Birthday Presence (April 1,2008)

Birthday Presence
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

Colorful triangular flaglets proudly bear a commercial sponsor’s logo and hang with entwining electrical lines. Ferris wheels, roller coasters and merry-go-rounds keep the nearby plaza crowded with people. Drumbeats and xylophone chimes join the tossing and turning of majorette batons each contributing to the jovial music that fills the streets with cheer. Mouthwatering festive foods abound in almost all houses, as well as the guests. These describe a typical Filipino fiesta, one custom that’s unique to the Philippines. It’s a festivity where everyone gets to make use of aluminum wraps for take home, have a VIP pass to almost any house in the community, and crown the most attractive lady as queen. Just a week ago, I hosted a barangay fiesta’s coronation night. There were gowns bathe in glittering designs and for a few hours the barangay transformed to a royal monarchy with five princesses and a queen. But as I had the bird’s eye view on stage, I saw more than tiaras and scepters.

There were limited chairs reserved for some particular guests distinguished with garlands, while the rest of the not so particular audience stayed at the back, standing all throughout the program. Wait, wasn’t this a barangay fiesta? Isn’t this celebration more intended for the residents and less to the so called guests? The fiesta commemorates the history and culture of the place, how it came it be and the lifestyle of its people. From how I see it, a fiesta resembles a birthday celebration; a special day not of the guests but of someone who’ll blow the candles on the cake. It’s a pity the birthday celebrators were left to stand at the back, unnoticed and left out while the guests take center stage and enjoy the limelight.

There was disappointment in the eyes of the audience after realizing the guest they’re all waiting for failed to come and grace the event. Streamers with large striking fonts of guest’s name filled every corner of the barangay showing how much anticipation everyone felt. I salute that guest for doing such an amazing job of crushing these poor people’s hearts. To add to that, I applaud to that guest for making my job as host for that night more difficult, as that remarkable guest suppose to be in almost all parts of the program. Say goodbye to scripted and prepared hosting, and say hello to impromptu and panic blabber. A people’s hope is like a balloon, as it grows in strength it fills up and expands beautifully but when you pop it obliviously it explodes in the most repulsive way you could possibly think of, yes it becomes nagging, clamor, rallies, uprisings, revolts and sometimes petitions for impeachment.

I couldn’t put all of the blame to our culture; we are, as you would expect, impeccably hospitable and self-sacrificing. But, let us not forget the most basic principle of living; give when you have something to give. Let us provide ourselves with decent chairs first before letting other people sit in an expensive couch. It may appear to be a saint-like quality we Filipinos practice, but sad to say, in the end that generosity we give is often times abused and taken advantage of. We give and give and leave nothing to ourselves, but those people who have received from us don’t usually do the same thing. This, I believe is not selfishness, it’s just a simple thing I call justice. Those people whom we look up to, those people who we wish could lead us, those guests we treasure, may they realize that sometimes simple acts like attending a barangay coronation night and staying for a while would save an average man’s hopes of being a few meters away from a human being he admires. Mr. Honorable, please believe a seventeen year old when she says, spare a little time from your busy and hectic schedule to smile and wave at some hundreds of excited people who also spared a little time from their busy and hectic schedule just to see you.

These coming months celebrates most of the country’s fiestas and festivals. I hope the next time I host a coronation night there will be more seats enough for everyone to sit. I hope the streamers and welcoming marching bands will not be wasted in regrets and disappointments.

I see no logic of giving the best if we haven’t receive the best in the first place.

The birthday celebrants deserve more than your presents.
They need your presence.