Evelyn Abueva, Calvin’s mother, pose for the camera. Photo by Randolph Leongson
Evelyn Abueva couldn’t be more proud of son Calvin’s stint with Gilas Pilipinas so far.
The 52-year-old Evelyn has been supportive of Calvin’s from the get go–from his blacktop days in Pampanga to the NCAA with San Sebastian, the PBA with Alaska and now with the national team.
“Sobrang proud ako dyan kasi ang layo na nang narating nya,” she said. (I’m so proud of him because he has achieved so much.)
With Calvin being one of the most polarizing figures in the Philippine basketball scene, Evelyn admitted that the jeers sometimes hurts her more than it does her son.
Calvin’s energy and grit has made him one of the guys who you would love to have on your team but you would hate to go up against, and the the mother think it’s the reason why he gets hate.
“Alam ko naman yung mga ganun eh. Pag Ginebra nga di ba, grabe sya i-boo, pero kung alam mo lang, gustong gusto nila makuha si Calvin,” she said.
(I know those stuff. Whenever it’s a Ginebra game, the boos are always so loud, but you know that they would love to have Calvin on their team.)
And as Calvin slowly makes his mark in the international scene with his patented intensity, Evelyn is convinced his son deserves a spot with Gilas Pilipinas.
“Deserving talaga sya sa Gilas. Kita mo naman sa laro, walang makatapat sa kanya. Di yan aatras kahit gano pa kalaki yung kalaban nila. Ganyan kami sa Pampanga pa. Yan ang anak ko,” she said.
(He’s really deserving to be in Gilas. You could see it in the games, there’s no one who can match him. He won’t back down no matter how big the opponents are. That’s how we were back in Pampanga. That’s my son.)