"Sinigang" Short Story

The short story Sinigang, written by Marie Aubrey Villaceran in 2001, tells the story of Liza, the protagonist, dealing with the issue of her father’s extramarital affair with Sylvia, which resulted in the birth of a son, Lem. The story is set in Liza’s home, where she and her Tita Loleng make Sinigang for  the family supper because it is her father’s favorite meal. During the prepping and cooking, Tita Loleng inquires about Liza’s interactions with Sylvia in the aftermath of Lem’s death from cancer. Tita Lolengs’s inquiries regarding the methods for cooking Sinigang provoked flashbacks in the story, exposing not just vivid recollections of how Liza learned about her father’s other family, but also how uneasy she felt about it. 

Liza and her Tita Loleng are preparing Liza's favorite food, Sinigang, at the opening of the story. It was almost never Liza's turn to assist her Tita Loleng in the preparation of sinigang. Today, however, Liza was assigned by her Tita Loleng with selecting the veggies to be used in the Sinigang. During cooking, they talked about Liza, who had attended the funeral of her half-brother, Lem. Lem died of cancer, but it was obvious he was her father's son. Lem was not always the kindest to Liza when he was still alive. He once called Liza "sinverguenza", the shameless daughter, despite the fact that he was an acolyte for the church.

She remembered being greeted by Lem's mother during the funeral, complaining that she wasn't as pretty as her mother. Lem's mother asked for forgiveness from Liza, who just nodded. Liza always wondered who the boy who kept calling her father on the phone every day was. But Lem's mother took his gesture as a yes and hugged Liza. She remembered that Liza smelled like perfume and sweat and didn't move to avoid seeming rude. Now that Liza had the answer, it broke her heart. She was always her father's girl. When the coffin was lowered during Lem's burial, Liza's father looked at her and apologized. The sinigang that she and her Tita Loleng had prepared will be served for dinner that night. As in the past, all will be the same, but different. Her dad will tell her mom about his day, and then ask each of them about theirs. He will compliment her about the Sinigang they cooked, and she will smile at him just as she always did. However, this time even her eyes won't reach her smile.

Note: This article is subjected for a school requirement and for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. 

Published by: Khrisha Mae Q. Capale and Jhon Cedrick C. Garcia

Grade 11 ABM-JQP

Talipan National High School 

Pagbilao, Quezon