As she celebrates her 54th birthday today, Mireya Theresa Andrea Concepcion Bionat said she will also remember the special day of Filipino hero Andres Bonifacio where her third name was derived.

Andrea is also a hero, most especially to her three children who she has provided a good life and education despite her low income, a failed marriage and an illness.

Past regrets for marrying early and not choosing an “ideal man” like her father, Andrea has found love when she served as secretary to former Iloilo Provincial Tourism Officer and now Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) executive director Jerry Bionat.

Andrea narrated that in 1996 after her annulment was granted, she married Jerry who turned out to be a supportive, respectful, loving, accommodating and responsible husband and stepfather.

Their family’s happiness was tested when Andrea was diagnosed with a cranial disease but luckily, she survived the operation four years ago.

She said her children and her husband have played a big role in her fast recovery.

“Bad experiences have made my life seem useless before. But when I met Jerry, I realized that I need to live longer for his, my kids’ and my apos’ sake,” she said, teary-eyed.

Believing that every Ilonggo should be a hero, she reminds them that God has a purpose for things that happen in our lives.*