All Saints Day

Most of the time the President declared holiday a day before the said dates but not this year since it falls on weekend. All Saints day, November 1, is where we commemorate the feast of the dead “Araw ng mga Patay” and continues until the next day “All Souls Day.” Just about this holiday took place, my grandmother is really busy in the cemetery looking for someone who will paint the niche, and cut the grasses grown besides the tomb (pagtatabas.)

“Pangangaluwa” is also part of the tradition wherein my co-barangay’s formed a group that divided into Teenager, and Senior Citizen and go door to door, barangay to barangay. And if you are member of the barangay official or you are a BALIKBAYAN, it is traditionally expected that you’ll give more money J. All the money collected was saved for BARANGAY FIESTA budget.

For me, this no longer a “mourning stage,” but more of the reunion because this is the time that the family & far away relatives gathered to offer prayer, flowers, lit candles for our loved ones, sharing stories, meeting old school friends( crushes as well), and FOODS.

In year 2000 is the most tragic All Saints Day for me. It is when I was involved in a vehicular accident. I am working in a call center that time and since we have no holiday, I have no choice but to travel on November 1. I hurried to TRITRAN buendia terminal and I always sit in front as I’d love to watch the driver on how to control the clutch, break, and gas. He drives fast and just when we passed the Sto. Tomas bridge, I already knew that we are about to mash on a STAREX van in front of us. Due to its impact, the van turned around three times. The bus ran against the meralco tower, I just close my eyes and hold carefully when I saw a huge wood that about to hit the front mirror. People help us to get out from the bus by putting ladder infront of the broken mirror. Few minutes later ambulance took those injured passenger. Thanks God nothing is fatal and nothing happened to me. When I was waiting for my grandmother to arrived to pick me from the accident area, an old lady told me that I shouldn’t travel during the All Saints Day since spirits of dead people are out. Myth or Fact. Nothing to lose if you believe though.