When Gloria Romero was on the verge of being a movie queen early in the 1950s, she asked permission from Dr. Jose Perez, the boss of her home studio, Sampaguita Pictures, if she could take a few days off from film work to visit the grave of her mother in time for All Saints’ Day. Her mother, Mary Galla, who died on the eve of liberation in 1945, was buried at the municipal cemetery of Mabini in Pangasinan.

Dr. Perez, of course, was going to give her the time off. But the star-builder tried to figure out in his head how Gloria was going to make the trip to Pangasinan. Gloria didn’t have a car yet and regularly took a cab from her rented Kamuning home to the Sampaguita studios in Gilmore, Quezon City. 

The first question Dr. Perez asked Gloria after he said yes was: “Paano ka pupunta ng Pangasinan (How are you going to get to Pangasinan)?” Gloria’s quick reply: “Sasakay po ako ng Pantranco (I will ride the Pantranco bus).”

Dr. Perez couldn’t believe his ears. Shaking his head, he reminded Gloria: “Pero may pangalan ka na (But you are already known)!”

In a determined, but still respectful tone, Gloria shot back: “Doc, wala na po akong pakialam (Doc, I don’t care anymore)!”

And so, Gloria took the Pantranco, which is short for Pangasinan Transportation Company.  She was able to pay her respects to her mother’s remains in Pangasinan and still had time to bond with her cousins, who all affectionately called her “Goyang.” 

Returning to Manila, she took the Pantranco bus again and, at the station, she was met by a man who told her: “Pinasusundo po kayo ni Dr. Perez (Dr. Perez is having you fetched).”

Gloria took one look at the car – a maroon Studebaker - and said: “Hindi ‘yan ang kotse ni Dr. Perez. That’s not Dr. Perez’s car).” The man’s reply: “Sa inyo po ang kotseng ‘yan – kasama ako (That car is yours, including myself).” Dr. Perez had thoughtfully bought a car for the studio’s new hot property and that was the same automobile Gloria used for many years every time she had to go visit her mother’s grave in Pangasinan.

When her father, Pedro Galla, died in 1977, Gloria also had him buried in Pangasinan beside Mary. Gloria, therefore, had to travel more often to her hometown to visit the graves of her parents, particularly on All Saints’ Day.

In 2012, however, Gloria decided to have the remains of her parents exhumed and transferred to a location close by. She was turning 80 and no longer had the strength to travel long distances.