In the quiet town of Dalaguete, Cebu, a personal drama unfolds, forcing a young woman to choose between the suffocating love of a parent and the promise of a new life with her spouse. The story of Ana Fe, her mother Domine, and her husband Roberto captures a timeless struggle within Filipino families.
The Weight of a Necklace and a Mother's Shadow
Ana Fe sat before her dresser, her reflection a silent witness to her inner turmoil. She opened a drawer and carefully took out a gold necklace, a gift from her mother, Domine, upon her high school graduation as valedictorian. That day, only her mother attended; her father, Melo, was absent. Their marriage had crumbled under the weight of Domine's extreme jealousy and controlling nature, which dictated all family decisions. Melo's patience finally snapped after a night out with friends led to false accusations from Domine, resulting in a physical altercation and his final departure. He later attended Ana Fe's wedding to Roberto to give her away, a rare moment of paternal presence.
A Marriage Under Siege
Ana Fe's own marriage now faced a similar threat. Roberto had suggested they live separately from Domine, whose intrusive behavior poisoned their marital decisions and even their family planning. "It would be better if we lived apart so we can truly steer our own lives," Roberto argued. But Ana Fe was torn, worried about leaving her mother alone. The tension culminated in Roberto's firm declaration: "You are chained by your mother's neck! I will move out." True to his word, he rented an apartment, leaving Ana Fe in the family home with Domine.
The Final Decision
One evening, Ana Fe confronted her mother. "Ma, I will go to Roberto." Domine reacted with predictable anguish, accusing Ana Fe's husband of being like her father and labeling them both heartless. In a powerful symbolic act, Ana Fe removed the gold necklace from her throat—the very symbol of her mother's influence and their bond—and handed it back. "I'm returning this to you because it is yours." After dinner that same night, Ana Fe said her goodbyes to Domine and left to join her husband, finally choosing her own path forward.
This poignant narrative from Ilaya, Cawayan, Dalaguete, Cebu, illustrates the painful but sometimes necessary journey of breaking free from familial control to claim one's own destiny and protect one's marriage.
