years in the elementary grades. Thus, there were occasions when I visited the family in Sarrat most especially on Saturday afternoon. There, I found Niña ready to stay with me while her sister Mary Anne busied herself playing in their little playhouse. Niña simply exchanged jokes with me, lay down beside me, gave her ambitions in life.
One time we also went to their farm in Sta. Maria, Laoag. Of course, we were treated with utmost hospitality. One family served us native delicacies and there I noticed that Niña loved to eat “busi” or rice pops. Although I was already full, Niña kept on offering me more. She volunteered to entertain and make me feel at home with her family.
And most important of all, Niña always remembered red-letter dates. She remembered Teacher’s Day, birthdays, etc. Most of the times, I received from her the nicest gifts of all, the likes of prayer book, rosaries and the bible.
NIÑA WAS GOD-LOVING
The most that I can remember is that Niña was always very near to God. It is not enough to describe her as a religious child, because one could be religious yet deep within is not near to difficult to explain. She had that innocent look in her eyes, cold but sometimes piercing through the heart. When she was my Grade III pupil, her classmates were easily intimidated by just one look straight from her eyes. Her eyes spoke a lot of things. Although she did not utter any words, her eyes seemed to stop any of the bad intentions her classmates would like to play on her. Sometimes when I stare at her pictures I placed on my writing table, I imagine that I am looking at the eyes of Jesus – cold, innocent yet fearsome.
Niña showed me an ordinary way of loving God which is true FAITH. Although I am much older than she, I had experiences in life when I almost lost my trust/faith in God as the fountain of blessings and help. However, I easily recovered from it most especially when I had seen how a young girl could have so much faith. Niña always trusted in God. When she was already sick, she held the statuette of her Sto. Nino like a close companion even when she went to sleep. I wondered how could such a girl be so serious to believe in God when others of her age would be pre-occupied. She was really gifted by the Holy Spirit. She knew God and thus at the very beginning, Niña was already for God.
Conclusion
Finally, Niña was my friend, my daughter, my pupil, and my teacher. Through her simple examples, I learned how it is to be good at all times and how I can also be near to God through Faith.
