FILIPINOS, especially Cebuanos, love to sing. Give them a mike in a videoke bar, and no prodding is necessary to make them sing.
I have many friends who are good singers like fellow Toastmasters Vic Vosotros, Lau Rogero and Rey Belarmino, fellow Sun.Star columnist Ellie Espinoza, Dr. Merlin Tan and Lapu-Lapu City councilor-elect Rico Amores.
Even presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte was known to sing the song, “MacArthur’s Park.” But what if he will impose a nationwide karaoke curfew when he assumes the presidency?
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The presumptive president, reports said, always point out to Davao City as his Exhibit A for strict discipline in wooing voters during the campaign for the May 9 elections.
Davao City has an ordinance allowing loud videoke singing in residential areas only up to 10 p.m. After that, neighbors can call barangay officials or the police to report violators.
If Duterte will have his way and adopt that ordinance for the entire country, then as the song goes, “The end is near.”
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Perhaps that ordinance will prevent unnecessary killings attributed to the singing of the Frank Sinatra ditty, “My Way.” A Reuters report said at least a dozen killings in the Philippines were related to the song.
Nobody knows what makes people homicidal whenever the song is being sung. At one incident was purely accidental -- the man was singing the song when he was fatally electrocuted.
But there are still brave souls who continue to sing “My Way.” Among them is former Cebu City councillor Ernesto Elizondo.
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Davao City, an Inquirer report said, is a land of curfews. Aside from the 10 p.m. karaoke curfew, they have a 9 p.m. curfew for minors. They also have a 2 a.m. liquor ban.
Bar customers are given until 1 a.m. to order liquor or any alcoholic drink until 1 a.m. which they are expected to consume before the 2 a.m. ban.
Well, there are people who love to sing and there are people who love to drink. But let’s face it, there are people we’d rather love to hear drinking their beer.