Photo courtesy of Atty. Kira and Jinky Jiorgio.
MANILA - Newly minted lawyer Kira Jorgio and her single mother Jinky are celebrating milestones this year as they mark Mother’s Day by continuing the fight against prejudice and those who call single moms as “naano lang”.
Jinky’s greatest gift so far as a mother is seeing her daughter Atty. Kira pass the 2022 bar examinations.
But since she was young, Atty. Kira would write letters to her mom on special occasions, not just on mother’s day.
"Every mothers day may surprise siya sa akin susulat-sulat siya ng letter, parang yung dream niya na-achieve niya so parang for me it’s more fulfilling, meaningful. Pero sabi ko nga gusto ko pa rin ng letter," Jinky said.
"Difference ngayong year is okay na, tapos na, I mean hindi pa siya tapos technically but for so long chine-chase ko yung dream na yon so andyan si nanay nakikita niya ang struggles all throughout, so finally nakuha na namin ang dream namin pareho," Atty. Kira said.
While the progressive mom and daughter can brush aside prejudicial comments against single moms, they also had their fair share of struggles.
"Sabi nga niya pag fathers day or family day may tatay kumpleto sila, minsan nagtitinginan lang kami tas nagtatawanan. Hindi ko naman siya nakitang negative, more of two of us is enough," Jinky added.
"Hindi ko naman siya nakita as a struggle kasi at an early age nasabi sa akin na single mom si nanay wala kang dad. Although mahirap siya i-grasp for a child na surrounded, for me enough na yung explanation na iyon," Atty. Kira added.
But one thing that mom and daughter cannot accept was when single mom’s were branded as “naano lang”, which prompted Atty. Kira to honor her mom in a Facebook post in 2017.
Atty. Kira said in the post that “naano lang” had to juggle several jobs, work on weekends and travel to far-flung areas just to make sure she was “well-fed and I had a cozy bed to sleep in.”
Up to this day, Jinky would always repost on her social media account Atty. Kira's heartfelt tribute for her and other single mothers.
"Kaya ko yata nasulat iyon just to remind the public na yun nga, yung mga single parents kasi mas nagsa-struggle sila bilang may notion nga yung public na, 'Ah baka kulang siya.' So double talaga ang effort, so parang gusto kong i-dispel yung notion na hindi porke't single mom or single parent ka kulang ka. Kasi what matters is kaya mo bang i-provide ang kailanga ng anak mo or sarili mo. So yun ang nagma-matter kaya nagalit ako," Atty. Kira said.
"Ako na-offend for other people kasi for them to be parang nasaktan kasi yung iba, na-single kasi sila somebody is telling something bad about them, pero sa akin hindi ah, anong naano, baka kayo ang naano," Jinky said.
There may be the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act but Jinky and Atty. Kira did not exactly benefit from the law as economic benefits are exclusive for indigents.
But for the Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau, it is time to amend the law to be more inclusive, not just to indigent solo parents.
"Dapat tingnan natin, i-revisit natin ang indigecy kasi baka masyadong mababa ang cutoff ng sweldo na pasok sa ind therefore kahit na tingin natin hindi pasok sa depinisyon pero pwede sana baka tingnan. Sana may mga benefits talaga na kahit na ikaw ay medyo nakakaalawan ang buhay ay nakakakuha ka pa rin kasi sa bandang huli kalahati ka lang nung dapat ay dalawa kayo na nagre-raise ng pamilya niyo so tingin ko dapat irevist yun ng ating mga legislators," Jelen Paclarin, Women’s Legal And Human Rights Bureau said.
But whatever struggles solo parents and their children are facing, Jinky and Atty. Kira advise those in similar situations to stay strong.
"Bakit importante ang sasabihin ng iba, as long as wala kang ginagawang masama wala kang tinatapakan, inaapi, okay 'yun eh, ikaw 'yun eh, sarili mo yun. Be confident enough na the reason why ibinigay sa iyo is kaya mo, hindi lang kakayanin mo. Kaya mo," Jinky said.
"Appreciate whatever your parents could provide and if nakikita mo na nags-stuggle ang parent or parents, siguro try to help them to get through that kasi important na may strong family bond para yung mga ganyang bagay na sinasabi ng iba, hindi na talaga magma-matter sa inyo," Atty. Kira said.