By Nora Soriño
ILIGAN City -- It was a quaky one, I mean this Christmas. Remember that Dec. 15, 2019 quake? T’was a hell of a quake. Although we had that during the early “ber” months. So we had “practice.” But could we as a people get to be “experts” in dealing with calamities even with such “practices?” Nah. Although the quakes were felt mostly in Mindanao.
It was said that Pastor Quiboloy, a religious leader based in Davao, was said to be instrumental in “stopping” the quakes.
Other areas did not experience these quakes, although they had nonetheless encountered nature’s wrath of another kind, the latest of which was “Ursula.” Ursula opted to stay longer than the others of her kind. Like Tisoy, for instance.
Let’s leave the quake and storm and other calamity thoughts behind. For among others, it was a happy Christmas as many of us were happy, even as we were sad, too. We were feeling fearful; we were spooked.
We were mystified. We were feeling concerned. But we were unconcerned, too. We were energetic. We were tired. We were “danceable” even as we were wallflowers in parties. We were critical, even as we were quick to admire and appreciate.
We were having fun; we were “kill-joys.” We were prayerful; we were irreverent. We were political, we were apolitical. We felt relevant, even as others see us as “irrelevant.”
We were courageous, even as others see us as cowards.
So, why couldn’t we not be happy? There was glitter around and this is associated with happiness. Though it is said, “not all that glitters is gold.”
And why couldn’t we feel sad? Sad moments in our lives occurred some Christmases ago. Just one sample: Sendong.
So, we were fearful that Sendong might return with a good “comeback.” And that spooked us.
We were “mystified.” Because in our analytical moments, we ask if Christmas or the marking of the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior really occurred Dec. 25 over two thousand years ago. A Dr. Levi Pagunsan once told me that the date of his coming to us was not necessarily Dec. 25.
We were feeling concerned because the bonuses or the gifts might be way behind the expenses or the gifts that we are bound to incur, to give.
We were energetic. Who wouldn’t be when we get dressed and ready to go to that exciting Christmas party!
So, we felt very “danceable.” Only to see that the parties didn’t have dancing. So, we became “wallflowers.”
We sort of became “prayerful.” Many of us woke early dawn to hear mass. Even Pope Francis said mass for us, Filipino people, because it is our tradition. Although the majority did not bother to wake up because of laziness and the cold or both.
We were irreverent. Who wouldn’t be especially if one has had one drink which one is prone to say “one drink deserves another.” And then somebody butts in, “two for the canal.”
We couldn’t afford to be “political.” Especially if our candidates did not make it to the May 2019 elections. And on another level, the government really was watching too the development of another political front, the CPP- NPA, as they celebrated their nth anniversary on the 26th. They had been dying to take over this government. Or at least “coalesce.” Digong then in one of his speeches said: “What coalition government are they talking about? They must be nuts.” Or some words to that effect.
Here, in this part of Northern Mindanao, our critical voices on local matters became louder and louder. We joined the choruses of voices that criticized the “tallest” Christmas tree located at the Centennial Park at Dalipuga, this city. Many voices here then in this part of the world said: “Tallest” is not the right word. It is “tulis.” Meaning “robbery.” At a cost of P750,000 that is all? A tree that is “malnourished?” And lately, other voices have been heard, like it is sick with “scoliosis,” too. Meaning the tree is bent like that person having this sickness.
The tree at a glance costs only P100,000, some pundits say. Where did the P650,000 go? As if they had really seen the voucher and the other supporting documents for that “tulis!”
But in some of our sober moments, we were apolitical. We give the present city officials the benefit of the doubts. That the conclusion that they’re really corrupt might be wrong. They haven’t been convicted by the courts though even if there are mountains of cases being filed in court.
The court of public opinion though already “convicts” them. “Them’’ are the city officials led by Mayor Celso Regencia who is now on leave due to “stresses” due to these cases.
So, “nganong ni- enter?” asked the amused “non-supporter.”
“But the mayor is entitled to some leave of absence just like the rest of us. And he hasn’t been on leave since,” said acting mayor Jemar Vera Cruz. Of which the SP members who mostly are his party mates say, “amen.”
It was also an “impeachable” Christmas. Not for us really but for some leader in a faraway land called Donald Trump, President of the US of A. But who cares whether Trump is impeached or not? Who really cares if later he will be convicted by a Trump-friendly Senate there? We’re only here while he’s there. But, didn’t they say that what happens there affects us too? Like that expression which says: “When America sneezes, Europe will catch cold and the third world countries will come up with pneumonia!”
I’ve gone out of descriptions now of what that Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior was. For it was a Christmas that was the same as other Christmases in our lives.
Even as it was very much different, too.
Happy new year to all!
