All Saints Day (or Halloween)

Until recent years, Filipinos did not observe Halloween in any way similar to Americans. All Saints Day, on November 1, and All Souls Day on November 2, are days that Filipinos pay homage to their dead. On November 1 & 2 they all go out to the cemeteries to honor their deceased relatives. They take plates of food, flowers -- in bouquets as well as wreaths -- and candles, and place them all on the graves for the dead. Churches are opened all day until late at night for those who wish to light candles to honor their deceased loved ones or to offer prayers. Plates of the deceased's favorite food are placed on the tombs in the belief that their spirts visit the earth on this day and look forward to the special meal. The cemetery is prepared days in advance by having the tombs and tombstones whitewashed or painted, the grass trimmed and incense left burning to give the site a fragrant smell, and a priest goes around and blesses and sprinkles holy water on all the graves.

Today, in addition to all of this and because of increased Western influence, many Filipino adults and children now dress up in costomes and have neighborhood Halloween parties and costume-judging contests similar to those in the USA and other countries. Generally, it is mostly those who are financially well-off or who are doing it simply for the entertainment of the children.

Also, in the Philippines, it is fast becoming a favorite holiday for the bayots (gays) who are now using the Day for a dress-up celebration to show off their bonga gowns and to compete in Gay Beauty Contests.

Christmas in the Philippines

The Philippines holds the distinction of having the longest observance of Christmas than any other country in the world. The official start of their Christmas season begins with the "ber" months -- SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, etc.

By September 1, it isn't a bit uncommon to see some of the first decorations in the malls and hear the holiday music. And it becomes quite common to see the count-down of shopping days left until Christmas on the morning TV news shows such as "Umagang kay ganda," "Unang Hirit" and others. In fact, many radio and TV stations begin playing Christmas tunes as their various personalities announce the "countdown-day" as they open their show or sign on each morning.

The Philippine Christmas tree is put up on display in the homes as early as November 2 --the

day following All Saints Day -- and they are left up as late as mid-January.

Instead of the Evergreen or pine tree commonly used in the USA, most Filipinos erect and decorate a Magit tree for Christmas. This is a small mangrove-type tree mostly associated with the ground-cover among the palms. Others use the Bakau -- a bushy little scrub-tree having numerous small branches that grows abundantly in swampy areas. Either of these trees are usually obtained as early as the first week of September in anticipation of the holiday to provide time for it to dry out. Then around November 2 or 3 they put the tree up in a big container, such as a Nido milk powder can or something similar, fill it with small stones or sand to keep the tree upright, and place it all in the corner of their house in a front room. They then wrap each little branch with green, white, or red crinkled tissue paper -- which they call Japanese paper but what Americans refer to as crepe paper -- and decorate the tree in more detail with handmade ornaments made of paper, foil, candies, and/or lollipops. Sometimes they will whip detergent soap into a white foam and spread that onto the branches of the tree that, upon drying looks like snow-covered branches.

If afforable, many Filipinos are now wrapping small lights around the branches of their tree & using store-bought ornaments to complete their decorating. Christmas lights and star-shaped lanterns, called parols, are also often arranged in all the windows of homes and stores during the holiday.

Under Philippine law, by December 20 at the latest, all employers are required to provide a Christmas bonus equivalent to one month's salary to every employee's pay. The shopping centers & malls begin holding all-night holiday sales soon afterwards through the 24th. Nine days of pre-dawn Catholic masses begin on December 16 through December 24, during which nearly all major commerce comes to a complete stand-still as many companies close for the holidays, including many big businesses and manufacturing plants. In addition, ALL mail delivery stops between December 15 to January 2. As a result, many working people use this as their only vacation opportunity and go off to visit family and friends in other localities.

Lizards of the Philippines

In the Philippines there are about 100 species of lizards. Fortunately, none of them are venomous. The most common is the gecko or "house lizard." (left) These are anywhere from about an inch to five inches long. They often gather around a ceiling light in the evening to catch any flying insects that venture into the house. That is why it is considered Good Luck in the Philippines to have a house lizard.

While having any house lizard is considered a good fortune, having a Tuko, (right) a lizard nearly a foot long, living in the house is considered the best luck of all. This creature, reddish-brown with freckeled stripes, gets its name from the sound it makes in the darkness of night: "Tu-ko," "Tu-ko"

The Ultimate "Environmentally Green" Car!

This pedal car uses NO gas and provides much needed exercise during those short leisurely trips around the barrio.

A truck style is also available for hauling.

Both are ideal for the economical and health

conscious for short trips.

SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINES

Granted, there are many dangers throughout the USA such as bears, cougers & wolves in the eastern and western states, rattlesnakes, water moccasins, and copperhead snakes in many areas, alligators in the southeast and a variety of venomous spiders in various regions but we are often aware of these since our childhood and as a result we remained watchful when in areas where they were prevelent and took the necessary precautions.

Relocating to the Philippines can present dangers to the average person who might otherwise remain innocent and unaware until it is too late. It is best to educate ones-self to the possible dangers so they can be best avoided.

There are 4 types of venomous snakes in the world; elapids, viperids, colubrids, & hydrophiidaes. ALL 4 types are found in the Philippines, in addition to the Python constrictor which can grow to exaggerated sizes.

The elapids are represented by the King Cobra, that grows up to 18 feet in length, which can rise up and look you eye-to-eye or "stand" up to two-thirds of its length and chase you in that position if it desires. Being chased by a snake "standing" 12-feet high across a vacant lot is probably not an easy event to forget!

The viperids are represented by the Russell's Viper and the Temple Viper and the colunbrids consist of the Mangrove and Vine snakes. The hydrophiidaes are the sea snakes, both black bands and yellow bands that rule some areas of the ocean.

The Pythons in the Philippines can average 20 feet in length but claims of much larger ones exist in some sparsely populated areas. They have been known to bring traffic to a complete halt as they leisurely cross a road.

Standard Public Transportation

Of all the forms of public transportation in the Philippines, the Jeepney has always received the most publicity because it's so lavishly decorated. But, for me personally, the Jeepney is the third most popular, right behind the trike and the taxi, depending on the distance I need to travel.
For the unfamiliar, the trike is a 3-wheeled motorcycle with a roofed sidecar that will seat up to 5-6 passengers, depending on their size. The Taxis are usually Air-conditioned medium-sized Toyota cars.
Of course, additional modes of travel utilized by the locals also include walking, bikes, scooters and personal cars.

Something NEVER Seen in the USA

Here two Manila police officers -- in uniform -- proceed to change a flat tire on their police car. Something You Would Never See in America!

I have always found the average Filipino to be very sociable, friendly & completely unpretentious. Even the Police.

In the meantime, a number of passers-by, including me, interrupt their daily routine to watch -- however, none of us offer to help.