Like real friends: Maria Holfina (left) and Marjories Abastas (right) with Barangay Captain Lourdes Ramirez (Center).
Medellin, Cebu—Cebuano netizens witnessed how the feud between two empowered women—who recently made headlines on social media in the last two weeks, ended with forgiveness and reconciliation.
The person who helped the two patch up was also a woman. She is Santo Niño Barangay Captain Lourdes Ramirez.
Ramirez, 66, stood as the mediator between the controversial Maria Amy Hofilña and Marjorie Abastas. She felt both relieved and honored to be the woman who helped solve this trending case.
“You know very well nga grabe kaayo ni ka sensationalized. Imagine, millions of viewers,” said Ramirez.
(You know very well this was sensationalized. Imagine, [that video had] millions of viewers.)
“Just this afternoon, when I bought some bread in one of the bakeshop, one lady approached me telling me ‘Kap, maayo kay nahusay nimo si Maria ug Marjorie.’ Na amazed ko.. Hala no? Na apil diay ko sa trending. But beyond that, im so happy for them both,” Ramirez told CDN Digital in an interview.
(Just this afternoon, when I bought some bread in one of the bakeshop, one lady approached me telling me ‘Kap, it’s goof that you were able to help settle the case of Maria and Marjorie.’ I was amazed! I was also trending. But beyond that, I’m so happy for them both.)
Hofilña and Abastas, the women behind the viral confrontation video about an unpaid food package balance, agreed to an amicable settlement last Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at the Santo Niño Barangay hall with the help of Ramirez.
READ: Confrontation over ‘unpaid’ food package balance goes viral
READ: Food package controversy ends with forgiveness and reconciliation
When asked how she did it, she said all she did was give them time and space. That took about 20 to 30 minutes.
“We started off with a prayer. Maybe the prayer was what touched their hearts. Because I told them to have forgiving hearts. We included in the prayer that they be reconciled, that they will settle amicably because we have to move on. It’s a heavy feeling that we have continue to carry that problem, especially that case,” she said.
“We left them alone so they’d have time to talk to each other, they could say what they want to say without anyone else listening. I told them that the problem can only be solved by the two of them and no one else,” she added.
Ramirez was dubbed “mediator of the year” as netizens lauded her for successful handling of the case of Maria and Marjorie.
Ramirez is on her first term as village captain of Barangay Santo Niño.
She was formerly the Lupong Tagapamayapa of their village.
She presently serves as the Grand Lady of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary in the Cathedral Council 3106 from year 1991 to present.
/bmjo