At 73, Lola Concepcion remains a devoted guardian to an abandoned Angel

Sunday, September 9, is National Grandparents Day. GMA News and Public Affairs is paying tribute to their unconditional love by sharing their incredible stories.

It's been more than a decade since Lola Concepcion Manasis Mercado reached the retirement age. She should be taking it easy, but instead, she continues spends her days working to make sure that her granddaughter Angel has a bright future.

Her Angel was abandoned at the age of two and since then, Lola Concepcion has been standing in as both mother and father. 

"Wala po kasi si Mama tsaka si Papa, iniwanan nila ako. Mahal ko si lola kasi pinag-aral niya po ako. Pinalaki niya po ako tapos po inalagaan niya po ako. Siya na lang po ang nagbuhay sa akin," Angel, now 10, says of her Lola Concepcion. 

Lola Concepcion, now 73, likewise adores her Angel. All her aches from working hard are reduced to mere inconvenience when she sees that her apo studying hard.

"Kahit ako pagod, 'pag nakikita ko siya, parang masaya na ko sa kanya, parang nag-ano ang pagod ko... naalis." 

Each day starts at 4 am. Lola Concepcion prepares breakfast and takes Angel to school. After that, she heads to the market looking for fish to clean and sell. It's not easy, but she says she'll work well into her 80s if necessary. Her dream is for Angel to get a college degree. 

"Hangga’t kung makaya ko, 85. Hanggang kaya ko pang maghanapbuhay. Hanggang kaya ko pang maghanapbuhay."

Angel, meanwhile, dreams of becoming a doctor. She wants to heal her Lola's aching legs. 

Both Lola Concepcion and Angel have earned the admiration of the people around them. Though they were both left behind, they find strength in each other every day. — AT, GMA News