Content creator Mama Lulu has been documenting her return to the Philippines, with her son Oliver posting short clips of their day-to-day adventures during their first week in the country on social media.
On her first day back, Mama Lulu wasted no time trying her favorite Filipino roasted chicken. The following day, she visited the Santa Clara de Manila church and had lunch at a family-favorite restaurant from when they used to live in the country, which also happened to fall on her grandson's birthday.
For day three, the family drove to Tagaytay, where they enjoyed classic bulalo and bought fresh fruits. Mama Lulu fondly recalled memories of the city. "Nung maliliit kayo una tayo diyan sa Picnic Grove, dun kayo naglalaro. And after that kakain tayo ng bulalo," she told Oliver.
On the fourth day, Mama Lulu reunited with her best friends in the country. "'Yan lang naman ang gusto ko today, 'yung kwentuhang kaibigan. Di na kailangan 'yung maraming puntahan at bilhin. Ang kaibigan lang ang today ngayon. Walang masyadong ganap, chismisan lang," she said.
"Dati nung araw magchi-chismisan lang kami kung saan kami magkita sa gilid ng kalye, gate ng bahay namin... Pero ngayon nakaupo na kami sa restaurant. Lahat kami may deperensya na sa tuhod. Happy pa rin ako dahil nagkikita kami magbe-best friends. 'Yun lang kompleto na ako," she remarked.
By day five, she happily showed the pasalubong she received from friends and relatives.
Mama Lulu was surprised by her kids with a trip to the Philippines recently.
In a previously shared video on the Instagram page of Oliver, the latter initially told Mama Lulu that they would be flying to Pennsylvania to visit her daughter. Moments later, he revealed the real destination.
"We're going somewhere but it's not gonna be Pennsylvania. You think we're going for two days. We have to pack for two weeks, not two days. It's not even gonna be United States... For the past couple of months, me and Apple... have been planning a trip to the Philippines for you," Oliver revealed to Mama Lulu.
He added that they had booked her business class tickets, and that all her children will also be travelling to the Philippines.
Overwhelmed, Mama Lulu immediately became emotional. "I am excited... I am happy, thank you. Five (referring to her children) of you, thank you," she remarked.
Oliver later explained why it took nearly two decades for his mom to return to the country. "After my dad passed, mom never really had a reason to go back to the Philippines. Almost all her side of the family was in the US. Her 2 eldest kids are OFW, her 3 youngest were in the US. She was also a senior with disability so it’s hard," he wrote on Instagram.
"Now that her 2 grandkids moved back from Dubai and is studying in the Philippines and we saved up enough, it was the perfect opportunity. Everything aligned," he added.