Guia (Gay) Hernando Bagayas was born on the 27th of September 1939 in Del Monte, Bukidnon. Her parents were Violeta Bernardo Hernando and Juan Conception Bagayas. Her mother was born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte and her father was born in Anao, Tarlac.
She spent her formative years at the Plantation Elementary School in Camp Phillips, Del Monte, Bukidnon. She finished high school at Holy Cross High School (1956) and then studied at Lourdes College in Cagayan de Oro City where she took her Pre-Nursing course. She went to San Juan de Dios Hospital School of Nursing in Manila (1961) and then to La Concordia College where she finished a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing – Cum Laude (Class 1963).
She married Ed Macion on June 12, 1964 in Camp Phillips, Bukidnon and became a proud and dedicated full-time wife and mother to six children. She followed Ed wherever his job brought him – Dumaguete City, Del Monte in Bukidnon, Dolefil in Polomolok, Davao City, and back to Dolefil for the remainder of Ed’s career.
When Ed retired due to illness, they moved to Antipolo (Rizal) to be closer to the best hospitals in Manila and to their children who were working and studying there. They also built a home in Damilag, where Gay was reunited with her siblings. After Ed passed away in September 2003, Gay remained in Damilag but also visited Antipolo occasionally. She travelled to the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland to visit her children and grandchildren.
She passed away in Davao City on August 19, 2009 due to an unexpected aneurysm in her brain.
Gay is fondly remembered as an affectionate, friendly, compassionate, patient, and hard-working person. She lived a colourful life crowned with self-fulfillment, success, happiness, and selfless service to mankind. Her greatness as a mother can be seen in the outstanding family she lovingly built and nurtured with the devotion and support of her loving husband, on the solid foundation of love, faith in God, industry, and courage.
Her epitaph reads:
“She bore the weight of all our cares, and all our hopes and dreams she shares.”