by Benjie de Ubago
Ooops, it’s time to dust those barongs and sayas. Yep, it’s that time of the year when the community is agog as to who’s coming and who gets an invite. Some will be jumping from one event to another only to see the same faces. Get ready for those waist bending exercises – tilting the torso slightly forward, eyes nailed as if in coma, with the flick of the fingers down the side as we lean forward for the habitual routine of beso-beso.
It’s pride by association. Most of those busy bodies will feel the surge of pride through their veins as they stand for photo opportunities side by side with people who will never even remember their names.
And this year, there are two Independence Day celebrations. One is the pee-cee-cee’s at the Hilton a week prior and for $110 you get to sniff Vilma Santos and watch people in their knee-length barongs dance the Rigodon. The other is being organized by the newly organized group – The Filipino Australian Movement for Empowerment (FAME) who promises that for $60.00, the Filipino gets to be the star at Rooty Hill RSL on June 12 exactly.
I am not one who approves of copycats just for the sake of duplication. However, over the last ten years, Filipinos have increased in number dramatically and what was applicable once is no longer a viable proposition. One venue cannot accommodate all the Filipinos wanting to go. So what’s one more party?
Just like the Flag-raising ceremony which was traditionally done at the Philippine House on exactly the 12th of June. Then, with Parramatta becoming a sister city, it was decided that it might be a good idea to have the flag raising ceremony there to accommodate Filipinos living in the area. Then the city of Blacktown followed suit as they had the most number of Filipino residents. However, last year – there was a flag raising ceremony in almost every suburb. And as far we know, this year, there’ll be one in Parramatta (a week prior) and one in Blacktown (the week after). As it is, verbal skirmishes are ongoing as to which APSL group gets to hold and raise the red, white and blue in Blacktown. Now that’s more of a problem! And who’s been invited?
So if we can raise the flag more than once at different locations, surely, we can party more than once at different locales.
But there are a few good things to look forward to. One is Filipino master pianist, Raul Sunico who will be performing at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music courtesy of the Philippine Consulate General, Sydney. Sunico is our very own Clayderman, whose fingers running on the keyboard can create a symphonic rapture that is guaranteed to enthrall music lovers.
Then, there’s food, glorious food – gastronomical delights to tempt your taste buds from June 11 to 22 at the Grace Hotel (77 York Street), Sydney. It‘s authentic Filipino cuisine especially prepared by chefs from Travel Café Philippines, an initiative by the offices of the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Waterworld in Schofields
On a more hopeful note – since the MPC people have moved the MPC site to Schofields, a flood-risk zone which will never get building approval from council, someone suggested an alternative use for this disaster prone area. They could turn the Schofields site into Waterworld – with swimming pools, water slides, and an aquarium too. I did not come up with this brilliant idea – though I wish I had thought of it! Another individual also suggested that the site be turned into a palaisdaan (fish pond). That is equally just as great. Keep the suggestions flowing and we’ll pass them on and they can dive in or drown. But I get a sinking feeling; they (Villon, Tique and company) will not keep this idea afloat.
By the way, I’ve been getting phone calls from people looking for Mr. Galang, to which I should have probably replied – ‘I am not my brother’s keeper’ – then again, he isn’t my brother and I know exactly where my three brothers are! Not even the PCC where he currently serves as “vice” is able to track him down. They should simply put cameras around to smoke him out. I was also shocked to see a letter that negated Mr. Galang as an official of the Labor Party.
Whaaat? After all those photos, he’s not? I guess Mr. Galang can only run somewhere else now Oh, Mr. Galang, please behave!
And please, pretty please, do not give my phone number to Kevin Rudd, before he too calls me and denies that Mr. Galang is a Labor Party official.
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