Impong Kulas opines: “Ang kasal ay katulad din pala ng pandemic. Hindi biro.”
“For richer or for poorer in whatever whichever, either one lives happily ever after or go social distancing.”
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Joyfully saying “I do” and vowing “to love, to hold and to cherish” are indelible relationship commitments.
Welcoming the ‘reopening’ on June 11 shows that life after Covid-19 is in the offing.
Nonetheless, Manang Maria views the future of both marriage and reopening with cautious optimism.
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Best wishes to the bride and groom who intend to sync up with the June nuptial tune.
However, Step 1 of the new Ontario three-phase reopening scheme allows indoor weddings to include ten people only. Outdoor nuptials are permitted with attendees staying two metres apart. The rule supposedly began on June 14 and was said to last for at least 21 days.
In Step 2, indoor weddings are limited to 15 percent of venue capacity. Outdoor restrictions stays.
Step 3? Until the government announces specifics, who knows?
Tatang Tasyo chides: The re-opening program is similar to marking a date for a well-deserved cruise in the pandemic era – subject to change without due and fair notice.
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For Pareng Isko, lockdown and stay-home orders trigger bittersweet grade school memories.
That was when he would raise his hand and ask the teacher: “Ma’am, may I go out?”
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It does not take a Ripley to believe it or not. Lockdowns may soon be a thing of the past.
It would be sorely missed, or not.
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Breaking Noise and Freaking News, Stateside.
First, the duck wants to wade back in the pond by August. If it tries to settle in a cuckoo’s nest too, then there must be some factual basis to the notion that elephants of the same tusks fluctuate together.
Second, a number of states are making it easier for the lesser to lose a ballot. The aggression against the right to vote may tick a time when no one is left to vote. Hate it or love it, it is what it is in a democracy.
Third, the obvious rush to airports, beaches, arenas and other public zones hogged the limelight. Many have wiggled a thumbs-up to applied best ‘guinea pig’ practices and ‘lab rat’ trial-and-error tests.
Fourth, many still find it amazing to trash the mask, keep close together and say no to jabs. They are so glad to wisely choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Kumare Bebang smiles out wide: Viva! Las Vegas.
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So-called influencers are fond of spitting out clichés, idioms, catchphrases, and candy-coated rhetoric to distract the public from being aware of and from knowing the truth.
Noticeably, politicians, mass and social media, pandemicians, etc. dish out data and information they insist the public needs to know.
They sidestep or totally shrug off answers to fundamental questions the public wants to know, from which the latter derives wise choices and sane decisions that impact on a typical daily struggle to survive and live.
Worse, after sweeping dirt under the rug, influencers lock skeletons in a closet, keep the can of worms sealed and stash away the key to Pandora’s Box.
Public knowledge will just have to wait until someone rubs the Magic Lamp. Then, the Truth will be declassified. That is, if Mr. Genie even obliges.
Believe in the pot of hot soup at the end of the rainbow. After all, King Arthur gently pulled Excalibur from a hard rock and an act of fateful preservation ejected Superman from Krypton to Earth.
If you disagree, ask Mother Goose, Jason Bourne or Facifica Falayfay. Mutt and Jeff, Tom and Jerry and Darna and Ding may be good references too. Please ignore the Three Monkeys a.k.a. Won’t See, Won’t Hear and Won’t Say.
Padre Pio admonishes: Only when the honest word matters will the real world matter.
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Very recently, hopefuls eyed the sky for falling stars and wished to win the $70-million Lotto Max jackpot.
Peeking through the clouds, Bathala might have muttered: “You know I’m not an OLG official, huh!”
Lola Selya: Seriously, did I need to buy a ticket?
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More than winning or being recognized with an award, being true to one’s self, one’s passion and one’s commitment to serve epitomize the greatness of people and entities.
Thus, it is but proper to doff our hats to Filipino-Canadian newspaper Balita and its publisher Tess Cusipag for being a recipient of the Quincentennial Awards 2021 from Sentro Rizal Toronto of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto.
A huge congratulatory smile too to Atin Ito, Balita associate editor Mogi Mogado and all awardees that Consul General Orontes V. Castro honoured in a virtual program on June 12, in celebration of the Philippines’ 123rd Independence Day anniversary.
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On May 9, 2022, the people of the Philippines will troop to the polls to vote for their President.
This early, political parties and persons with interests have started prepping up for the electoral race.
During the commemoration of the country’s 123rd Freedom Day, critics of the ruling Duterte government were their genuine selves again, lambasting the present ‘ugly’ state of affairs in the country.
I can hear them shout in unison: “Huling one-two-three na ito!”
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Hollow apologies and promises of a huge stack of chips no longer appease. Nor do they make amends.
Scheming political tactics to ignore-stall-forget will never delete a history of unforgivable grave blunders that drew the breath of Canadians whose culture and customs are an integral part of the country’s stronger tapestry.
But helping each other rebuild an aging broken bridge of respect, peace and love would be magical, like the aura in Bathala’s Heaven where there are no challenging odds, only a lot of blissful eternal evens.
Good old folk advice: “Don’t walk ahead of me, I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend.”
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How about taking a walk with your GREAT and AMAZING DAD one of these days?
Anyways,I wish all dads in the realm a blessed and joyful Father’s Day.
May you continue to have all the best on your special day and beyond.
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I will take this moment to lovingly whisper an advanced Happy Father’s Day (June 20, 2021, Sunday) to my late dad, Felicisimo Mina Galicia Sr.
His ashes may represent what had been left of a 49-year pilgrimage on earth. Chito, as those who honour and respect his memory fondly called him, rests since 1981 at the Holy Cross Memorial Park in Novaliches, Quezon City; in the good company of my brother Gie, sister Pinky and Lola May.
Distance does not matter for him and my mom, Isabel de Guzman Galicia, whose final resting place is in Toronto. Their spirits have moved to a better place, relishing eternal life and love in a heavenly promenade.
My belief is firm that both linger on in the hearts and watch over the lives of their surviving children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, kin and future generations who carry and embrace their blood, name and legacy.
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“Lolo, why do you always say that those who die are in a better place?”
“Because we believe that people we hold dear in our hearts are in Heaven.”
“So, where are we now?”
“In a good place where you can play and have fun, Apo; in a good place where we can work and pray.”
“Lolo, every night, I’ll pray that you will go to Heaven.”
“Apo, you are a very good and loving child. What do you want me to give you on your 40th birthday?”
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The ride of a lifetime only ends when the roller coaster comes to a full stop.
During the trip, one has to figure out how to deal with life. #####
