ALVIN AND HIS FAMILY
(from Alvin Patrimonio Special Magazine of Scorecoard, December 1994)
Alvin Patrimonio is described by his mother Ophelia Patrimonio as “mapagmahal sa pamilya, rehilyoso at talagang mabait na bata. “Naku, bata pa yan, talagang tahimik na at mahiyain. Ang masasabi ko lang sa anak kong ‘yan, e, talagang malapit sa Diyos kaya naman lagi siyang binibigyan ng biyaya at grasya. Sa lahat ng anak ko, ‘yan ang pinakamalapit kay Lord,” his mother says.
Alvin is third in a brood of four born to Mr. and Mrs. Angel Patrimonio. “Bata pa yan, talagang mahilig na sa basketball. Makikita mo ‘yan, pagkagaling sa school, diretso na agad sa court. Kaya nu’ng bata ‘yan, maitim yan dahil laging nakababad sa araw,” his father Angel relates.
“Nu’ng mga 10 years old ‘yan, ang ginagawa niyan, nirorolyo niya yung maliit na tuwalya, tapos may maliit na court sa bahay namin noon sa Paco at doon siya nagsu-shoot. Ang idol niya nu’ng bata pa siya, e, si andy Fields, yung import ng toyota. Maka-toyota ang batang ‘yan, dahil talagang paborito niya si Ramon Fernanadez,” dad angel continues.
“Dahil nakita ko namang mahilig magbasketball, hinayaan ko talagang mag-basketball siya, hinayaan ko talagang mag-basketball siya. He would join barangay tournaments at makikita mo, siya ang lalabas na MVP. Sa Paco, halos lahat ng liga, nalaruan na niya.
“ang nakakatuwa lang dyan sa batang yan, hindi nawalan ng lakas ng loob. Biro mo nu’ng nag-try out sa La Salle, hindi siya nakuha. Ang sama talaga ng loob niya. Then he tried out for Mapua at doon siya finally nakuha. Nu’ng maglaro naman siya, ‘yung first six games niya with MIT, talo lahat.”
Alvin’s coach when he was younger was of course angel himself who’s a formal
player of Jose Rizal College. “Tinuruan ko lang siya ng basics nu’ng laro at
tapos, ako ang tagasundo sa kanya sa school. Siguro, kaya naging mabait na bata
yan, e, talaga naman ‘di rin kami nagkulang ng mommy niya sa pangaral,”
Angel says.
Included in the Patrimonio clan are Allen, jon-jon and Angeli, the only girl in
the family who’s now stewardess. Jon-jon played for the Mapua junior team
several years ago but later on went on to quit and decided on being a pilot.
Allen as you know is that collegiate player from De La Salle University. Allen
is now a member of the Philippine national youth team. “Ang kuya ko, napakabait niyan sa amin. Kahit na may sarili na siyang pamilya,
hindi pa rin niya kami nakakalimutan,” Allen says.
Of course, Allen appreciates the fact that whenever Alvin has a free time, he goes to watch his younger brother’s games for the La Salle Green Archers. Allen joins his brother every weekend at the former’s Cainta residence. “Kapag weekend lang kaming magpapamilya nagkakasama-sama. Kumpleto kami, pupunta kami sa probinsiya, o kaya we take out all our cousins, namamasyal kami. Kapag Christmas naman, lahat kami sa clan namin may reunion. Lahat kami magkakasama.” Allen adds.
Mommy Ophelia has nothing but praises for her son. “Talagang noon pa mang bata yan, masipag na at may ambisyon sa buhay. Hindi naman kami ipinanganak na mayaman at galing din kami sa hirap kaya ‘yang si Buboy (alvin’s nickname) sanay ‘yan sa hirap. Kaya malapit ang damdamin niyan sa mga kapuspalad kasi galing din siya sa ganoon. sIguro nakita niya kung paano kami naghirap noon kaya ipnangako niya sa sarili niya na iaahon niya kami at bibigyan ng mas mabuting buhay.”
What does she miss most with his son Alvin? “Siyempre, na-mi-miss ko ‘yung
time na lagi kaming magkasama. Pero alam mo na, tumatanda na rin naman si Alvin
at may sarili na rin siyang pamilya. But we will always understand. “yung mga
time naman na kailangan namin siya, e lagi rin siyang nandiyan at never siyang
nakalimot sa amin,” the mother relates.