SARS in the City

You know that the threat of SARS is very real when your normally rational and very level-headed dad tells you to wash your hands always, carry alcogel/alcohol at all times, and goes to the drugstore to buy vitamins for the whole family including the helpers.

Yep, it's dawning on me that I am real close to rubbing shoulders with the dreaded virus, knowing that it has already breached Philippine borders (and thus no longer an international news item) and is highly contagious.

So what do I do? I go out to Ayala Center and have the time of my life. I refuse to be incapacitated by the threat of SARS. I feel that I have to be one of the most unclucky people on Earth if the disease just up and zeroes in on me. But then again, a lot of improbable things have happened in my life, so I hope I didn't speak to soon...

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so they say. Not be a sissy about it and just being on the safe side, I have been taking my own few measures to ensure my health. This is since my resistance is really low, and I usually catch a cold twice a month. Yes, even in the middle of summer.

In fact, I was sneezing my head off this morning. But once again, let me reiterate, that colds in the middle of summer are normal for me. It's just a bit scary because SARS can begin with a simple cold....

The measures I've been taking are simple. I've been washing my hands more than usual. This is since I unconsciously stick my hand in my mouth at times. Can't have any germs in there.

Also, I've been avoiding holding on to stair and escalator railings. Friends have been telling me to do for awhile now, but I was truly convinced today when I saw a woman in Landmark cough into her hand and place that hand on the escalator railing. I was properly grossed out. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

But that didn't stop me from doing 2 movies this afternoon. SARS may be making its way all over Northern Luzon, but that didn't mean my life had to stop.

First movie I caught was Phone Booth. I was pretty surprised that the movie was a mere hour long. Some people were saying that it was bad, though I didn't find it that lousy.

At times maybe, some things in the story were rather inconsistent. At times, even the emotion for a certain scene was inconsistent. But I appreciated the movie. It wasn't boring, and it wasn't brainless. And the plot was something new.

Second movie was "Anger Management", a comedy right up my mom's alley. My mom grew up on Disney films so she doesn't like action, suspense, drama etc. etc. Light-hearted comedies are the only thing for her, much to my consternation.

I don't think very highly of Adam Sandler movies as I associate them with contrived comedy. But "Anger Management" was... cute. Not bad at all. It lacked a bit of substance but it was cute. Very typical Adam Sandler.

All this time, scenes from the movie "Outbreak" were running through my mind. Remember that scene where the guy was coughing in the movie theater and the virus was flying all over to the audience? Well that was the scene running through my thoughts. Could I even yawn or laugh out loud?

Not to be a sissy about the whole thing, but all this news about SARS was definitely feeding my paranoia. I have always professed to be a very logical, cool, calm and collected person, but dealing with an unseen enemy scares the hell out of me.

After all this hoopla, I got to thinking that ignorance is an even bigger enemy than the virus itself. People know that SARS kills, but they don't know the "hows", the "whys" of the whole thing. This, I believe, is the main catalyst to the panic that is currently ensuing among everyone.

Ignorance is what caused Mayor Romualdez of Tacloban to barricade the San Juanico bridge, for fear that the ambulance carrying the 4th Philippine SARS patient would spread the disease to Tacloban. And what is the point of a whole motorcade together with armed soldiers all the way to the hospital?

Adela Catalon, the first SARS patient on the other hand is treated like some criminal. When in truth, I believe that she was never even aware of the gravity of her condition. All this mess, when she is even a part of the government's "bagong bayani". Little is brought up on the good Catalon has done, and only the mess she has created is publicized. She may have been sick but she is a person as well.

The one responsible for the whole mess and who should be made to answer for it, I believe, is China. The epidemic has been raging in Guandong ever since November of last year, but the news was suppressed by the government.

Had the Chinese government been vocal about their predicament, then measures could have been carried out to contain the disease. Perhaps, even an antidote could have been found by now. Instead, the world is suffering because of China's lapse in judgement.

Reporting on the disease, I feel, should also be toned down because media is the main fuel that ignites the flames of panic, especially among the less-educated. Panic feeds on paranoia, and you have a whole country running scared from something they are not so sure about in the first place.

There is really no need to sensationalize the issue. True, it may be grave but it need not be highlighted in the manner that is being done as of present.

I am a firm believer of freedom of the press, and as I have spent most of my academic life working for school publications and fighting for free speech against structres that threaten to oppress it. However, I also believe in responsible journalism and means that need to be undertaken for the good and the peace of mind of the country.

The virus is a killer and its effect shouldn't be downplayed, however the media has the task of informing and educating, rather than sensationalizing. Media has a key and very crucial role at this point in time. Last thing it needs to do is feed on the fear of the people.

SARS may be the known enemy, but it is becoming apparent that other factors are also at play here.

* * *

I love Bubba Gump in Greenbelt 3.

Only problem for me though is that I'm allergic to shrimp and a great portion of their menu is... well... shrimp.

After all, as a Forrest Gump-themed restaurant, it does have to follow that Bubba Gump is a company dealing with shrimp. But other things like the Baby Back Ribs (was non-shrimp so I ordered it) and the deserts are heavenly.

Prices and atmosphere are similar to Friday's. The food is worth it.

---

The Gentleman Facade

During the annual family reunion last Christmas, my cousin who's got friends in school told me that I was scoring a lot of "pogi points" because people saw me as a "gentleman".

I couldn't help but snorting snort. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those people probably don't know me and don't see me in action.

Those people close to me would probably snort as well. Even guffaw, I can guess. More people could probably attest to the fact that I can be one of the crudest people alive. I'm sure Habanapz, Legee and even good 'ol Albz would.

More than a gentleman, I am happy to be an ordinary guy. No pretensions, no frills. (Of course, the time I called T a "last ditch effort" when asking her to be my prom date some 4 years ago when I didn't even know her is a different story altogether...)

And this ordinary guy was definitely in his element today, during the 2nd day of class. I and 3 other "ordinary guys". As a friend so bluntly put it in a text sometime this afternoon, "What guys? Those are apes!".

Today was "block bonding day" as coined by some girls in class. The reason for all that was a 3-hour break during our Friday schedule. Most of my blockmates wanted to go on a cute little adventure somewhere. Today, an MRT ride to Glorietta and a movie were on the agenda.

I just have to say that 3 hours may seem like ages. But when you try to mobilize 10 people on a little trip to Makati, those 180 minutes can definitely whizz by before you know it.

Since the 3 other guys had other concerns to attend to and would be following later on, I was the rose among the 6 thorns (read: girl blockmates) to go on the MRT ride. Walking from school to Shangri-La at 11:45 A.M. is no joke. It was downright sweltering!

And just when I thought the power of suggestion has got me thinking about SARS, my girl blockmates are the perfect portraits of paranoia. Initially, some didn't want to get on the train because of fear of acquiring the virus. When they got off the train, they immediately doused themselves with alcogel. Hoo boy.

We finally met up with the 3 other guys (they took a car) and decided that a movie was out of the question. We ended up having lunch at "W Grill", where beer was relatively cheap. W Grill food isn't so bad, the ambience is very classy but they need to do something with their food styling. The presentation was... nasty.

The trip back was where I got really gentlemanly. The original plan was that the 3 other guys would ride in their car back to school, together with 2 girls. The rest would take a cab back.

Getting a cab at G4 is somewhat difficult. In the confusion, 5 girls ended up in the taxi... and I ended up riding back to school with the boys. Not intentionally, though. I thought all the girls were in the taxi and I'd just take the MRT back. Good thing Thongy was left, and she got the boys to swing by for us.

I got my karma though. We passed c-5 and were 15 minutes late to class.

In class, while drawing lots for our Philo topics for group report, our group got the topic "privacy" but my friend switched with me her group's topic: Pornography.

Kidding Sam about our topic (she's still reeling from her night at Hustler Haven, mine and my cousin't pad), I yelled to Sam who was at the back of the room, "Ayos! May sources na tayo!!!!". Apparently, I was a bit loud and the whole class heard me and started laughing. Someone yells, "Bundi manyak!"

There you have it. Strike 2. And my clean-cut, gentleman image goes right out the window. Not that I believe I was one to begin with anyways...

* * *

After being saturated by Warner Brothers, Miramax, Castle Rock and scores of other film companies with "happy endings", you'd be hoping that life would be just as kind.

The school is changing the security guards in school, after they have been servicing the school for 16 years and more. Really sad, when you think about it, especially when you know it was a small incident that triggered this change.

Agreed that the security of a school is no small matter, changing the guards will not ensure that theft will decrease. If there is a flaw, it is in the system itself and the guards are mere scapegoats. UA&P is a really open campus and anyone can step inside. This is unlike La Salle or Ateneo who have taken measures to improve the security in their school.

To some maybe, the changing of the guards may not be anything to fuss about. But everyone, even the alumni, is disappointed. These guards are institutions in the school themselves. And I believe that they find so much fullfillment working for the school and being among the students.

The SEB is working on a fund to give the guards before they leave at the end of the month. The alumni are throwing a party for them. But nothing is changing the school's decision to rid of them by May.

I'm just hoping that in time, these guards will get the happy ending that they deserve.

---

Day One

First day of summer classes. Bummer.

Not that it's anything new- ever since 1st year High School, I've been attending summer classes. But the thought that the weather is piping hot, that other students out there are INDEED on break, and that I could be anywhere rather than a stuffy classroom is not exactly helping.

I haven't recovered my sleep yet, and there's still so much "nothing" to do at home. My ass is missing the beanbag terribly...

And yet, I was surprisingly giddy. I was charged and hyperactive, for reasons inexplicable even to me. I was damn bursting with energy, socializing with any of my friends who strayed within 10 meters of me, and happily going about my business in school.

What in the world is wrong with me? Does that mean I've experienced a paradigm shift and I am now excited to be in school??? Heaven forbid.

Maybe it's the thought of seeing everyone again. Maybe I've even missed the food across the street. Maybe... I'm not the home body I thought I was after all.

Strange. I didn't even have any problem sitting through a 3-hour class. I took down notes as if they were the greatest things in the world. I was acting like the 1 and a half week break was enough to recharge me for another 5 weeks of stress, and that "Comm and Society" was the best subject in the world, when it was so boring in truth.

It's another one of those subjects that thrive more on theories, corollaries, models and other speculations. It's not one of those classes where you can see the practical side of things.

But when our teacher announced that the final project would be a video documentary, I was psyched! That's the frustrated film-maker taking action in me.

Hey, it's another chance to produce videos. Like I said before, the wonder that is media has never ceased to amaze me. And I have this passion for making videos, though opporunities have been few and far between (I have a boring film for Civ and an org music video up my sleeve). So you can imagine that as early as now, I'm raring to go.

To think that the documentary would be a study on media, pop culture and society. Who can resist?

I am wary about 2 things though: one is that the teacher is notorious for dishing out low grades. 2. This summer will be counted as part of the required 2.0 GWA...

I just hope that I make it through. I am still not ready to graduate. But I hope that I do carry this zeal on until the last day of summer. If that happens, then I'm made.

* * *

I've been engaged in the "sad but sexy" (according to my dad, anyway) book by Sebastian Faulks "On Green Dolphin Street".

It's not an edge-of-your-seat thriller like Jeffrey Archer. And he doesn't have the rawness that Stephen King has. Nope. In fact, his work is kind of... flowery.

I've been slogging my way through the book for 3 days now and I'm not making much progress. At times, his writing tends to get so tiresome and indirect and choppy that the reader tends to absorb a mere overview of what really is happening.

There are no clear concepts of time, and everything is either pointless conversation or descriptions. There's too much beating around the bush.

But as they say, it ain't over 'till the fat lady sings. I'm still making my way through the first hundred pages so there may be hope yet. Things might look up. I'm not discounting it as awful just yet...

* * *

The whole SARS thing is making me paranoid, especially now that it's learned that the woman who is suspected of bringing SARS here (it's not confirmed yet) has made her way all over Northern Luzon to search for a doctor for her dad.

I have always believed that the Filipino people should get educated regarding SARS rather than just stoking a lot of unfounded truths.

I'm pretty apathetic on the matter. But today, while reading the newspaper reports on SARS, I coughed a little (power of suggestion) and I couldn't help thinking, "Ohmigosh! I'm exposed to SARS!"

Of course, that's the irrational side of me in action right there. But I still can't be too careful, right?

Pro-VANITY

Things couldn't have been off to a worse start today.

I woke up still seething over my mom. That's the type of person I am- if I don't let things out, then it stays with me for the longest time.

Today was supposed to be the first day of class. And I have a really nasty schedule, where my classes are mostly in the afternoons. As usual, I took my diabetically sweet time leaving the house until I realized I was going to be running late.

Great way to start the first day of class, really. Some things will never change.

Halfway to school, I see my phone with a "No Space for New Messages" alert. Deleting a message, a message from my Silver Lining comes in: "No class today. There is a notice posted on the bulletin board. Classes will begin Friday". Rats.

I wish the message had come sooner. Soon enough that I wouldn't have left the house, and I could have spent the afternoon dozing off or making my grand re-entrance at the gym. It's just my luck. I was meant to spend the day downtown.

Since I was halfway there, I decided to go to Makati and claim my plastic driver's license. My wallet was pickpocketed last year, and I have been living on the LTO receipt. In fact, my plastic license was scheduled for pickup last January but I never had the time.

I decided to make my way there since I had nothing better to do. After parking (and mind you, it was a beautiful parking spot) I opened the little compartment within the dah board to get my receipt. It wasn't there, and neither was it anywhere in the car.

Thing is, ever since I had my license lost last year, I decided not to keep it in my wallet. Instead, I believed it would be safer inside the car. Apparently, I am proven wrong and I have been driving for quite a while now without a license...

The lady at LTO said that I'd have to come back with an affidavit of loss before I could get the plastic thing. Great. So near yet so far.

And since I now did not have any driver's license to my name, my dad told me to get off the road IMMEDIATELY. That's law-abiding for you.

Yesterday's dream seemed to be coming true. Nothing was going right, and no doubt I was at wit's end. My nerves were frayed, and my patience was doing a not-so-good job on a tightrope. So I head off to the nearest sanctuary possible: Bruno's Barbers.

I have been intending to re-bald myself, since the heat was really something. Aside from that, my growing hair was really tufty and I also wanted myself bald for the summer. So I go for the works--

Haircut, Mentholated Scalp Treatment and a massage. Thank God for the age of the pampered male. Silver Lining once exclaimed "You're even vainer than I am!". So sue me. I know how to make myself feel good.

Really, I love pampering myself. Massages, hot oil treatments and what have you. Pretty costly, but I've been saving. And they do wonders for this taxed out soul.

And honestly, I love being bald for 4 reasons:
1. No combing needed. You wake up, you're fine. You take a shower, you're fine. It can get windy, and boy, you're still fine.
2. It's en vogue. It's the summer. It would simply be masochistic to run around sporting long hair when you can get cool by being... bald.
3. I look a whole lot neater. Curly hair somehow gives off a messy aura. With no hair, no aura.
4. My state of mind is no longer reflected on my hair. Somehow, if I'm feeling harassed, my hair shows it. That kind of thing...

After my hour and a half inside that wonderful place, things were looking up. My mood was much, much better.

I also managed peace with my mom over a hilarious miscommunication incident. We ended up solving those cute little word games after dinner. There was no more mention of last night's dispute and everything was well at last.

There is absolutely nothing like a visit to the barber shop for de-stressing, unwinding and an opportunity for me to make peace with the world.

---

Ordeal Part 2

A dream this afternoon depicted what today would be like. As far as I can recall, my dream involved me taking a trip and nothing seemed to be going right.

That was my life today. Awful. There were some bright areas, but everything else was downhill.

I think it all began with me getting caught up in this drama on Cinema One while getting ready for school. I've seen "Hanggang Kailang Kita Mamahalin" with Richard & Lorna loads of times, but I never get tired of it. I think it's because the emotions portrayed in the movie are very real and human.

Watching the movie and talking to Habanapz on the phone set me back an hour and a half. But I was in no major hurry since all I had to do was go to school and pay.

I left the house right after the climax of the movie (to those who've seen it, it's the part where Richard and Lorna are fighting and they get into a car accident), after completing all my rituals. All along, I had this gut feel that I left something. 5 minutes away from home, I concluded that I forgot to put lip balm (one of my morning rituals). That had to be it, I hoped.

Still there was this nagging feeling that I left something important.

One hour later and 5 minutes away from school, it dawned on me: I left my registration certificate! The most crucial thing needed for completing the enrollment process.

While congratulating myself on my incredible brilliance, I make the hour-long trip back home. I decided to go home, sleep awhile (since it was a wasted morning), finish "Honor Among Thieves" and come back in the afternoon when the school wouldn't be such a madhouse. At times, living far from school is really such a drag.

But oh yes! I finished my book finally! It's a really good read! Non-stop action all the way. I noticed a tendency of mine to read faster when the action is picking up... hehe!

Getting back to school 3 hours later, I am greeted by the sight of the mess that I tried to avoid. The lines were snaking all over the place, and some people I ran into have been lining up for the past 2 hours. Something is seriously wrong with the system. Paying used to be such a breeze.

At this point, my conscience is kicking my ass. I am guilty once again, of disregarding lines. To think I've always loathed people who cut corners by not falling in line like everyone else. Agh. I became one of them today.

I really feel guilty. I couldn't look at one of my friends awhile ago since he had been lining up for 4 hours, and here I go, cutting in on everyone waiting honestly and patiently. At one point, 5 lower batch girls saw fit to cut in in front of me. I got really annoyed and was about to give them a piece of my mind when I got to thinking: who was I to talk?

The beauty of it all was that my silver lining was with me once again. She lined up with me for around 30 minutes, for no particular reason. Of course, the mere fact that she hung around me was enough to send me flying. I swear, this girl has no idea what she's doing to my nervous system. But she made the ordeal much more bearable.

After 2 hours and a half (and that was with my cutting in), I was finally done. And all I had to show for it was a measly receipt. The time was 6:30 and all my other plans were definitely out the window.

Since I was famished (I only had a slice of chocolate bread to keep me going the whole day), I went across the street to eat. Srangely, as much as I am sick and tired of the food across school, everything looks so good when you're thinking on an empty stomach.

Downhill was the blowup I had with the thorn in my side called my mother.

I'm still simmering now, but I swear, she has to be one of the most irrational creatures to have ever walked on this planet. Annoying and emotional, she definitely clinched a bad day. My mom is the eternal antagonist in my life.

Time and time again, she proves that she's not worth my respect. I mean, if she had a bad day at work, then why inflict her baggage on someone else. I guess she's someone who deserves to be humored and patronized and nothing more. But honestly, tonight, I didn't have the patience for her.

She accused me of putting off my Calculus and made a big issue out of it. What the...? Big deal. She works in a school, and she of all people should know how hard it is to plot out a good schedule (especially in a messy enrollment system such as UA&P) without running into one or 2 conflicts. Really now, what planet did she come from?

I've been trying to take my Calculus since last year's summer. Unfortunately, every single time, either I run out of slots or there is a conflict with my schedule and none of my other classes can be re-arranged. As much as possible, I want to get all my back subjects over and done with and my mom thinks I don't care at all. What a nuisance.

I too am worried about my back subjects coming back to haunt me, and this is a big frustration. My mom has no right to throw all her baseless arguments at me because she doesn't know what she's jabbering about. But to humor her, I'm not going to contradict her in any way. Let her appear silly in my thoughts.

And secondly, why am I being rushed? I do want to finish on time, but I also want to do well in all my subjects. I can't lead my life forever in a hurry like the way my mom had led hers. She is usually more concerned about her employees anyway, so at this point, I wish she'd just leave me alone.

When the time comes that I have kids, I'm going to be everything my mom isn't. And that's a good thing.

In any case, it was one helluva lousy day. Only upside to it was learning I did really good in my Comm subjects.

Pardon me, I'm a head full of cold anger and steam as of this post.

---

Ordeal

Sunny, April morning. The sky is blue and there are no traces of rainclouds in the distance. It is the perfect setting for a very tortutous ordeal.

In this case, the ordeal is better known as "enrollment". The school's been operating for ages now, and they still can't get it right.

There is an enrollment 3 times a year-- 1st and 2nd sem and summer. This happens annually and is as sure as death and taxes. So how come such a small school can't figure how to keep things getting out of hand.

I really don't know whose fault it is. Everything just turns out to be bedlam. Year in and year out. I mean, how hard can summer enrollment get? Pretty hard, I figure, considering the scene I was faced with in school today.

It's sheer anarchy. Lines are kilometers long (I exaggerate, but when it snakes it for yards and yards, it seems that way), lines are disregarded, students become barbarians and forget how to wait their turn and fall in line. It is madness. It is chaos.

Things like these are understandable if the school had populations as big as U.P., Ateneo and the like. But for a school of our size? It's ridiculous!

There are advantages, though. I've always said that enrollment in my school is the "great equalizer". It doesn't matter how early or how late you come. Things will be so messy that lines and priority numbers lose their meaning. In any case, everyone has to wait the whole day.

I have friend who came to school at 5:30 in the morning. He left around 6 in the evening. I got to school at 11 and left the same time.

Before, I used to blame it all on the registrar herself. Until I realized what a sweet old lady she was, whose bark was worse than her bite. I think things are beyond her control, and not really her duty. But something has to change with this system. I've been in that school for almost 4 years now, and things are still as gory as ever. Maybe even worse.

I just find that things could be more organized, and could be carried out quicker. A lot of time, which could be used productively, is wasted doing nothing. 80% of the day was spent waiting. I had a lot of plans today, none accomplished. All because of this mess.

But as that old adage goes, every cloud has a silver lining. I had my silver lining today. It could pass for gold, even.

My silver lining was SOMEONE. A whole day of her to be exact. All the way 'till the end of the day, as we were one of the last people to get our registration certificates.

Of course, I was floating on Cloud 9. I was in sheer Heaven. In fact, I'm thankful for that nasty enrollment scheme.

It was a very sweet ordeal, and when I think about it, I really don't mind at all.

* * *

I cannot reconcile what could be better: having a majority of decent grades and 1 failing subject, or all passing grades which are slightly low.

I got my grades for this sem, and for the first time in my history in college, I passed everything. However, a lot were lower than I expected.

At times, I believe my efforts are a bit misguided. Even if I study, the grade isn't as high as I want it to be.

I'm disappointed with my performance this sem. Nuts.

---

Easter Party

The image of Mary and the Resurrection being brought back to Church after the Salubong

Just when I thought things would be just as boring in this sleepy province of Quezon, as it has always been year after year.

This year's Easter Celebration turned out more entertaining than any of the past ones I can remember. Thanks in no small part to my cousins, who added a lot of color to my stay.

Really, Lucban is your average sleepy, provincial town. You can't expect any action of the Manila sort there. Whenever we need to go there, I look forward to all the sleep equity I can mass there. I also bring a book, because I'm pretty sure time will be so slow.

This year, I was planning to scout for an internet cafe somewhere around so that I could perhaps blog my boredom away.

I got to see the fun side of things this time. But of course, the organization of the whole salubong things is always a comedy of errors as my relatives are all so hopelessly disorganized. This year was no exception.

I guess the real excitement started while making the 3-hour drive there. This was my first time to drive to the province ever since the infamous accident. Aside from that, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and 3 hours of my mom's backseat driving wasn't helping any.

One thing about provincial roads: expect the unexpected. You can never anticipate what you might see, hit, encounter. Because of this, I was driving paranoid.

A pig came untied in the truck in front of us, and was threatening to jump onto the hood. It was amusing and at the same time freaky. What insurance company in its right mind would accept the reason "pig flew onto hood" as a claim? Also, our convoy stopped at the side of a road because the designer of the karosa wanted wild ferns as a decoration.

Speaking of decorating the karosa, it took us 4 hours to do just that. My mom and my aunt thought that sampaguita on the karosa would be simply "exquisite". So for 4 hours, the whole clan (4 generations) was sitting around one table, string sampaguita buds onto tingting strands and wire. Needless to say, everyone was was drained and almost cross-eyed after that.

After that, my cousins and I escaped to this burger joint called "Buddy Burger", which is this really great burger place with the really, really good pizza. Unfortunately, the service is inversely proportional to the food. But it was worth enduring. We also hung around the Church plaza, as well as commandeered a billiard table for a few hours. At Php 5.00 for a game, who could go wrong. Just call me Django! hehe!

Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for the mass at 10. Provincial Easter masses take exaggeratedly long. This one had 7 readings for the whole mass. It finally ended at 12 and the procession began.

I got to realizing that a band makes a very bug difference in terms of ambience and mood. Since my granduncle had a falling out with the regular band and we couldn't get a band on such a short notice, we had to make do without. And it was quiet. Too quiet, and somber to suit me.

Thank God my aunt invested in fireworks. They were priced a but steeply, but they made up for the band. They also generated a lot of smoke, which left a lot of those anticipating the salubong coughing. I was one of them.

The whole thing went without a hitch. The angel dropped the veil, though. Made me relieved that during my time, I may have ripped the veil but at least it stayed with me. And not everyone heard the veil tear.

There is a tradition there that people wet each other in celebration (something like San Juan day). In recent years, people have been getting more and more aggressive. Before, people started getting their water bombs after the images have been brought back to the Church. Lately, the moment the black veil has been lifted, plastic bags filled with water start flying.

This year was bad. I was standing to the side of the karosa when a water bomb hit it, splashing full force on me. I rushed inside the house immediately, aniticpating a stampede. Getting in, I saw 2 plastic bags filled with water and got one, hoping to throw it out the window.

I got up to find my other cousins with a glass of water, tossing it onto the crowd below. Just when I was about to hurl my water bag out, I heard my mom's voice over the megaphone, "Pakiusap lang na huwag muna mambato ng tubig. Magkaroon ng respeto...". Whoops. Mea culpa.

The rest of the night was pretty exciting. Someone was rushed to the hospital nearby for a head wound. This led to a gang war and the polic questioning the people in the house across hours. All in the wee hours of the morning. It was great that I shared a room with my cousins since we were all trying to fill each other in on what was going on.

By some miracle, we were able to pull out of the province by 11 in the morning. Getting my mom out of there is usually such a chore, that we make the drive home at night. This year had divine intervention. Along the way, I even ran into a school friend at a convenience store. Small world.

My Easter tradition is once again complete, and I am fulfilled. After 4 hours with sampaguita, I'd better be.

Thing is, I worry about this tradition. The people of Lucban look forward to this every year. Our family is the one who organizes the whole thing. Actually now, it's the 1st and 2nd generations. The 3rd and 4th generations are still young, and I feel, don't really give a flying fig about this whole salubong hullaballoo.

Many of my cousins would rather be elsewhere. Many other cousins were elsewhere. I, on the other hand, have not missed this event for more than 15 years and counting. I don't know if I'm the only one who really gives a damn about the whole thing.

It just scares me that when the time comes that my generation has to handle this, no one will be interested enough to take on the task. And I, on the other hand, don't want to dedicate my whole life to running the whole show. But as it is, I'm the only one who cares about it. Or the house in the province, for that matter.

I fear for the future of our whole Lucban heritage, because as it is, the people who are bound to carry the torch in later years don't care if it fizzles out. True enough, the town may be growing and developing, but there are some things that I really hope will never change. And that is one of them.

The image of the resurrection on the way to church.

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