True friendship never grows old

How Lolo Juno and Lolo Miggy's lifelong friends kept their bond alive through decades of change

- By IANE MACASIEB

HANGOUT SPOT They shared laughter and good memories at one of the beloved food spots in the country.

Friendship is a universal bond found in all human societies.

In Filipino culture, it holds special significance—a wholesome kind of love found in companionship. Even the Tagalog word for “friend,” kaibigan, comes from the root word ibig, meaning “love.”

Most people define friendship as a special relationship between two or more people who care for each other and enjoy spending time together. Such a bond is usually built on trust, mutual respect, and support.

Lolo Juno and Lolo Miggy, both 84, consider friendship one of life’s greatest treasures.

Last September, a photo of Lolo Miggy Felipe and Lolo Juno Galang sharing a heartfelt moment at SM San Lazaro went viral, capturing the hearts of Filipinos online. Lolo Juno shared the story behind the photo, explaining that they were having a simple reunion because one of their friends, who is based in the U.S., had returned home to the Philippines.

“Hindi namin naisipan mag-reunion kung hindi nila sinabi na si Manolo darating galing New York. Sabi namin, ‘Sige, let’s get together na, magkita-kita tayo ngayon sa may SM San Lazaro dahil pamilyar kami sa Maynila’ (We wouldn’t have thought of having a reunion if they hadn’t said that Manolo was coming from New York. We said, ‘Alright, let’s get together and meet up today at SM San Lazaro since we're familiar with Manila’),” Lolo Juno shared.

What started as a simple get-together among old friends turned into a touching reminder that true friendship can endure through the years.