By Jovit D. Caballero

September 17, 2023, 6:00 AM. Chacha squeezes into a jeepney, exhaustion pressing down on her after a long shift as a toll teller at SCTEX Tipo Plaza. It is her rest day—a brief escape from work, a chance to breathe. More than anything, she looks forward to her usual video call with her son, Charleston Kurt or CK, the one who gives her strength to push through each week. But as the city slowly wakes, she remains unaware that this day will not bring comfort but will deliver a nightmare. In just a few moments, she will be forced to grow in ways she never imagined, and her world will change forever.

Charmaine Dumas, fondly called Chacha by her colleagues, is a 30-year-old Toll Plaza Operations Associate (TPOA) under Cluster 4 of the Toll Operations Department. She grew up in Infanta, Pangasinan, deeply rooted in the simple yet hardworking life of her family. Her father, a fisherman, would set sail with his peers on a large boat, often spending an entire week at sea before returning home with their catch. Meanwhile, her mother, a laundress, stayed behind to care for Chacha and her four siblings, ensuring they had food on the table despite their modest means. Though life was never easy, Chacha took pride in her humble beginnings.

As the second eldest among her siblings, Chacha often accompanied her mother in her laundry work to lend a hand, while their eldest sibling took on the responsibility of caring for the younger ones. Growing up, they all learned the value of hard work, mastering household chores and finding small ways to save or earn extra money to help their parents. With only five pesos in her pocket on her way to Cato Elementary School, she understood the struggles her family faced, yet her parents never let financial struggles hinder their education. Despite these challenges, Chacha remained a consistent honor student and actively participated in Girl Scout activities and pageants, where her confidence and natural grace allowed her to shine.

At Cato National High School, Chacha remained a consistent honor student while discovering her passion for dancing—cheerleading, ballroom, and hip-hop. With her eldest sister graduating and finding work as a babysitter in Batangas, their family’s financial situation slightly improved, as three members were now earning. Determined to pursue further education, she graduated with honors and enrolled at St. Amatiel Technological Institute in Malabon City, taking a vocational course in Associate in Computer Programming. Adjusting to city life was a challenge, but she quickly learned to be independent while staying respectful to her uncle, who provided her with shelter and food during her college years, as her family remained far away.

September 17, 2023, 10:00 AM. Chacha steps into the small apartment she shares with her cousin, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. She quickly changes, freshens up, and climbs into bed, eager for the one moment that always lifts her spirits—a video call with her son, CK. As the screen lights up with his smiling face, he excitedly asks for permission to attend a neighbor’s birthday party at a nearby resort. A moment of hesitation grips her, an unshakable feeling she cannot quite place. But seeing the joy in his eyes and knowing her sister and CK’s cousins will be there, she sets her worries aside and says yes. She has no way of knowing that this one decision will soon become her greatest regret—a choice that will replay in her mind like a cruel, unending echo. And then, with a relieved sigh, she took her long-awaited sleep.

After graduating from college, Chacha wasted no time seizing every opportunity that came her way. Her first job took her to the Infanta, Pangasinan Municipal Hall, where she conducted a door-to-door census for three months. She then moved to Olongapo City, working as a Production Operator in a computer parts factory, a role she held for seven months before returning to her hometown. It was in her third job as a clerk in the mining industry, tasked with checking delivery receipts, that she met the man who would become her partner—a truck driver in the same company. Their connection was instant, and they quickly became inseparable. However, their newfound stability was short-lived, as the company shut down after a year, leaving them both in search of new jobs.

Chacha quickly secured a new job at another factory in Olongapo City. Just a few weeks later, a Senior Toll Teller friend reached out and encouraged her to apply at NLEX Corporation. When she was hired, she and her partner decided to settle in Bataan and start a life together. Not long after, her partner also found work as a driver for Victory Liner. After a few months of living together, in 2018, they received the greatest blessing she could ever imagine—Chacha was pregnant with their son, CK.

During her pregnancy, Chacha watched as her partner changed drastically—his temper exploding, his jealousy getting out of control, and the abuse escalating despite her condition. When CK was born in March 2019, she returned to Infanta and left her son in her family’s care while she and her partner worked. Over the next four years, things only got worse. Her partner jumped from job to job, his impatience and anger made it difficult to keep working. Whenever he was unemployed, they would take CK to live with them in Bataan, but those times were far from peaceful. The abuse became unbearable, and CK was often caught in chaos. One fateful night, with nothing but sheer courage and her son in her arms, Chacha seized the chance to escape. Desperate, she reached out to friends for help and made her way back to Infanta. Without any formal closure, she and her partner went their separate ways, leaving Chacha to embrace life as a single mother, solely responsible for CK.

September 17, 2023, 2:00 PM. Chacha was deep in sleep when a frantic shake jolted her awake. Disoriented, she barely registered her cousin on the phone—until her sister’s trembling voice pierced through, “Chacha! Nalunod si CK!” Her mind went blank. Heart pounding, she forced out the only question she could manage, “Kamusta na siya ngayon?” But the next words shattered her world: “Wala na si CK!” For a moment, she sat frozen, unable to comprehend the nightmare unfolding. Then, as the weight of the truth crashed down, she let out a heartbreaking cry. Chacha gasped for air, shaking, sobbing, screaming. She and her cousin rushed to the nearest van bound for Pangasinan, the four-hour journey stretching like forever as tears streamed down her face, each mile a reminder that the only person who was her reason to live was now gone.

September 17, 2023, 8:00 PM. Chacha finally arrived home, her heart pounding as she rushed inside. The moment her eyes found CK’s lifeless body, she collapsed beside him, cradling him in her arms as desperate sobs escaped her lips. “Gising na, anak, nandito na ako” she pleaded, rocking him gently, as if her warmth could bring him back. She held him close, unwilling to let go. She clung to him, whispering all the things she never thought she would have to say so soon. It was not until midnight until grief drained the last of her strength. It was only then, when her body could no longer hold on, that her family gently stepped in to prepare him for his final rest.

She may never see CK grow into the man he was meant to be, never witness his milestones or hear him call her “Mama” again. But his presence will never leave her. Chacha’s journey is one of unimaginable pain. Nothing could have prepared her for this devastating loss, forcing her to navigate a grief no mother could ever bear. And yet, even in the depths of sorrow, she remains standing. For Chacha, it is the beginning—of learning to carry CK not in her arms, but in her heart. Because love, even in loss, does not fade—it only grows.

Today, Chacha continues to live in her apartment in Olongapo City with her cousin, finding solace in work, while frequently returning to Infanta, Pangasinan for holidays and family gatherings, holding CK’s memory close with every step she takes.

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