TAKING the opportunity to enjoy the Christmas break, I headed up north in a rare travel and vacation, courtesy of a handful of non-working days of the month. This is an opportune time for a respite from work.

Avoiding the traffic in the Metro Manila, I headed for Baguio City instead. Although I somehow assumed that there is human and vehicular congestion too in the City of Pines, I never thought that it is worse just like in the capital region. Nonetheless, the vacation must go on.

Before taking the long and winding road from lowland La Union to my city destination, I passed by the Minor Basilica of our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag. The church is a favorite pilgrimage and prayer site for various petitions, thanksgiving or devotions to the Mother of our Savior.

At Manaoag, which is a town of the province of Pangasinan, are the numerous people and vehicles visiting the church. Equally numerous are the vendors, mendicants, parking boys, and tambays. You move an inch and the vendors will follow.

There are vendors inside and out of the church patio. Some pilgrims are evidently irked by too much commercialization and the number of vendors tailing their prospective customers. One cannot feel the solemnity and sanctity of the place because of these entrepreneurs.

We cannot do away with enterprising Filipinos. The more number of people there is, the greater the chance to sell any merchandize from fruits to religious items to delicacies. They however, should be limited or regulated to preserve the sanctity of the place.

Since vehicles are now prohibited inside the church compound, vacant lots were converted into pay parking spaces. Visitors of Manaoag have no choice except to avail of these spaces for the safety of their vehicles.

With the great number of visitors, people are earning from various trades. For the enterprising, the place is good to make a living regardless of any season in a year.

My next stop was in Baguio City. Camp John Hay is the supposed place to rest. Heavy vehicular traffic on the other hand is devoiding one's intention to have a reat during the Christmas break.

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In a day from now, the year 2019 is ending. As we look forward for a better year ahead, we should rekindle life's lessons of the past year so we may be guided for the incoming year.

We should be wise enough with the mistakes of the past year not to be committed again. We should start the year right by avoiding what is wrong.

Happy New Year to all!

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