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Mommy Lita: Eighty-Eight Years of Stories and Love
- Clariza Guillermo
- Jul 26
- 12 min read
Updated: Jul 27
Long before Facebook, Mommy Lita already knew how to keep up with everyone.
She did not need a news feed, a group chat, or a notification. All she needed was a conversation and her favorite questions: What? Where? When? And why? Family, friends, new acquaintances, and even Grab drivers are never strangers for very long when Mommy Lita is around.
At 88 years old, Mommy Lita Canovas Forteza has lived through decades of extraordinary change. She was born before social media, video calls, and the internet became part of everyday life. But even before technology made connecting with others easier, she was already doing what she does best: bringing people together through stories, curiosity, kindness, and love.
And because eight has always been her lucky number, turning 88 feels especially fitting. Two eights. Double the luck, double the celebration, and perhaps double the number of questions she will ask before the evening is over.
Lita Canovas Forteza was born on July 28, 1938. She was the fifth of six children, with three boys and three girls in the family. Today, her eldest sister is her only surviving sibling.
Her parents, Balbina Deju and Ramon Canovas, came from Barcelona, Spain. They spoke Spanish, and the family’s European roots could be seen in their features. When Lita was born, she had very fair skin and blonde hair, which earned her the affectionate nickname “Rusa,” or Russian.
Many of her baby photographs were kept in Palawan, while her childhood took her through places such as Palawan, Manila, and Sibol. She was still very young when her family found themselves in Manila during the Liberation.
At only six or seven years old, she had already witnessed how quickly life and the world around her could change.
From the age of seven until her teenage years, she lived in Sibol. Sibol Springs in San Miguel was once known for its sulfur waters, bathhouses, and family excursions. Her grandparents built and owned the International Hotel of Sibol, which welcomed many prominent personalities during its time.
The hotel became one of the places that shaped many of Mommy Lita’s childhood memories, including the family’s experiences during World War II. As the family helped care for the hotel, Mommy Lita took an interest in decorating, while her sister was placed in charge of cooking. Even then, her love for beautiful spaces was already beginning to show. Mom's blonde hair
She studied at the St. Paul branch in San Miguel de Mayumo. Despite the challenges her family experienced, Lita was an excellent student.
From Grade 1 to Grade 6, she consistently belonged to the honor roll. She became valedictorian in Grade 5 and salutatorian in Grade 6.
She was apparently expected to become valedictorian again, but the honor went to the teacher’s child. We will leave that story there.
Regardless, it was always clear that Mommy Lita was intelligent. She later continued her secondary education in Cebu with the support of her eldest sister. But quiet? Absolutely not.
During high school, she and her best friend were sometimes sent outside the classroom because they talked too much. After class, they were required to repeatedly write, “I will not talk again.”
It was a reasonable attempt by their teachers, but it was simply not successful.
Even then, her curiosity was already one of her defining qualities. She wanted to understand people and hear their stories.
She could not have known then that her life was about to become part of a love story filled with determination, adventure, devotion, and a little bit of comedy.
It began when Lita visited Tia Charing. Her cousin Carmen had been chosen as a muse for a basketball tournament at the Nichols Air Base grandstand. Lita accompanied her, and it was there that a young man named Amadeo Jr. first saw her.
According to the story, Amadeo looked at Lita and immediately declared, “Gusto ko ’to pakasalan.” Not, “I would like to introduce myself.” Not, “I hope she agrees to have coffee with me.” He went directly to marriage. The man had vision.
Amadeo, who would later become a one-star general, even went to Quiapo Church to pray that she would be his. He first researched and visited the house where he thought Lita was staying, only to discover that she had already returned to Sibol. But he was not easily discouraged. He asked around, found out where she lived, and traveled all the way there to see her.
Getting to Sibol was not a simple drive. He had to pass through rough roads, open fields, forests, and one barrio after another. The directions were probably something like, “Dumeretso ka. Kumanan ka. Kumaliwa ka. Kapag nakita mo na ang biyak na bato, malapit ka na.” All that was missing is “tumumbling ka”.
When he finally arrived, he even saw one of Mommy Lita’s siblings bathing in a drum and had to ask where he needed to go. But before he could approach Lita, Amadeo first had to pass an interview conducted by her mother. There were many questions before he was finally allowed to climb the eight steps leading up to the house.
Perhaps Mommy Lita’s love for questions was inherited after all.
When Amadeo finally met Lita properly, she behaved exactly as a young woman of her upbringing was expected to behave. She was reserved, dignified, and very proper. She had not attended a coeducational school and was not accustomed to being around young men. She was cautious and took pride in carrying herself well.
As Mommy Lita herself would later admit, “Una, hindi ko siya gusto.”
Amadeo may have been charming and handsome, but Lita was not going to make things easy for him. At first, she only saw him as a “kuya.”
Winning Lita’s heart was no simple task. Amadeo courted her for nearly a year, and throughout that time, he showed his devotion not only through words but through service. Whenever her family faced an emergency, he was there to help. On one occasion, he drove for them while repeatedly slapping himself just to remain awake. There were also times when he slept in uncomfortable places simply so he could stay longer and remain close to Lita and her family.
He never complained. He continued to help, support, and prove that his intentions were sincere. Perhaps that was what slowly changed Lita’s heart.
One evening, when it was already getting late, she told him, “Uwi ka na. Gabi na.” But Amadeo remained persistent, and after nearly a year of courtship, Lita finally gave him the answer he had been waiting for: “O sige na nga.”
On January 11, 1958, Lita and Amadeo officially became girlfriend and boyfriend. Amadeo was so proud that he even asked Lita to put it in writing so he would have proof to show his friends.
There was no Facebook relationship status in 1958. Apparently, a signed document was the next best thing. Mommy Lita also remembers their first kiss quite clearly. According to her, Amadeo was, in her own words, “Magaling humalik.” Some memories simply remain vivid, even after many decades.
However, even after they became a couple, Lita’s family remained very protective. Before their wedding, one of her aunts reportedly said, “Payagan na natin mag-date si Lita. Bukas naman ikakasal na.”
They allowed her to go out with him but still sent someone along as a chaperone. So even though they were getting married the following day, Mommy Lita still did not experience a proper solo date. To this day, she remembers that they could not even watch The Bridge on the River Kwai alone together.
Lita and Amadeo were married on June 1, 1958. It was a military wedding, and she walked beneath a ceremonial arch of swords. Amadeo handled many of the wedding arrangements himself, and that thoughtfulness would continue throughout their marriage.
Mommy Lita described the way he cared for her with these words: “He took care of me like a baby, but he treated me like a queen.”
She became a devoted and hands-on wife and mother. She cooked, went to the market, cared for the children, bathed them, fed them, and managed the household. She poured her heart and energy into raising their five children: Joey, Jimmy, Chary, Shirley, Caloy, and Paolo.
Much of her happiness came from seeing her children build good lives and create families of their own. Their accomplishments, happiness, and success became part of her own joy.
Amadeo also supported her love in many different ways. One unique way is his support for her love of beautiful things. Through the years, he gave her watches, bags, figurines, flowers, and many other gifts. When she misplaced an earring, he helped her search everywhere for it. When she forgot something, he did not become angry. When she missed her aunt, he would fetch her so they could spend time together.
There was also the time Mommy Lita decided to cut her long hair because she wanted a change and thought shorter hair would be easier to maintain. Amadeo became upset and reportedly remained tampo for more than a week.
Mommy Lita responded, “Buhok lang pala ang mahal mo sa akin.”
Their marriage was filled with stories like these: small moments of affection, humor, and companionship that became more meaningful with time.
They traveled through Europe together and created many unforgettable memories. Mommy Lita once stood directly on the border between Germany and France, with one foot in Germany and the other in France. They ate paella with family in Spain when Amadeo searched for relatives connected to their roots in Barcelona.
During one trip, Amadeo cooked adobo for the entire family, and the dish became one of the most talked-about moments of the vacation. On another trip to Germany, Mommy Lita unexpectedly got her period, and they struggled to explain to the German women what she needed. Since words were not working, Amadeo used gestures, facial expressions, and his own body to act out what was happening.
It was proof that true love sometimes requires patience, sacrifice, and excellent charades.
Like every married couple, Lita and Amadeo experienced disagreements, challenges, and difficult seasons. Their relationship was not perfect, but Mommy Lita said that her love for him continued to grow because of the way he treated her even during difficult times. Their love did not remain the same as it had been when they were young. It became stronger, deeper, and more meaningful through the years.
Even in old age, they continued holding hands and staying close.
Losing Amadeo marked one of the greatest changes in Mommy Lita’s life. She once said that while her husband was alive, he was her closest companion and her main friend. When she speaks about what she misses most, she remembers his kindness, his companionship, and the way he always made her feel loved.
She also mentions the honeymoon and a few late-night memories. We can leave some stories for the adults in the family. Let us simply note that Mommy Lita specifically said she sometimes missed arguing with Amadeo because making up afterward was worth it.
After his passing, her world slowly opened in a different way. She met more people, became closer to more friends, and allowed herself to build new relationships. She carried the love she had shared with Amadeo into this new chapter of her life.
And although life changed, one lifelong passion remained exactly the same: interior design.
Or, more accurately, being a frustrated interior designer.
Mommy Lita has always loved decorating and arranging the house. She collects trinkets, figurines, watches, crafts, and beautiful objects. She enjoys creating three-dimensional art and finding the perfect place for every decoration.
The only problem is that the “perfect place” can change at any hour of the day, sometimes even at midnight.
When Mommy Lita imagines a better arrangement, the furniture must move. It does not matter how heavy the table is or how comfortable everyone has already become with the current layout. If she decides the sofa would look better on the other side of the room, then somehow, that sofa is going to move.
So whenever you visit Mommy Lita’s home, admire the arrangement but do not become too attached to it. By your next visit, the chair may be in another corner, the figurines may have changed places, and an entirely new display may have appeared.
Every trinket in her home also has a story. If you ever find yourself there, ask her about one. You will surely hear an interesting memory and learn something new.
Her home has never been simply a house. It has always been one of her creative projects and one of the many ways she expresses her love.
That same love is also evident in the way she treats the people around her. Maybe even more. Mommy Lita is sweet, affectionate, and generous with her hugs. She asks how people are doing and takes the time to listen. She cannot bear to see someone in need without trying to help, whether that person is a family member, a friend, or even a stranger. Other people’s happiness makes her happy.
Her generosity is not limited to material things. She helps through her time, her presence, her advice, and her service. One example was the way she cared for Tia Charing. Mommy Lita would visit her at home, tidy her room, cover her with a blanket, and buy her new clothes or anything else she needed.
For Mommy Lita, service should never be forced. It should be voluntary and come sincerely from the heart.
This is why she has become more than simply a mother, grandmother, aunt, or friend. To many people, she is a pillar of her family and her community. Not because of one grand heroic act, but because she continues to show up in small and meaningful ways.
She listens. She advises. She serves. She comforts. She gives. And, of course, she asks what, where, when, and why.
Mommy Lita has also survived serious health challenges throughout her life. She underwent gallbladder surgery in 1975 and later faced a serious bile infection during the COVID years.
It was an especially difficult experience because visitors were restricted and access to her was limited. Her eldest son insisted on being there for her and brought family photographs to remind her of the people waiting for her and to encourage her to keep fighting.
She also survived a carbon monoxide incident. In August 2025, she faced another major health crisis that required admission to the intensive care unit and intubation. Because of everything she has overcome, the family sometimes jokes that she is already living her third life.
Yet these health challenges are only one part of her story. What matters most is that she has reached her 88th year still surrounded by people who love her, still finding reasons to laugh, and still creating new memories.
Even while recovering from illness, she never lost her humor or her appreciation for charming company. She apparently developed a few crushes, including some doctors and people who sent her messages online or through her cellphone.
Her children could only remind her, “Mommy, basta ingat ka. Have fun.” A reasonable reminder for a woman who remains charming at 88.
Through every chapter of her life, Mommy Lita has remained deeply grateful. She is grateful to God, her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, doctors, caregivers, and her devoted bodyguard, Gina. She recognizes the sacrifices her children have made for her and never takes their love for granted.
One of her strongest principles is that we must never forget the people who helped us as we moved forward in life. She believes that lying is useless because when we lie, we are only deceiving God, ourselves, and the person in front of us.
She teaches us not to hold on to bitterness, to serve willingly, to remain grateful for the people who love us, to put God first, to cherish our family, and to value our true friends.
And above all: “Magmahal ka lang nang tunay.”
She believes that when you are good to others, God will bless you in return. You will be loved deeply and given a beautiful life. Perhaps that is why Mommy Lita is surrounded by so much love today. The love she has given throughout her 88 years has found its way back to her.
She once said, “Maybe I am one of the happiest old people.”
Not because her life has always been easy or perfect. It has not. She has experienced uncertainty, hardship, disappointment, loss, illness, and change. But through every season, she chose to remain grateful. She chose to help. She chose to forgive. She chose to laugh. And she chose to love.
Mommy Lita is a daughter, a sister, a niece, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a grandmother, and a friend. She is a patient listener and an enthusiastic storyteller. She is a woman of dignity and strong principles, a loving mother and devoted wife, and a pillar to the people around her.
Mommy Lita, thank you for 88 years of stories, hugs, advice, laughter, and love. May you continue to be surrounded by people who truly love you, just as you have loved and cared for so many throughout your life.
In the years ahead, may you continue to meet new people, hear new stories, help those around you, give more hugs, and ask many more questions.
And may you always have more furniture to rearrange.
Happy 88th birthday, Mommy Lita. You are truly one in a million.
