TIME was when the class goat was called to march on graduation day, it was the most received by everyone. Applause even stronger than that of the first called, the Valedictorian. The goat as they were called was always the last one who barely made it to graduation day and to march. A passing mark of exactly the passing grade.
Nothing more, nothing less the tail end. Not also "pasang awa".
In the Philippine Military Academy and even in West Point the practice is the same. I would learn too that Rodolfo Biazon was the goat of his class. He soon became the Chief of Staff a Congressman and a Senator. Today the goat is somewhat different. If you are the goat it would mean, The Greatest Of All Time! Not the last.
Anyway, allow me to change the subject. I would like for now to relate this story from the previous weather disturbances we had just witnessed. Ompong and Rosita.
With Ompong every Juan was well aware of its path, the eye of it. Normally Juan would really concentrate on where it would lead to. Resources and Logistics from government were all set up to where the eye and the path would be. Every thing and every Juan just centered on the center of the storm with a coordinating center, centered just for it. Enough of that.
What happened was that, the eye passed, and damage was there, but limited. Casualties few to none in the areas directly in the path. Every Juan in the center that centered to it were all rejoicing for the readiness they did for those areas.
Little did they know that most of the damage was wrought out along the tail end of Ompong. Baguio and Benguet was heavily affected and hit badly. Glad to have some friends in government to relay them of what had just happened. Attention now was diverted from what was to what did we not see? We all know what happened after. There was death and destruction.
Every Juan anticipated the coming of Rosita. Another powerful storm. Baguio and Benguet a direct hit of the eye. It came, it passed. Winds were strong there was some rain, that was it. Every Juan was happy.
Little did we know that along the tail end was the same story from Ompong, death and destruction found along the periphery of the storm and not the eye, the tail end. Mt. Province, Ifugao and Kalinga were hit badly. A storm they said, not experienced from a long time. Natonin where a lot of development is on-going was the worst hit this time. Dad happens to be an adopted son of Natonin.
Just from this typhoons I will surmise to say that indeed focus must not only be on the path that is a direct hit but anticipate that the surrounding areas will most likely be affected more. I guess from now on it is a must for all agencies to monitor too the area of the tail end, the goat I will say since it may also be the most that gets the attention.
The tail end during this month may also be the last of the typhoons for the year. But the last are also the most powerful and destructive. I was in Sydney exactly 5 years ago when Yolanda hit the Philippines. It was also the last of it at that time. Pepeng, some 9 years ago hit Baguio so bad at this same time too.
In a drama, musical or in a song, it is the tail end where the most impact is focused. Make the listener or the watcher anticipate and wait for that moment, the tail end. The LSS, or last song syndrome is the same effect, the most memorable they say.
In every golf tournament the awarding is the most attended, not for the winners but for the raffle prizes. Which also happens to be in the tail end of the program. It is the most anticipated. Before it, no Juan leaves, even for the restroom, despite all the speeches finished.
The tail end gives the most impact I tell you. Once during the Panagbenga where I was still the Vice Mayor, I would remember the mayor and the congressman at odds. Each had his own Panagbenga Parade. One on a Saturday, the other, the Sunday. While I was caught in the middle of it, I decided to just play it cool. I decided to participate in both but as a Scout. I positioned myself on the tail end of both parades. I together with the Scouts picked up off from the parade the trash that was left. Again it created the most impact and it was the most memorable.
I won't mind being at the tail end from now on. Just saying.