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Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Velasco: Stark naked and running
By Diana B. Velasco
Grains Of Salt
FOR most people, December 16 officially marks the start of the Christmas Season as it heralds the first day of a series of Eucharistic celebrations more popularly known as the Simbang Gabi. To the more agnostic and non-secular intellectual community in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, however, December 16 signals the propinquity of the Christmas break through a more festive indicator: it is the day of the much-awaited bacchanalian practice known as the Oblation Run.
To the uninitiated and plain oblivious, the Oblation Run is an annual event and the exclamation point to the existence of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity in the flagship UP campus where neophytes and regular members run through the AS halls in their naked glory with only their heads--and I mean the head that holds eyes, ears, nose and mouth--covered and leaving nothing else to the imagination. Yes my dear, imagine a scenario with about a dozen men in their prime streaking through the largest building on campus with nothing but a t-shirt to cover their faces, amidst the delighted shrieks of girls and gays and with the entire nation as witness through the wonders of live television. A popular Christmas carol should be renamed "Jingle Balls" to fit the occasion!
Allow me to recall a few unforgettable anecdotes related to the Oblation Run.
Cynthia, a Family Life and Child Development major, was super excited to see the event for the first time. Securing a strategic place at the AS Walk as early as 9 in the morning, she was ready to camp on her spot for the next three hours so that she "would not miss a single hair" when the APO made their appearance at noon. Due to the heat and the crowd, she became exhausted and decided to sit down.
That was the exact moment when the fraternity brothers decided to make their appearance in her midst. She couldn't stand due to the push of the crowd but since she was at the frontlines, she really did not mind the pushing and shoving. And then, wonder of wonders, she suddenly found herself face to face (or should I rephrase that to face to penis?) to a wondrous vision. A runner decided to stop right in front of her and hand her a long-stemmed rose. It took her a few moments to find the strength to gaze up and away from the hairy apparition a few inches from her blushing face, and receive the rose that was as red as her cheeks had become. This is a true account, and one that she recalled with glee to her envious freshman barkada. My sister was part of her clique.
A common observation of most witnesses to the Oblation Run can be candidly summarized in one word "maliit!" Interviewing friends from the APO and who admit to having participated in the run reveal that the adrenaline and the pressure of having to literally expose themselves to a crowd of thousands have an effect that is the exact opposite of Viagra. It does not help that the more naughty ones in the crowd shout the names of APO members. Imagine how priceless it wa when one supposedly anonymous runner looked back when my friend shouted "Hoy, Darwin!" as he was streaking down the hall! I still have fond memories of Darwin, that's for sure.
But while I have fond memories of Darwin, I find it a little unfortunate that I have none of the Oblation Run. You see, I never got to watch the event in my six years in UP. I always had other things to do every sixteenth of December. I can declare I have no qualms about not making the effort. But if the Oblation Run was "bigger and better," I might harbor a few regrets.
You may email missabsinthe@yahoo.com for your comments and reactions
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (December 20, 2005 issue)
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