But if these activities are what these penitents BELIEVE could atone for their sins, then so be it. For what is more important is that they believe and are repenting of their sins -- while the hecklers and the know-it-all's throw all sorts of pun, criticisms, and what have you towards the penitents' way. But if you asked them what sort of "repentance" they have done for this Holy Week - a prayer maybe, or reconciliation with someone they have a grudge with, etc -- they would simply look you in the eye, smile, and say they don't have any "serious sin" to merit such penance.
For the rest of the madlang people, Holy Week is another excuse for a vacation, going on a road-trip or excursion with family or friends, merry making, getting drunk, stuffing on food and snacks, oblivious to the "penance" ongoing in various parts of the country. You can see bus terminals, airports and passenger ships packed to the brim with commuters trying to make it in time for the Holy Week celebrations in their own provinces anywhere in the archipelago. Add to this the thousands upon thousands of private vehicles jamming the provincial roads like sardines waiting to be canned. What would normally be a two-hour drive to the beach would take them half a day under the blistering heat of the summer sun -- well, it's Holy Week after all right? Penance time!
For commuters, the Ro-Ro is definitely a convenient gift from the heavens. This is one thing I could be grateful for with the past administration. For those of you who are not familiar, Ro-Ro means Roll-on Roll-off, where large barges carry their unique cargo of passenger buses, private cars, and any other wheeled vehicles over the sea, carrying them from port to port and allowing them to roll away at the port of destination then back again. Travel time is shorter compared to the usual land routes. It does take a longer time compared to booking a flight and heading to your destination on a plane, but it is definitely more cost effective, more scenic and is more convenient if you're lugging along with you some bulky merchandise for pasalubong or trade.
The number of bus networks plying the Ro-Ro route has also multiplied during the past couple of years, making it easy for commuters to simply go to the bus terminals, pay or reserve their bus tickets, and eat at the nearest fast food restaurant while waiting for boarding time. The buses are new, air-conditioned, and have comfortable seats. You can bring food, snacks and drinks which you can munch along the way, or wait for the stopovers where passengers are given ample time to eat at a local diner or use the rest rooms at their convenience.
These are some of the highlights me and my wife look forward to whenever we ride the Ro-Ro to go home to our province in Aklan or spend the holidays in Boracay. We can buy a lot of local goodies along the way, from Batangas, Mindoro, and Caticlan in Aklan -- with passengers complaining to the bus conductors to stop letting vendors in as they were running out of money buying all the neat stuff peddled!
The next time you plan to go to the provinces, I suggest you try the Ro-Ro route. You can simply search for schedules and routes in the web or watch out for future info that will be posted in Best Philippine Attractions. It would be a great way to travel and would definitely be a new experience even for you veteran commuters out there.
Yeah. Even during the Holy Week.
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Peter Allan C. Mariano
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