INSIDE a busy police station in Cabatuan, Iloilo, where radio dispatches echo through hallways and urgent calls can arrive at any moment, Police Captain Mary Dhen Macalisang Gerbolinga carries responsibilities that demand discipline, courage, and resilience.
Every day, she wears the uniform of law enforcement — a symbol of authority and protection.
But beyond the badge, rank, and demanding schedules, she embraces another role that has transformed her life in the most unexpected way: motherhood.
At 29, Gerbolinga has already built a promising career in the police service. Assigned in Iloilo and serving as officer-in-charge of a municipal police station, her days are often consumed by meetings, emergency calls, paperwork, and the constant pressure of leadership.
Yet amid the chaos of duty, one small voice has become her greatest source of strength — her three-year-old daughter, Juris Adira Segovia, with her partner Ralp Stephen.
Her journey into motherhood, however, did not begin with certainty or careful plans.
It began with fear.
“My pregnancy was completely unplanned,” she recalled. “At that time, I was focused on building my career, so when I found out I was pregnant, I honestly felt unprepared.”
Like many women balancing dreams and responsibilities, Gerbolinga found herself torn between ambition and uncertainty. She worried about her career growth and whether she was truly ready to raise a child while carrying the weight of public service.
“I kept asking myself, ‘Kaya ko ba magpadako sang bata?’” she admitted.
But what once felt overwhelming slowly became one of the most meaningful turning points of her life.
As she embraced motherhood, she discovered that raising a child was not merely an additional responsibility — it became her purpose.
Her daughter soon transformed from an unexpected surprise into the center of her world.
“My child became my motivation, strength, and greatest blessing,” she shared.
After long and exhausting shifts, it was the sight of her daughter’s smile that reminded her why she continued to persevere.
Still, the realities of motherhood proved far different from expectations.
She describes parenting as “going through different seasons,” each phase bringing new lessons, adjustments, and sacrifices. There were sleepless nights, moments of doubt, and days when exhaustion felt unbearable.
Yet instead of resisting the hardships, she chose to grow through them.
“There are days filled with joy and days marked by exhaustion, doubts, and tears. But through it all, I choose to stay strong,” she said.
For many mothers, balancing career and family already feels difficult. For a police officer who is expected to be on call 24/7, the challenge becomes even greater.
But Gerbolinga refused to choose between service and motherhood.
Instead, she found a way to embrace both.
Whenever possible, she brought Juris with her — even during work assignments. Her daughter grew up inside police camps, surrounded by officers who became familiar faces in her childhood.
To some, it may have seemed unconventional. To Gerbolinga, it was necessary.
“I didn’t want motherhood to be something I only experienced when I got home,” she explained. “I wanted my child to feel my presence, even during my busy duties.”
Her decision stemmed from a fear shared quietly by many working mothers — the fear of missing irreplaceable moments.
She did not want to lose time and she could never recover.
Instead of separating her two worlds, she adjusted her life to make room for both her profession and her child.
“I realized that time is something we can never get back,” she said. “Instead of choosing between my career and my child, I decided to embrace both roles with pride.”
Behind her strength lies another woman whose sacrifices shaped the mother she is today — her own mother.
Growing up, Gerbolinga witnessed her mother endure painful sacrifices just to provide for their family. Poverty forced her mother to work away from home as a domestic helper before later becoming a fish vendor.
Though physically absent for much of her childhood, her mother’s love remained deeply felt.
“As a child, I grew up mostly independent without her physical presence, but I always understood that her absence was an act of love and sacrifice,” she shared.
From her mother, she learned resilience, perseverance, and selflessness — values she now carries into both motherhood and public service.
But perhaps the greatest lesson she learned was the importance of presence.
Having grown up longing for more moments with her own mother, Gerbolinga now makes every effort to be present in her daughter’s life despite the demands of her profession.
“Growing up without her beside me made me realize how valuable a mother’s presence is in a child’s life,” she reflected. “Because of that, I make a conscious effort to show up, spend time, and be there for my child despite my responsibilities.”
Today, as she continues to serve the community while raising her daughter, Gerbolinga represents countless women silently carrying both professional burdens and maternal responsibilities.
She stands as proof that motherhood does not weaken a woman’s ambition — it strengthens her purpose.
This Mother’s Day, her message is one of recognition and gratitude for all mothers, especially those serving in uniform and those quietly sacrificing for their families every single day.
“Many mothers carry burdens quietly,” she said. “They endure exhaustion, time away from their families, and emotional hardships just to provide love, security, and a better future for their children.”
In a world that often asks women to choose between career and family, Gerbolinga chose both.
And in doing so, she redefined what it means to serve and protect — not only as a police officer guarding the community, but as a mother protecting the heart of her home./PN
