When most companies either cancelled their Christmas parties or raffle/ gift giving, my townmates looked forward to raffle galore. I traditionally bring a lot and the one for the grand prize usually one 50 kilo- sack of rice. I have to be specific kasi even 25 kilos, 10 kilos, or 5 kilos eh nasa sako na rin.
This time, I brought an electric fan, rice cooker, one burner stove, clock, and 4 bottles of wine.
I could not believe that none of our household staff knew how to wrap gifts so I did it myself.
Call time was 11 am but I left our house at 12:30 noon. Traffic even on a Sunday. There’s a Savemore now in Darangan, traffic magnet yan. Opening soon is another SM in Angono and Puregold in Binangonan. It’s going to be hell of a traffic when all those establishments open.
It was tiring to be a backstreet driver. Diretso, ikaliwa, iliko, iwasan ang tricycle, dahan-dahan masikip ang kalsada, itiklop mo yung side mirror, bumaba ka, tawagin mo yung driver nung tricycle at hindi tayo makadaan.
The best ang puto bumbong sa Binangonan, hindi lang ako nakabili last Sunday.
These people are not really poor, pero luma na ang mga bahay nila. The Meralco transmission wires and other cables add to the magulo look.
Someone was singing when I arrived.
The raffle was the climax of the day.
There were sufficient food. I ate rice, menudo, and bangus na merong kamatis, sibuyas, and luya.
My daughter saw me getting dressed, she asked “hindi ka ba maiinitan?”.
Buti na lang merong aircon dito.
We were on the top floor of this building, Binangonan Development Cooperative.
Luming was complaining maingay yung karaoke. Iyan talaga ang type nila. Mahilig silang kumanta, kaya lang, nakukulili ang tenga ko. It was difficult to engage in a conversation.
A———“Butch, hinaan mo nga”.
Butch—— “Bakit?”
A———- “Maingay, hindi kami magkadinigan”.
Buti na lang, they always follow what I say.
Merong nag contribute ng isang kawang sopas. Pero kulang sa patis.
Here comes the most anticipated raffle.
There were many raffle prizes so they interspersed it with some games. Del (in maroon blouse) was the one in charge of the games. She’s an elementary teacher kaya yung style nya eh parang classroom lessons.
Merong spelling contest. Two groups. I was watching in disbelief while they were writing their answers on the board.
Group 1
They all stumbled down on the words hypertension, beauty conscious and conscience. I didn’t know that beauty was a difficult word to spell. That’s the result of abbreviated texts and messages.
Group 2
Butch, Del, and Luming. Luming is always busy planning when and where her family would vacation next. No stress pag maraming pera. Puro bakasyon.
All matandang dalaga daw. Why did they have to say matanda? Pwede namang mga dalaga pa.
Liza, Dra. Racquel, ___, Elia Akol- VP of Security Bank’s non-life insurance unit.
I was busy directing them so we could all fit in the frame. I forgot to join in the picture. Naiwan ako.
Never forget where you came from.
