“Orpan’s” Lola Tining marks her 100th

An old saying goes: You are what you eat.
That is perhaps the reason for this old Chinese belief that eating pancit will bring you the blessing of long, sturdy and exciting life.
Pancit is a popular Asian culinary fixture, made up of long sturdy noodles, mixed with all kinds of other spices and slices of food like pork and chicken, vegetable cuts of carrots and cabbage.
Eat pancit, they say, specially on your birthday, and you will live a long sturdy, and exciting life.
No wonder, birthday celebrations never miss having pancit on the dining table.
May I pay tribute to a grand old lady, who perhaps concocted the most delicious and unforgettable pancit in the history of Dumaguete.
Anastacia Palad Tan Vda. De Wong, or simply Lola Tining, has lived a hundred years.
She marked her centennial year last January 29, 2010 with close family members, relatives and friends.
Not very long ago Lola Tining opened up a “panciteria” (noodle store) in Dumageute called Oriental Panciteria.
Dumaguetenos simply called her widely popular snack center as “Orpan” for short.
When Dumaguete was young then, office workers would drop by Orpan after a days work to savor Lola Tining’s tasty pancit.
Young students would walk downtown to buy pancit at Orpan, paired with hot pandesal.
Orpan is part of Dumaguete history now. Lola Tining has long retired and is enjoying her “bonus” years with a still growing family.
Last January 29, 2010 Anastacia “Tining” Palad Tan Vda. de Wong marked her special day with family members, and children scattered as far away as the middle east.
Lola Tining started her 100th year with a simple morning thanksgiving mass officiated by Father Sagun, together with daughters Rosalina “Rose” Wong-Sun, and Perlita “Meta” Wong-Patero, son in-laws: Antonio “Tony” Patero and Rufino “Dodo” Sun, Jr; grandchildren Joel Wong-Patero, with wife Eleanor, former Dumaguete city councilor Rufino “Chubby” Wong-Sun, Jr II , Jacqueline Wong-Patero, Anna Grace “Hearty” Wong Sun; grandchild Ella Dawn “DJ” Gloria Patero and great great grandchild: Raphael Joshua “Dreamboy” Sun .
Later in the afternoon, Lola Tining’s party continued with a Kasaulugan Sa Pulong (Dry Mass) officiated by Lay Minister Boboy Roda.
Other family members came to honor Lola Tining like sons Villejo Tan-Wong who is based in Cebu, Bayawan based Antonio Tan Wong who came with his son Junior, grandchildren Bais-based Anna Lourd Wong Villanueva with husband and eldest daughter Sarah, and Manila-based Lucky Wong Villanueva, great grandchildren Lovely Sun Mapili based in Valencia who came with her husband Constancio “Yok Yok” Mapili and daughter Trixie Sun Mapili and Dianne Sun.
It has been said that those who live beyond 70 years are living the “bonus years.”
Lola Tining is truly blessed.
Lola Tining lends credence to the old Chinese belief.
Pancit, indeed, means long life.
But in Lola Tining's case, its a hundred years...and counting!
It's probably not because she ate pancit.
It's because she made it.
God bless Lola Tining.
May the bonus years keep coming!

Caption: Standing l to r: Hearty Sun, Jacqueline Patero, Tony Patero, Villejo Wong, Lucky Villanueva, Meta Patero, Rose Sun, Ann-Ann Villanueva, Pastor Tata and Sarah. Sitting l to r: Sweety Patero, DJ Patero, Joel Patero, Lola Tining, Dodo Sun, Dreamboy Sun, Trixie Mapili and Dianne Sun