Friday, December 19, 2008 Pangan: Impressions By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
THE dawn mass traditionally ushers in Christmas proper, supposedly a solemn, if not relevant, observance of the birth of the Child Jesus, the revered icon of Christians worldwide.
In several ways, people get involved in the festivities -- be they conventional, bacchanalian or banal. In the last classification, the true meaning and impact of the Christmas message is lost in the hustings.
On the first day of the Simbang Bengi (aptly, Ganingaldo), I ventured to go to the Nepo quadrangle to witness how this tradition is carried out: obviously, the reverence and solemnity befitting such long-cherished rite are not quite observed and the meaning of this Catholic exercise is lost among the boisterous young individuals who spent the early evening drinking, smoking and probably imbibing on prohibited drugs and substances, just so to stay awake (and not necessarily focused) and attend albeit reluctantly the Simbang Bengi starting at four o' clock in the morning of December 16.
Some women workers came in shorts and in what passed off as sandos, both no-nos in attending mass and others were simply not dressed properly for the occasion.
While I understand the reason for holding the dawn mass at the open air venue, I submit that the attendees do not observe the solemnity due this revered Christmas tradition. As usual, the enterprising ambulant vendors were there hawking their wares, diverting the attention of the mass-goers and added to the confusion going on.
Still, many of the attendees did not pay much attention to the mass and some just walked away, a few minutes into it, from an otherwise soul-lifting, mind-inspiring annual ritual of the faithful. Note though that the more disciplined churchgoers prefer to hear mass inside the church or chapel as that in Carmelite, just meters off the Villa Angela main gate in Angeles City.
Still, some do attend the evening mass as they are wont to do all these years. They believe that they will score points as well, if not better, than those who attend the Simbang Bengi.
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Layoffs. It is unfortunate that quite a number of OFWs, particularly in Taiwan, South Korea and in the United States have been given marching orders due to several reasons, one of which is the devastating effect of the global financial crisis on these countries' economies thus necessitating the cutback on expenses for labor and household and domestic help.
It is timely that our hardworking President GMA has clinched some 30,000 slots in Qatar so as to somewhat ease the slowdown and cuts in the foreign labor market for our OFWs, who, as we all distinctly know, contribute immensely to our dollar reserves through their remittances.
The National Government is on the right track in scouting for more job openings, if only to offset losses in countries reeling from financial reverses.
The Dole, POEA and other agencies tasked to promote the welfare of our OFWs should exert more effort to sustain our workers' productivity and relevance because their remittances greatly help in shoring up of our vital dollar reserves.
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Parties galore. It's time to party at this time of the year. Some have done so on the second week of December but others like the LGU of Mabalacat and the Clark Development Corporation have set theirs yesterday with short programs and prize-giving activities. The merrymaking continues and climaxes on the 25th and, after a short respite, revives on New Year's eve which shall promptly end the year 2008.
Well, 2009 is just around the corner and soon, election fever will set in till 2010. Speaking of the 2010 national and local elections, as in the municipal levels, Mabalacat might see a four or five-cornered fight between incumbent mayor Boking Morales, his perennial archrival Anthony Dee, Dr. Victor Tiglao, SB member topnotcher Noel Castro and the young sector's favorite Perry Pangan.
Echoing US President-elect Barack Obama's election campaign cry “Change, We Can” and the volunteer-driven campaign of Gov. Eddie Panlilio, the electorate of Mabalacat might adopt one or both of these winning slogans in order to put in place a new, energetic administration in Mabalacat.
People I've talked to really want to have a new set of officers in this progressive town and I do not blame them. After all, they deserve a new, energetic and caring officials. More on these “change” things in my succeeding columns.
