A Dark Moment In Recent History, New Poll, And Akira Kurosawa

The bus of death. Photo from this site.

Last August 23, 2010, the entire Philippine nation and the world watched in horror as a hostage-taking drama came to a bloody end. There were nine casualties, which included eight Hong Kong nationals on vacation in the country, and the hostage taker, an

ex-policeman who was relieved from his position more than a year ago secondary to charges of robbery and extortion.

Since this harrowing incident, much has

happened, many of which are newsworthy, but nothing of this magnitude. It will definitely take time before Manila, my poor city, and the Philippines, my poor country, can recover. So many have already been written (getting to be redundant, really); I need not join in the mad fray and display of lack of sobriety on both sides. Objectivity and level-headedness are needed to resolve this.

I can only hope for justice. For the rest of us, may we all learn something from this incident.

Nothing productive can be properly achieved from hate.

Ok ok. I sort of neglected this blog. I have been busy myself. My hands are full with exciting things to write and talk about. Too bad there are only 24 hours in a day, hahah.

One particular event that I am so excited about is the Akira Kurosawa film festival that is ongoing.

Oh God. Akira Kurosawa. I am one big fan. Need I enumerate his great works like Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Ran, Red Beard, and Dreams? This filmfest, which serves to celebrate Kurosawa’s 100^th birth anniversary, is like a dream come true. The Cultural Center of the Philippines Dream Theatre will show his works from September 15-18, after which the venue transfers to the UP Film Center. The filmfest will be until the end of this month.

What’s more, this affair is freaking FREE! *faint*

Read more here.

There is a new poll on the siderail that I would like you to check out. While you keep yourself busy with it, I will write my next post, and will be back sooner than you think. Take care and see you later.

Manila Streetfood 1: Taho [Silken Tofu Dessert With Caramel and Tapioca Pearls]

One of the most loved Filipino streetfood is TAHO. Taho is a soya-based dessert, made from soft tofu peddled straight out of the factories in aluminum buckets. It is classically served warm with caramel (called "arnibal") and tiny tapioca pearls ("sago"). A taho vendor, known in the vernacular as the magtataho, makes his rounds in the residential streets usually during the morning, as he signals his arrival by shouting "Tahoooo".

Taho vendor (photo from this site)

Every Filipino (or those who have lived in the Philippines for quite sometime) knows what that call means. People from all walks of life would hurry up to meet that magtataho, usually a middle-aged man who carries two aluminum buckets connected to one another by a series of strings attached to a bamboo slab, which then rests on the man's shoulders as he walks around the area. Nowadays one can also see a taho vendor (complete with aluminum buckets and the rest of the contraptions) in the food courts of some big malls, even the supposedly posh ones like Powerplant Mall.

Taho curd

In this age when people work regardless of time of the day and 24/7 convenience stores are making a killing, it is not surprising to see a magtataho even during late at night. Times may have changed, but the taho will always be the Filipino's favorite dessert. And why is that?

Taho caramel syrup, or arnibal

Taho is nutritious and tastes so much better than cereal drinks that come in packs. A 150-ml taho (sold for 5 pesos, which is worth even less than 5 cents) is enough to sate in-between meal cravings, and in greater servings can even take the place of breakfast. Taho is a dessert that one can eat without feeling guilty about deliberately putting on extra pounds.

Sago, or tapioca pearls

It is likewise easy to eat; in fact there are many ways to eat taho. It can be eaten from a bowl and scooped with a spoon. It can also be mixed into a loose flurry and sipped with a straw. For those who cannot be bothered by additional utensils, taho is drunk straight from the glass.

Taho is my personal favorite. While I am a big big fan of fruits, I never really enjoyed the more contemporary preparations of taho (those with added fruit toppings sold in the supermarkets and serve in some restaurants). I like taho just the way I have always had it ever since I was very young. Just the beautiful soya curd being caressed by the brown arnibal and playfully topped by soft tapioca. A mouthful of fun without a lot of frills.

Taho, ready to eat. Miam!

Some more renowned Filipino blog sites likewise pay homage to this classic dessert.

In Dessert Comes First, the author describes how taho is served, from the aluminum bucket to the cup to her eager hands, the entire experience to "a thousand happy memories".

Taho breaks economic status barriers, and Marketman of Market Manila relates that Mang Amado, a magtataho, somehow manages to peddle taho in a gated village.

Lastly, Doc Emer of Parallel Universes has his own way of exalting the humble dessert: he enumerates taho's nutritional worth.

As for me, an unabashed taho fan ... well, if you are paying Manila a visit and want to try this delectable stuff, just give me a call, or leave a message on the blog, ok? ;)

[Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are by moi.]

Snapshot: Jollibee Fastfood

Photo shows a Jollibee fastfood restaurant. Jollibee is probably the biggest fastfood chain in Manila and the entire Philippines. Initially a hamburger joint, Jollibee has, through the years, expanded its product range to include fried chicken, spaghetti (don't think Italian-type pasta recipe here, this is a modified recipe - sweet with hotdog bits incorporated in the sauce - to suite the taste of Filipino kids), sundaes, and rice meals which include burger steak, shanghai rolls, beef with mushroom, and crispy bangus (milkfish), to name a few.

More about Jollibee here, and here, and definitely in the posts to follow.

Getting Typhoon-ed In Manila (and anywhere in the Philippines)

Hello people I am back. It has been very busy these past few weeks. Add the fact that connection has been somewhat erratic due to the past typhoons that visited the country. It is a usual thing here: when it rains hard, internet connection goes haywire.

I should not be complaining much though, if I were to consider how it has been for many more people who have lost their homes and the lives of their loved ones when Typhoon Basyang (International name: Conson) dropped by the Philippines for a deadly visit two weeks ago.

The Philippines entered the rainy season last month. Typhoon Basyang crossed the islands recently, leaving 180 people dead and 31,542 houses damaged in regions III, IV-A, and V. As of late, the total cost of damages to agriculture and infrastructure is at PHP377.975.880, roughly USD8M. Not a nice way to welcome the new president of the republic who assumed office last month.

My own experience? Not as bad, but undeniably annoying.

I was asleep when I was suddenly awakened late at night on July 13 (Tuesday) past midnight. It was sooooo dark: apparently, nearly the whole of Metro Manila went into power failure. The winds were howling and my windows were flipping to and fro. It was a situation quite similar to the one created by Typhoon Milenyo last 2006 which left the entire metropolis dark and waterless, although on a lesser scale.

We got our electricity and water back in less than 24 hours. It is annoying enough that we did not have both, but it made me realize once again: I can live without electricity for a few days, but definitely, I cannot live without water. Fortunately, before I lost my mind, there came water. :)

There were reports that the local weather bureau PAG-ASA has been amiss in sending out prompt bulletins regarding the typhoon which the death of some fishermen. President Noynoy Aquino was even reported to have berated the agency. I know for a fact that most of the equipments found in our science and technology government agencies are outdated. No, I won't even start with my sorry experience with the Department of Science and Technology where I spent PHP2,500 for my research, for naught. My research, against people's lives, is nothing.

All these are just the tip of the iceberg of woes whenever Manila and the Philippines gets "typhoon-ed". Umbrellas are simply not enough.

GQFXTH7TD3DM

Benigno Simeon Aquino III, 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines

"Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people’s needs and aspirations.

My parents sought nothing less and died for nothing less than democracy, peace and prosperity. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

Layunin ko na sa pagbaba ko sa katungkulan, masasabi ng lahat na malayo na ang narating natin sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas at mas maganda na ang kinabukasang ipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon. Samahan ninyo ako sa pagtatapos ng laban na ito. Tayo na sa tuwid na landas." (excerpts from President Noynoy's speech at the inauguration, Quirino Grandstand, June 30, 2010)

His father is the martyr Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., his mother is the People Power President Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco-Aquino. The nation is itching to put an end to a nine-year governance that is at best despondent. In fact, the nation has long been in a state of discontent, dating back to previous administrations. Noynoy definitely has his hands full, he has a lot to live up to and a vast landscape in disarray to oversee.

Will Noynoy make a difference?

From what it appeared during the June 30 inauguration, many Filipinos have their hopes renewed.

Now the real work begins.

Walking By Pasig River, Erstwhile River Of Life

Thursday, 24 June 2010, was declared a special non-working holiday within the City of Manila on the occasion of its foundation. Manila is one of the 17 cities that make up the Metropolitan Manila, also referred to as Manila, a fact that may at first sound confusing to any non-local trying to find his way in and out of the area.

Pasig River of yore (picture from this site)

Manila was born on the eastern banks of Pasig River, or Ilog Pasig. The historic Pasig River bisects the city and for centuries has served as the center of the city's trade, transport and livelihood. It has been said in legends that the Pasig River was the River Of Life, that it was teeming with fish and that one can actually drink the water from the river.

Toilet bowl of Manila? (photo from this site)

The image of Ilog Pasig as the source of life never existed as far as my consciousness is concerned. Before I was born, the river has already succumbed to the crutches of industrialisation. By 1990, the Pasig River was declared biologically dead. Efforts are being made to revive Ilog Pasig throughout the years, with the goal to convert it into a “zero toxic and clean river zone". It is a valiant but enormously daunting task, since the entire Metro Manila, having not figured out still how to dispose of its thousands of tons of trash that it produces daily, continues to dump most of its wastes in the river, as well as in Laguna De Bay and Manila Bay.

Pasig River, houses along the bank, and the high-rise buildings of Makati

Clean-up: Pasig River. At the background are the buildings of the Rockwell compound

A portion of the Pasig River separates Mandaluyong and Makati City, and this part of the river is a 15-minute walk away from where I live. A few days ago I was walking along the banks of Pasig River, imagining it to be as alive as the River Seine, or Thames, or Nile, or one of those well-known rivers that gave rise to most of the great cities in the world. Instead, what I experienced was visual and olfactory assault (as if I did not expect this anyway).

Floaters

I do know that everyone who cares about Manila has to do his share in the revival process. (It shocks me to see people willfully throwing their trash anywhere they please.) There is a lot of work to be done before the Pasig River begins to show signs of life once again. The biggest problem that can be linked to the revival of the Pasig River is definitely urban waste disposal. Unless this major concern is addressed, we can only watch the waters of a once vibrant river dredge into the murky depths of urban decay.

Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and the malls are packing it up as expected.

Right this moment, however, rains are pouring like crazy in the Makati area. Hopefully the rains have not marred much the celebration of families.

To the fathers of the world, Happy Father's Day! Malls or no malls, rains or no rains. :)

Ngayon, Ika-12 ng Hunyo, ay Araw Ng Kalayaan

Ang kalayaan ay isang karapatan.

Philippine Independence Day 2010: June 12 It Shall Be, Not July 4, Not June 14

This Year's upcoming observance of Independence Day is quite unlike what we had the past few years. Yesterday, Senator Benigno Aquino III (known as the only son of the martyr senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and the first female President of the country Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino) and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay were proclaimed as the new president and vice-president of the Republic. This marks the end of the controversial 9-year tenure of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Yes, at last.

(But not quite, for she won a slot in the congress, which is such a weird thing. A president who ran for a seat in the congress? Only in the Philippines: you can say that again.)

Too bad that the nation has to put up again with another one of these PGMA "oddities". While Philippine Independence day is traditionally celebrated on June 12 of every year, June 14, 2010, a Monday, was declared a national non-working holiday. June 12 falls on a Saturday, and the present government has made it a rule-of-thumb rule of theirs to "move" holidays to the nearest Monday.

“President Arroyo has declared Monday, 14 June, a holiday in celebration of our 112th Philippine Independence Day on Saturday, June 12. PGMA invoked Proclamation 1841 (July, 2009) to implement a law authorizing the moving of holidays to the nearest Monday. Under said law, the President is required to issue a proclamation listing the moved holidays and specific dates declared as non-working days... For this year’s Independence Day celebration, the National Historical Commission lined up activities including a parade highlighting accomplishments of the Arroyo Administration... and providing commuters free rides on MRT and LRT trains... Cultural shows and mini-job fairs will be held at Rizal Park.” (The Philippine Star, May 28)

This annoying penchant of the PGMA government to move holidays to the nearest weekend is part of its "Holiday economics" policy. During her tenure, Arroyo signed Republic Act 9492, “an act rationalizing the celebration of holidays". Except holidays with religious significance, all national holidays that fall on a weekend are moved to the nearest Monday. This law was passed to "maximize" the weekend for government and private employees and was actually geared towards improving local tourism.

Even June 12 was not exempted.

It is ironic that it was during the time of of her father, late President Diosdado Macapagal, that Republic Act No. 4166 was signed. This is the very law that declares June 12 to be the country's Independence Day.

It was on June 12, 1898, that independence from the Spanish rule was proclaimed by Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Republic. It was on this day that the Philippine flag that we know now was unfurled for the first time.

Not on July 4, which is also called the "Filipino-American Friendship Day" which is supposed to be the day that Philippines claimed its independence from the United States of America.

And certainly, not on June 14.

By the end of the month we will be having a new president, and essentially, a new government. (Hopefully, I reiterate.) I am by nature pragmatic regarding matters concerning Philippine politics. However, judging on the huge turnout during last May 2010 elections, the zeal of the people to participate in the democratic process, and the cumulative sense of joy that seemed to have pervaded in the halls of the Batasang Pambansa were the proclamation was held last night, things do look quite bright and hopeful this time.

Hope. It seems to be the national byword in these times, in spite of the daunting task to give the Philippine government and economy a make-over. Hope to put an end to "June 14" Independence Day celebrations, among many many other ills.

Mabuhay ang tunay na Araw ng Kalayaan!

*****Photos of Philippine Independence from this site.

A Stroll Somewhere Near The Street Where I Live, 8PM Saturday Night

If you have been reading my posts and are quite familiar with Manila, you may have probably deduced this by now. I live in Makati City, one of the cities in the Metro Manila area (also called the National Capital Region) and known as the financial capital of the Philippines. To many, Makati City conjures images of high-rise buildings, swanky restaurants, traffic, posh shops. The truth is, Makati City has many surprising faces.

The area where I live is part of the original Makati, the so-called "Old Makati". It is a very congenial, relatively quiet residential area nestled in an elevated portion of Barangay Poblacion, and yet the mall, market, bakery, eateries, church, school, and the main streets are just within walking distance. Very convenient.

Yesterday, Saturday night, I went out of the house to buy some bread from the nearby bakery. I deferred going out for the weekend, so it was rather unusual for me to be walking around the Makati Avenue, P. Burgos Street, and Polaris Street at 8 o'clock in the evening.

The night was young, very young. How many times have I heard this observation? Many major Asian cities sleep very late, if at all. Makati City, probably one of the cities in Metro Manila with the most dynamic nightlife, is definitely no exception. Eight o'clock in the evening is too early for the night creatures.

Anyway, let me show you around the area.

For purposes of simplicity, I start my stroll here. Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, better known as Buendia Avenue, is one of the major roads of Makati City. This is the intersection of Buendia and Makati Avenue.

McDonald's, Makati Avenue, corner Jupiter Street. Hamburger culture is alive and well this part of Asia. This particular branch is open 24 hours.

Jollibee, Makati Avenue. The biggest selling hamburger fastfood chain in the Philippines. The biggest-selling fastfood chain in the Philippines, for that matter. McDonald's biggest headache. Where there is Jollibee, expect a McDonald's a few steps away. And vice versa.

Mang Inasal, Makati Avenue corner Jupiter Street, across McDonald's. A relatively young but fast-growing fastfood chain. Mang Inasal serves chicken inasal (a highly debatable term, some quarters define " chicken inasal" as chicken that is cooked over direct fire) and this is one place that I always see to be full, any time of the day.

Green mango pushcart vendor, Makati Avenue. One of the many streetfood-vending carts that can be found in Manila. While they may be bought unpeeled, the green, or unripe, mangoes are sold peeled and sliced, and are usually eated with salt or shrimp paste.

Matrix Bar, P. Burgos Street. For some folks, nightlife starts early. I have never seen the front of this bar empty. Most of the patrons are expatriates enjoying their beer or coffee.

There is a part of P. Burgos Street that has earned a rather notorious reputation of being the new red-light district area. Are they or are they not? For purposes of protection, the faces of the ladies have been digitized.

Another food-vending pushcart along P. Burgos Street. This one sells rice porridge, or "lugaw".

Wang Market, Polaris Street. A Korean grocery. This area of Makati has seen the rapid proliferation of Koreans these past few years.

Heckle and Jeckle Bar, Polaris Street. This is a rather popular joint among the expats. It is one of the bars in the area that show rugby matches, football games, and other sports events. This place actually overflows during a football match, and with the World Cup just around the corner, Heckle and Jeckle will be really really lively soon. Goooooaaaaalllll! Yeeeeeessss!

I end our little stroll here, hopefully this gave you some idea on how it is like in my area on an early weekend evening. More road trips in the posts to come.

Arnis As The New National Sport Of The Philippines

A few months ago, I was talking to a non-Filipino friend who is into martial arts. He asked me if I have heard of Kali and if it is indigenous to the Philippines.

It did not occur to me right away that Kali is one of the terms applied for the more familiar-sounding Arnis. I have definitely heard of and know a bit of information about Arnis, but I did not know that it is also interchanged with other names such as Escrima and Kali. So could you guess how the conversation went?

Foreign friend: I am into aikido...I am interested in martial arts...Have you heard of Kali? Is it really a Philippine sport?
Me: (grappling) You know, honestly, I know of Arnis as being a form of martial arts that is indigenous in the Philippines. Kali? I do not know? Is it Indonesian?

It was embarrassing, this rather unceremonious revelation of my ignorance of my own country's local sport.

A few weeks ago, I remember this conversation as I came across an article which states that Arnis (or Escrima, or Kali) has been officially declared last year as the new national sport.

Arnis is the traditional martial arts indigenous to the Filipino and said to be the type of combat employed by Lapu-Lapu's troops during the fateful encounter with Magellan and the Spanish troops in Mactan (resulting in Magellan's death). It has replaced Sipa (literally translated to "kick") as the national sport.

A good number of quarters hailed this decision. I personally think that a combat sport like Arnis (in spite of my limited knowledge of the sport) should embody the Filipino competitive spirit. This is not to take away any merits from Sipa. I have nothing against Sipa, which I think though should undergo some updating (Like maybe device some extreme Sipa competitions? Quite possible.),

For those who are novices to the game, please check out the following links:

http://www.visayanmartialarts.com/

http://www.maelstromcore.com/history/index.html

http://www.unitedarnis.com/Arnis-10-radical-truths.html

Photo from this site.

The Philippine Elections 2010: The Nation Awaits

The Philippines had its first automated elections last May 10, 2010. For the first time, the Filipinos had a taste of a computerised tallying of votes, in contrast to the previous elections wherein the voter has to write ALL his chosen candidates on the ballot. With one presidential position, one vice-presidential post, 12 senatorial slots, a slot for governorship, congressman, mayor, vice-mayor and a few more to vote for, the voter is faced with the dilemma of having to write at least 15 names on his ballot. Simply having to shade circles has made things easier for the voter and has even given a good number of disabled citizens a chance to exercise their right of suffrage.

At this point, nearly 80% of election returns have been accounted for. The presidential race shows Noynoy Aquino, the son of Corazon Aquino, first woman President of the Republic, roughly 5 million votes ahead of former President Joseph Estrada who was deposed last 2001 and jailed because of unsettled cases of plunder. The vice-presidential race is tighter, with the top two candidates only a few hundred thousand votes apart from one another.

This has been another interesting election as yet, being the first automated election in Philippine history. Aside from that, though, the profiles of the candidates are equally beguiling. The presidential candidates alone are a study of personality and background contrasts. A son of a former President, a former President himself who was charged with plunder, a senator who during his stint in the congress was responsible for elevating the impeachment case against the said former president to the senate, a cabinet member of the present administration, and a leader of a Christian movement, among others.

Outside the race for the top slots the view is a lot more mind-boggling. A world boxing champ running for congressman, the present (yep, the incumbent) President of the Philippine Republic running for a seat in the congress, wife of a gambling lord, athletes, many show business personalities...the list goes on and on.

Elections in this side of the world often conjure images of fraud and violence, such as ballot box snatching, killings on either side of the political fence, and vote- buying. Such occurrences still occur but so far the publicised incidents have not been as much compared to the past elections.

The Philippines is sorely in need of a massive overhaul. It is a witness to political upheavals, economic and moral degradation, and financial depreciation. The turn-out of this year's elections reflect the faith that the Filipinos still have in the democratic process, and a desire for REAL change.

Hopefully both the elected and the rest of the nation are ready for this change.

Sources and photo of PCOS machine from this and this site.

Pambansang Halalan 2010: 3 Araw Na Lang

LABOR DAY 2010 IN THE PHILIPPINES: THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN

(Photo taken near the intersection of Makati Avenue and Buendia Avenue, 1 May 2010)

Labour Day, or International Workers' Day, is celebrated every 1st of May in the Philippines, as in more than 80 countries around the world. As has always been the case for the past years, militant workers marched and converged to protest anti-labour practices by the government. This year, the rallyists burned the effigy depicting the incumbent president (Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) inside the detention cell.

What made this year's observance of Labour Day here in the Philippines a little different are as follows:

1. This is the last Labour Day celebration of the present president of the republic.

2. This celebration was marked by the unveiling of the bas-relief of the late Crispin Beltran. Mr. Beltran, leader of the left-wing workers organization called Kilusang Mayo Uno who passed away last 2008 due to head injuries which he sustained from a fall, is regarded as the icon of the Philippine labour movement.

3. This year's Labour Day precedes the National (Presidential) elections which will be held on May 10.

I was walking along Ayala Avenue (located in Makati, the financial capital of the Philippines), another popular converging zone for rallies, yesterday, May 1. It was a quiet sunny Saturday afternoon, not too many people, and very few vehicles (wow!) plied the streets. Hopefully, this is not an ominous sign, the "calm before the storm", so to speak. The Philippine elections is often marred by incidences of vote-buying, ballot-snatching, cases of killings and acts of violence, among other instances of ciolence.

And much as I want to avoid discussing politics-related topics on this blog, it cannot be helped. The elections is a reality, the problem of the labour sector is a harsh reality of Manila and Philippine life.

*****

If you plan to vote on May 10 (granting that you are a Filipino citizen), it would be very good to know what each candidate has to say about individual issues.

This article (click the link here) may serve as a primer to the platforms (of the lack of it for some) of the presidential candidates on how to generate jobs. Read on.

(Photo of Ka Bel Beltran from this site.)

One Good Friday In Old Makati

I know, I know. Holy Week is over and done with and the city is back to its chaotic self. Sometimes, if only because nearly the entire Manila comes to a near grinding halt (READ: quiet), I wish that everyday is a Good Friday. When you are exposed to the speed and noise of urban life day in and day out, you will understand what I mean.

P. Burgos St., Brgy Poblacion. To the right are the constructed kubols.

I was in my place of residence during the entire Holy Week. I live in Barangay Poblacion, which is said to be the original Makati dating back to the Spanish times - the so-called Old Makati. For many years, people here still observe Lenten rites, a rather remarkable feat considering that Makati City has always been regarded as the seat of urbanity in the country.

In the Poblacion area, temporary shelters for the Stations of the Cross (called kubols) are constructed as early as Palm Sunday. These become centers of the Pasyon, which is the narration of the life and passion of Jesus Christ, delivered in a sing-song manner by residents designated or have volunteered to do it. The reading of the Pasyon in the area starts on Maundy Thursday, though outside Manila, it could start as early as Monday after Palm Sunday.

Kubol at Simba Likod

Kubol at Ilaya. Reading of The Pasyon was ongoing duing the time this photo was taken.

Good Friday marks the crucifixion and death of the Christ in the Christian World. Church altars are covered with purple cloth during this time. Below is a photo of the altar of the Saint Peter and Paul Parish Church located in Barangay Poblacion.

Come night time of Good Friday, a parade of floats representing the Stations of The Cross commences. This is a sight to behold, for the residents put their heart and soul in the construction of the floats and the arrangement of the statues. Roads are closed to onpassing vehicles during the duration of the parade.


The parade is mostly accompanied by devotees, most of them barefoot. Some prominent Makati folks also join in the parade, most notable of which is the Makati mayor, whom I always see walking with the crowd for the past five years of my abode in Makati.

I remember a long-time resident telling us once, beaming: We usually have 30 or so statues on parade for this occasion. The pride in the statement stems from something deeper though. It seems that for him, it is not just about elaborate and expensive preparations and such. The pride is all about the preservation and love of tradition. It is one infectious, "good" pride, so to speak.

Some things we would give for modernization, but there are some traditions that are worth keeping. The observance of the Holy Week in Old Makati is probably one of the things I would not hesitate to show to any non-Makati resident.