From alumni coming back for second helpings to undergraduates frequently asking for readings and equipment, the people we sometimes refer to as “Ate,” “Manang,” and “Kuya” are part of every Atenean’s life, sometimes more than we can imagine.
Now we put the limelight on three of Ateneo’s personnel—Manang of Manang’s, MT of the Comm Department, and Ate Alma—who give the term “fruits of labor” a new definition.
Food for thought
When the lunch bell rings, the noise from the Covered Courts diminishes as the eatery beside it starts buzzing with voices of students chatting over meals, and the clanging of utensils against plates. Amidst the hustle and bustle is Puring Rentosa, better known as “Manang” of Manang’s.
“Manang’s does not serve fast food—it’s authentic homemade cooking,” says freshman George Filasol, a frequent Manang’s patron. “It feels so refreshing to go there after a tiring session of PE or a very dragging subject in the afternoon.”
Manang delights in cooking, be it her crisp liempo or that delectable pansit. This was a passion that first bloomed when she played kitchen helper to her grandmother.
And it’s not purely undergrads who enjoy the occasional trip to Manang’s. Manang herself recalls one alumni who dropped by ten years after that last undergraduate taste of her cooking. “Yung [iba] babalik-balik kahit may anak na (Some come back even if they have kids already),” she says.
But it’s not just the stall that keeps Manang bound to the Ateneo. While it seems like she is always in the kitchen, Manang has spent more time being a mother to her only son Junnie, who studied in the Ateneo years ago.
One would think that Manang would pass the work on to someone else and bask in the status she’s earned as the Ateneo’s ‘celebrity cook.’ But that is hardly the case. In her own humble words, “Ako lang taga-luto (I just cook).”
Technically speaking
Working as a technician is a very demanding job. There’s the tedious nature of editing, the need for specialized knowledge, the bushels of panicked cries. But being the go-to guy has allowed Mang Tony Gallano—head technician of the Communication Department—to rack up quite a collection of friends and stories in his 28 years of work.
“Marami na akong nakilalang estudyante (I have known many students),” says MT, as he is called by Comm majors. Getting along with people has been part of his job description ever since, and the students make it easier for him.
“Maraming mababait dito—sinasalubong ka, binabati ka (There are a lot of nice people here—they acknowledge your presence, they greet you),” he says.
Some of the students MT had seen come and go have made him a part of their lives beyond the department. He was named godfather by an alumnus, has theology professor Mike Asis as confidant and basketball buddy, and has a photo with Lea Salonga while documenting an all-expense paid tour with the Ateneo Glee Club of 1985.
Even while work extends to late nights helping students with video editing, MT keeps his spirits up and does what he can. After all, he jokes,“Sa totoo lang, walang yabang, sikat talaga ako (In truth, I’m really famous).”
“Pangga”
One can immediately hear laughter, conversation, and the distinctly-accented word “pangga (love)” amidst the buzz of the photocopying machine at the corner of SEC B. Surrounded by stacks of papers is Alma Fermano, or “Ate Alma.”
With a ready smile for anyone who comes to her station, Ate Alma says she sees students as more than just customers—they’re like her own children. “‘Pag masaya kayong lahat, pangga, masaya na kami (If you’re all happy, love, we also are),” she says, extending her family of three children to thousands of unofficially adopted sons and daughters. “Ate Alma is different. She’s not afraid to get close to the students,” says senior Stephanie Jordan, who owes most of her readings to Ate Alma. “She has such an open and honest personality that even someone who has never met her will feel instantly at ease with her.”
Being the ever-so-dependable photocopy lady, Ate Alma would not wish for anything more than pleasing her customers. “Parang ito na buhay ko (This is like my life now),” she says. “Ang saya dito, na kung pwede lang, sa Ateneo na ako nakatira (It’s so happy here that if only I could, I’d live here).”
As for the ‘celebrity status’ as the most-known personnel in her field, Ate Alma just shrugs off the label with her usual smile. “Lahat naman kami paborito, pangga (We’re all favorites, love),” she says. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos kasi maraming nagmamahal sa akin (I just thank God that a lot of people love me).”
