A TRIBUTE TO A TRUE FRIEND... TURING

FLORENTINO Mariano Maliwat, the man who introduced ready-to-wear (RTW) apparel and made “maong” a craze in the country, is gone at 86.

“I feel half complete. The moment I leave the house, I feel something is missing. One in a million si Pareng Turing. Mahigit pa sa magkapatid ang tinginan namin. He was like a guardian angel,” said an emotion-filled Mayor Alfredo S. Lim when he heard of Maliwat’s demise.

Maliwat or Daddy Turing to those who endear him, earned his quiet recognition as the constant companion of Manila Mayor Fred Lim.

Daddy Turing was a permanent fixture at the mayor’s office and wherever Lim went.

Lim’s unique friendship with Mang Turing goes all the way back to the late ’40s when the mayor was still a working FEU high school student at a shop in Tabora that sold tailoring needs. Maliwat then was a budding entrepreneur trying to introduce RTW at a time when everyone depended on customized tailoring, by buying cloths “por kilo” for mass production.

“Mcomber ang tatak ng mga RTW ni Pareng Turing. ’Pag naka-Mcomber ka, sikat ka. Sa mga kabataan, ’pag ’di ka naka-Mcomber, ’di ka in,” said Lim.

From time to time, Maliwat would drive his worn-out jeep and personally make a list of the buttons, threads and other needs for his growing factory. He would then hand over the list to Lim who would tell Maliwat to come back after an hour. Lim carried the box all the way to Azcarraga (now Recto) where Maliwat’s jeep was parked.

“Nu’ng talagang close na kami, minsan itinanong ko sa kotse: Pare, wala nga pala akong naaalala na nagbigay ka sa akin ng tip kahit minsan. Bakit ’di mo ko binibigyan ng tip noon? Ang sabi ni Pareng Turing: ’Di naman uso ang tip noon ah. ’Tsaka trabaho mo naman ’yun, ’di ba?” Lim fondly recalled.

When Lim entered the police force, the two lost contact and chanced upon each other when Lim was already NBI director.

The two have been together ever since. Sometimes, they hook up as early as 5 a.m. up to late evening, Mondays till Sundays.

Every morning, Turing would go to Lim’s house with a bag of the latter’s favorite pandesal. “Sagot ko naman ang palaman,” the mayor said.

After breakfast, they will board the same vehicle and fulfill Lim’s itinerary for the day. After that, Turing would have Lim taken home before he himself heads for his residence. It became the darling duo’s daily routine.

Lim said Turing is extra thoughtful, offering him something to eat from time to time especially on a long day and making sure the mayor was already safely home before going to rest himself.

“May mga dala siyang empanada at makakain. Tatanungin ako kung gutom na ’ko o nauuhaw dahil may mga maiinom din sa loob ng kotse niya,” the mayor said, adding that Turing was also ever ready with crisp bills of various denominations in his pockets, especially since it had been Lim’s habit to occasionally stop in places where there are many children to give away P20 bills.

Lim also never got to buy his own car aside from the old one he owns, since Turing would resent the idea of him boarding another vehicle.

“Minsan sumakay ako sa kotse ng iba kasi naimbitahan ako na sumakay, sinabi sa akin ng driver na kung puwede ’wag na daw ako sasakay sa ibang kotse dahil mainit ang ulo ni Pareng Turing maghapon,” Lim said.

Notably, the mayor took pleasure in recounting how possessive Turing was of their friendship, as Turing would not say a word the whole day when Lim once boarded another vehicle on the way to another affair.

He also took pride in the fact that they “clicked” because they can relate to each other in many ways, like, having inched their way to success almost simultaneously and having grown up in Tondo.

As Turing made money, he bought every lot sold to him at 50 cents up to P2 per square meter, until he was able to provide all his children -- Tessie, Lourdes, Dolly, Rosie, Boy, Rene and Florena -- their own houses and lots and became richer by being landed.

“Walang mataas na tinapos si Pareng Turing pero nabigyan siya ng award ni dating President Diosdado Macapagal who then commissioned a team to look for a perfect success story. Talaga kasing rags to riches siya,” said Lim.

Turing’s gargantuan house in a posh village has one big room dedicated only for Lim’s memorabilia -- photos of them together since they were a lot younger, election pins, IDs issued by Lim to him as a consultant in all of the offices he held, campaign T-shirts and many more.

On that fateful Monday when Turing succumbed to stroke, Lim said he had barely taken his seat at the office when he heard that the car left his garage in city hall to take Turing to the hospital.

There, Turing refused to get out of the car and said he was already okay but his driver, Boy, along with ret. Col. Franklin Gacutan, insisted especially since he showed breathing difficulties.

Lim naturally followed and was there as Daddy Turing breathed his last.

Daddy Turing will be laid to rest at the North Cemetery tomorrow morning (04/13/2008). His remains lie in state at the Christ the King chapel in Green Meadows, Quezon City.

Farewell Mang Turing! May your soul rest in peace.