With the pandemic and the mandatory installation of an internet connection for every household came the rising number of group chats (GC). This included family group chats mostly with your relatives based abroad and your Titas and Titos eagerly asking for updates on your life.
My experience happened recently when a group chat was started with our Herza clan. The group chat included my late mother’s cousins, her Titas and Titos whom I fondly refer to as my Titas and Titos also. Along with my own Titas and Titos (siblings of my Nanay) and my own cousins.
Every month, it was agreed that a birthday celebrant for that month introduce themselves in a short narrative and include a brief fact why he considers himself a part of the Clan.
When I celebrated my birthday, I was hesitant to introduce myself. Not only was I a stranger to the group, I also had nothing to contribute. But due to insistent demand bordering skilled manipulation and impending family drama if I don’t comply, I had to submit my introduction.
“Hi guys! Sorry po for the late intro. Aside from the fact that I’m shy 
, I was also planning na sumabay na lang sa intro ng kapatid ko, Karlo Emmanuel, whose birthday falls on July, too. Since I just got home and had fun backreading everyone’s messages, okay, here goes…
I’m Katherine “Kata” Herza Cobing, panganay po ni Carlota Herza-Cobing na nabiktima ng isang Leonardo Cobing who also happened to be the first cousin of Tito Bebot Duaban who married my mother’s sister, Tita Carms “Gwapa” Duaban. 5 po kami magkakapatid. Sinundan po ako ni Kathleya Faith, Karlo Emmanuel, Karla Xandrea at bunso po namin na si Leonard Henry or “Lemon”. My mother passed away two years ago na (mag 2 yrs na this September) and sinundan naman ni Tita Ming. So I have extra 2 sisters po, sila Darah and Joelle whom I really enjoy talking to especially sa school nila and mga buhay2.
I am still with the PNP as an NUP juggling my duties with Talisay City Police Station and as a writer for the Provincial Director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office. I took the Bar last 2018 and failed. Now, I am working and at the same time reviewing for my Bar this year, November 2021. As a Herza, I also don’t quit when things get hard but rest only when the work is done.
On my free time, I write. Sometimes I cook for the family but most of the time, I tagay with Henry “Papa Hen” Herza.
PS. Sorry po for the lengthy and long overdue introduction. I had to process everything para naman po brief and concise lang. Hehehe isang paragraph pa at baka TMI na to at pde na pang MMK good night everybody. May God bless us all. Hehe.“
Katherine Herza Cobing 