Looks Like Rain …

AS IF IN A BURST of anger, the rain poured, pounding on my roof, bending my plants every which way, and making me a bit uneasy.

          Rain is a soothing experience and a welcome respite from the country’s weather which is, more often than not, either hot or hotter. But you see, after Ondoy a couple of years back and yet remaining in my old apartment, the feeling I get with the onset of rain has somewhat changed.

            I say a bit uneasy because I know there isn’t anything bad that comes from the sky. Aside from climate change and all that, we are discovering that the floods are caused by denuded mountains and clogged drainage, among other man-made reasons.

          Besides, the rains serve as metaphor for our life’s many challenges as well as triumphs and positive experiences. There will be days when rain comes without previous notice or warning as much as there will be times of unexpected trials or unperceived heartbreaks.

        There will be moments when it comes but we brought our big umbrella as much as there will be instances of preparedness and resolve in facing whatever obstacle that gets in the way. 

          Life and rain are the same because they both sometimes scream and overwhelm or whisper and soothe. Life like rain means that nothing is permanent. A storm is sometimes inevitable and yet it does not rain forever.

       

                                  PHOTO shared by friend Dores on Facebook.

   

Drizzle & Cloudburst

        And so in one’s life, some rain must fall …

          When it does, I want to be in Baguio, where the rains come during afternoons as if in slow motion and falls gently on the beautiful greenery around.  You do not mind getting wet because it feels good like pine needles caressing your skin. So refreshing …

           

            Or in Tagaytay on a summer day, where it seemingly comes in a tiptoe because you don’t know it’s raining until you feel the drizzle on your head and on your arms.  In a few minutes, as if to make up for making you wet, a rainbow appears on the horizon with colors so vivid!

          Or inside the Shrine of St. Peter Parish along Commonwealth Avenue, where – from its cloister or some sort of a walkway on both sides of the main church – you can see the sky going from dark gray to black and to complete the show, a loud thunder claps from above. The rains fall heavily with big drops as if a large bucket has tipped over and dumped gallons of water drenching not just the avenue but the friendly  sidewalk vendors in front of the church as well as the trees and other plants lining the road. 

COULDN’T help but take a shot of a rain-drenched St. Peter Parish 

Shrine of Leaders (above) along Commonwealth Avenue on my way to hear Mass

even while typhoon Gener lashed on the city. Below shows photos

I took – the intricately designed altar and the cloister where Batasan

Hills could be seen on the left – when I got stranded recently after

 praying the nine-day Novena for my mom’s 365 days.  A  First

Communion for public school pupils held at the time kept me

amused as I watched the kids fidget on their white clothes

and as they hardly stifle a shriek when the sound

of thunder reverberated from above.

 

          A cold wind later blows as if God is whispering we won’t be stranded long …

          Or on the 12th floor of Holiday Inn – just beside Robinson’s Galeria at the Ortigas Center – where you only get to see the rain in silver strands, no sound, no pitter-patter and not even feeling it. You can only imagine the dampness on the streets and guess the enjoyment or irritation of the people walking under or caught in it.  

                                                  PHOTO by travela.priceline.com.

THE LAST time we were at Holiday Inn was right after Ondoy devastated

Manila and nearby towns and cities. The following week, another

typhoon was spotted and for daughter Pee Ann’s peace of mind,

she treated us for a weekend stay at the said hotel. Daughter Ghiselle

and I shared our room (above/travelph.com) with brother Abe.

        
            Or at EDSA Shang, also at the Ortigas Center, where you don’t feel the rain at all. You just go around from one floor to another and get lost in your own shangri-la, so to speak. You can sit in one of those lounge chairs at Starbucks on the top floor and sip your favorite ice-cold brew or at Le Coeur de France on the ground floor and watch people come and go in between bites of their bestseller pesto pizza.

          The mall usually mounts art exhibits on the ground floor near the fountain and it’s a good way to while away your time.  

I ONLY GET to visit the EDSA Shang when there’s

an event nearby or to meet up with friends. But

every time I am there, I have a good time – whether

alone or with company. The mall is never crowded and my

favorite silvanas is sold in a small store there, whose

name  is simply Silvanas.

          You can likewise try out some clothes at Zara and on a lucky day, you might just find something that fits you and your budget. Most of the time, it just fits me …

          Or in my sister’s home in Filinvest 2 in Quezon City, where you are comforted by family and long-time friends in the neighborhood despite threat of waters rising and floods ascending. Tasty home-cooked food is likewise assured – my sister Pat and brother-in-law Sonny sure know their way around the kitchen, including coming up with delicious dishes – and bonding moments with other members of the family are guaranteed, definitely our best bet against an endless downpour.

HABAGAT SHOTS: My sister Pat’s wet and now moss-covered

front yard (top) and our rainy weather lunch (above)

of burger steak and creamy sopas; posing with King Bee

(below) together with daughter Ghiselle, sister Pat

and grandson Marcus, after a hearty lunch at the restaurant

to celebrate nephew Mecky’s birthday … and also to rejoice

we have finally seen the sun and Marikina River

(lowermost) goes back to its usual depth ... but
the plastic stuff caught in one of the steel posts
are a blunt reminder that many of us are at fault 
for these scary floods.

          Or even in my be it ever so humble home where I get to witness a combination of cloudburst and drizzle during the rainy season. When typhoon Ferdie made one weekend really wet, my daughter Ghiselle and I made the most of it by watching an X-Men marathon on Star Movies and enjoying rainy day meals – lunch courtesy of Mang Inasal nearby then early dinner of champurado and fried tuyo.

        In between meals, we chomped on Doritos and Cheetos …

THE RAINS pour and the view from my bedroom

window is a clash of gray and green. Most part of my

 cemented front yard remains gray but green moss

begins to settle. And my plants look  more green when wet.

Deluge

         Obviously, I have a deluge of beautiful and fun memories of rain – some of them spontaneous, an unscripted show of nature, truly magical.  

          As I write this, some mean wind – hanging habagat – is flooding Metro Manila and nearby towns, with Marikina River close to overflowing. This is definitely a deluge which likewise means a great flood or a heavy downpour. In the Bible, it was used to describe that avalanche of water that occurred in the time of Noah.

NOAH’S ARK is remembered as hanging habagat brings

an avalanche of rainwater that flooded the metropolis

big time. Indeed, there’s a lot to learn from this Biblical story.

This God Bless You photo was shared by friend Yvette on Facebook.

          Still expounding on the word, a deluge is also a verb that means to overwhelm. All these memories of rain overwhelm me – both in terms of the beautiful and the bad.   

          On the overall, I love the rain more than I hate it … I like the way it makes me feel cold and I like wearing cardigans and jackets when going out and I like curling up in my favorite (read: my only one) sofa with a book. I enjoy listening to my favorite music which, at the moment, is a unique mix of whatever – to wit, Windmills Of Your Mind by Sting; Paloma, Ely Buendia; Wanna Grow Old With You, Daniel Padilla; When You Say Nothing At All, Ronald Keating; Tattooed On My Mind, D’Sound; Closer You and I, SpongeCola; The Last Time, Richard Poon; and Imagine, Bamboo.

          The rains make my plants healthier and greener. Some of them come up with beautiful flowers after being watered from the heavens above, like my fuchsia impatiens. My small cemented front yard gets a rare bath making it dust-free and becomes covered with green moss.

MY FOREST-LIKE garden turns in new colors

after the rain – like my

fuchsia impatiens and red gumamela.

           I don’t like the rain in terms of floods that lead to homelessness and grief to our kababayans. But it is in times like these that bring out the best in every Filipino. If only for this, I am happy the way we become heroes for each other. We don’t just sympathize with the flood victims but we help and we reach out even if we ourselves are also victims.

          And I love the way we face such unfortunate events – by making light of them and never allowing anything to dampen our spirits, and, most important of all, through our classic sense of humor.

         
          I like that post shared in Facebook which aptly delineates our remarkable attitude and it goes: Baha ka lang, Pinoy ako!

          I also like what Martin Nievera said in ABS-CBN’s Sunday show, ASAP, as they honored the men and women who went out of their way to assist the victims of hanging habagat: “The Filipino spirit is water-proof!”

        Indeed!

         

Downpour for Dolphy 

          If we are to measure the tears that have fallen when Dolphy joined his Maker recently, we could have had another Ondoy. And if we are to gauge the love and prayers we have shown while he was in the hospital and finally passing away, we could have whipped up a storm.

  

TWO PHOTOS I want to remember Dolphy with: This

profile photo (above/courtesy of KAIBIGAN MAY JOKE KA BA?

and shared by friend Nette on Facebook), where he

definitely looks good despite his age;

and a shot of the super hilarious whiskey commercial

he did several years back which once more elicited

so much laughter. The clip eventually went viral.

        

          Much has been said and written about Dolphy and I am not about to say anything new because just like the majority, I practically grew up with him and his unforgettable brand of comedy. But I feel it is never enough until I’ve said my piece.

          Just like you and the next guy, Dolphy is definitely a happy memory for me.  He deserves all the outpouring of love and admiration and, okay, all those tributes and special shows and other awards given to the man right after his death. 

          But right after his death. Seriously?

          Of course, I am not the first one to say this but it is simply too late to be giving him awards and titles and all those accolades. I share everybody's sentiments that he doesn’t deserve an award wherein it will only be received on his behalf. He deserves to have received it while he was alive and because this didn’t happen, we failed him and deprived him of what was due him.

 

          Congress has passed a lot of irrelevant laws while Dolphy was still alive. No one remembered the National Artist award which was supposed to have been given him a couple of years ago but politics got in the way. And then oh so suddenly when he was in his deathbed, it dawned on them to give it to him.

          Of course, Dolphy’s family is just too grateful for whatever award/title he would be given. But no thanks. Keep those awards and maybe stop using him to gain pogi points.

          I agree with Lotis Key, one of Dolphy’s former girlfriends, when she said that the comedian has received more than the title of National Artist and that is the Filipinos’ unconditional love.

          True.

       

Manny’s Bucket

         There is one man who should stop chasing titles. Eight earned in record time is more than enough to prove his mettle in boxing. The People’s Champ, Manny Pacquiao, should now just concentrate on being Public Servant.

         Well, actually that is what he has been doing lately after that very disappointing loss from Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas, Nevada. He had to rush home when news reached him that his kababayans in Saranggani province have been badly affected by typhoon Ambo.

          Minus the usual ticker parade and grand homecoming welcome – just a sprinkling of confetti when he arrived in Manila – the boxing champ wore his congressman’s gloves to appease the misery of his constituents. He also informed them that he will buy a piece of land to relocate those who are living in typhoon-prone areas. He told ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol  that he is doing this with his own money, saying “balato ko na ‘to sa kanila.”

          In this season of rains, he continues to share his bounty to his constituents.

          We are hoping that just like Manny, other people who has overflowing buckets will likewise give a downpour to their kababayans and help them recover from their life’s storms.

          It is also my prayer that Manny tones down his Bible-toting stance in public. If I remember my Holy Book right, it is said that “..and when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” 

 REAL MEN  don’t eat quiche. Real men wear pink.

Etcetera. But this one I like – real men pray. And the guy’s

photo (below) is perfect for the intended message. Of course,

Manny Pacquiao (above/photo courtesy of pacquiaovsbradley.com) in his

 praying  stance is as natural asit gets. I have yet to get accustomed to his Bible-toting posture.  

Annabelle’s Thunder 

          Who hasn’t seen talent manager and Ruffa Gutierrez’s mom Annabelle Rama in a fit of rage?

          People watching ABS-CBN’s Bandila witnessed how she tried to steal the thunder from the King of Comedy himself, who was lying in state at The Heritage Park, where she was seen holding a black stick and threatening to hit entertainment reporter Chito Alcid.

       

          What else is new you say, but what was really disappointing about the whole incident is husband Eddie Gutierrez simply standing by and keeping his distance as his wife throws a tantrum with German Moreno, Chavit Singson and Epy Quizon doing the awat for him. And what is truly revolting is doing it at Dolphy’s wake.

          Anyway that is sooooo old news but I just can’t help but mention it.

          Recently, however, it was her daughter’s turn to really freak out when Annabelle announced her plans to run for Congress, representing a district in Cebu.

         

          On Twitter, her daughter Ruffa reacts with “I’m like, whattt? Kaloka.”

          Annabelle seems unfazed by that quite violent reaction and tweets back: “Bakit ka ba na shocked! Kasalanan ko ba kung ako ang napili para sa north district of Cebu?”

In the meantime, the congresswoman wannabe continues to face charges left and right from Nadia Montenegro, Amalia Fuentes and, yes, Chito Alcid.

          If elected, the first law she must pass should be on anger management. Or I hope she does not pass a law to legalize temper tantrums in public.

Like Cats & Dogs …

          As the rainy season warms up, the coming of October seems to have prompted some interesting personalities to make their presence felt. Pouring in like cats and dogs, they seem to be all over the place or at least where the most number of people can see them. For the unknowing, the said month is the filing of candidacy for next year’s elections.

          Do not wonder why recent guests of ABS-CBN’s Gandang Gabi Vice, aired Sundays, include Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Vigan Governor Chavit Singson,  Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, and father and son Senator Ed and Congressman Sonny Angara, among others.

          Senator Chiz Escudero is on KrisTV as Kris Aquino’s guest co-host.

          They sure know where to get real enormous media mileage. And they go like showbiz personalities to put themselves in a more likeable stance (?).

          Like Jinggoy showed his dance moves; Chavit brought along his pet pony and sang some song; while Isko projected his cute image. All of them acted cool or crazy or cute or whatever will get votes.

          Like Chiz – although not so liberally talking about his ended marriage – has been answering questions about Heart Evangelista. Caught one of those episodes when he admitted that he’s been seeing the beautiful young actress. In his usual robotic candor, he said, “kung 27 years old ako, you can say going out on a date but I’m already 46 so nag-meeting lang kami.”

          Whatever.

        And here’s more. It has been floated around that there might be a Chizee-Krissee tandem in 2016. Sounds like fun but that piece of news didn’t pick up.

          Another public servant wannabe is Aga Muhlach, who told ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol he will run for Congress in 2013 in his father’s home province of San Jose, Camarines Sur. In another interview published in The Philippine Star, he admitted that this decision is more like a realization that it is time to give back to the people and the community. [Excuse me, I need to yawn … ]

          Alma Moreno has likewise made known her plans to run for senator. Her son Vandolph was quoted he is scared of his mom’s decision. Well, the real scary part is when she wins!

          Vic Sotto and Cesar Montano are not joining next year’s elections despite earlier speculations. Both will be busy. Cesar is a doing a bio-pic of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim which is due for a November playdate.

 

          Bossing, on the other hand, is set to do a movie with Senator Bong Revilla for the Metro Manila Film Festival this December.

          “I could be of help to our people without entering politics,” he was quoted as saying. You are really my idol, Bossing.

        Willie Revillame announced that he will definitely support friend Aga’s political plans but he will never run for any political position ever. Wow, that’s a relief!

CHANCED UPON this billboard in a building right beside
Ever Gotesco Commonwealth and I wanted to have a copy of it

for posterity. It was a birthday greeting for Quezon City

Mayor Herbert Bautista. This was at the height

of the Avengers movie in the month of May.

        

Mist & Magic 

          Paulo Coelho, an author introduced to me by now Dubai-based friend Camille, has written something beautiful about the rain in his book By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: “Love like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy …”

            Who doesn’t want to be rained with love and soaked with joy?

          And who doesn’t enjoy watching ABS-CBN’s Ulan Station ID where all those young couples are having fun and simply enjoying the rain?

          I like the love team of Enchong Dee and Maja Salvador; they look good together. My favorite among them all is the romantic tandem of Jodi Santamaria and Richard “Papa Chen” Yap. Oh, they’re so cute in that morning soap, Be Careful With My Heart. An unlikely couple but they sure have chemistry …

          New teen heartthrob Daniel Padilla is also part of the station ID but I prefer him solo, without a love team. I heard him sing Wanna Grow Old With You and I was simply smitten … But, wow, this guy – more like kid – is only 17 years old! Well, infatuation knows no age.

CUTIE DANIEL PADILLA is such a darling – whether he’s

acting  or, most especially, singing.

 I remember Jose Mari Chan’s song

that goes “I feel like 17 again and it’s all

because of you …” each time I see him on TV.

          Anyway with this 'rain' concept from the Kapamilya network, it looks like love remains hot during the cold and wet season.

          It also looks like rain and more rain in the coming months and it’s something that we cannot avoid. And in those times that we will get caught in it, we might as well make the best of it.

          As somebody once said, Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.