Halloween traditions

TRICK or treat, a tradition in western countries where kids go house to house to collect candies and chocolates, would not be fun come Halloween Day, November 1.

In fact, some local authorities have issued advisories canceling these fun moments for kids and their accompanying adults. The reason is to safeguard everyone from Covid-19 contamination. It will be a disappointment for millions of kids who look forward to the joys of wearing Halloween costumes and running from house to house shouting “trick or treat” and receiving the season’s goodi es.

This western tradition has not yet caught up hereabouts except in upper-middle-class housing subdivisions and communities. I guess this western practice should remain in the countries.

Our Pinoy tradition is sacred as we piously remember family members who have gone to the great beyond. Yearly on All Soul’s Day and All Saints Day, all roads lead to cemeteries.

In urban areas, netizens push each other to get bus and train rides leading to their respective hometowns where family members hold reunions in the graveyards of their departed beloved. They bring along food and drinks, and music blares to a fiesta atmosphere in some.

Prior to these two days, public and private cemeteries are teeming with able bodies doing weed cleaning of ground graves or whitewashing of pantheons. To some, they do these tasks only on the day of their visit and with visibly embarrassing faces. In general practice, the departed are remembered during these holidays and on their death anniversaries.

In some Cordillera villages, the departed are buried right in their backyards or plots not so far from their homes. Some tribes also keep the bones of dead loved ones right in their own homes and are invited to partake of food whenever the family eats.

Still among the different tribes in the Cordillera hinterlands, the spirits of the dead are religiously served the first taste of alcoholic drinks before one takes a sip. Skipping this cultural practice normally results in an awful drunken stupor or an appalling hangover the day after.

Decades before the arrival of baby boomers and millennials, rural lowland traditions and influences have slowly sipped into Cordillera Poblacion communities. One among those is the Ilocano “kararwa” practice.

It is not visiting and praying for the repose of the souls departed. It is the day when stealing a chicken on the eve of “piyesta ng patay” is not punishable in the court of law!

Moderate to heavy rains will be experienced over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Romblon, and the rest of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mi ndor o.

The state weather bureau hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 3 over Catanduanes in Luzon, as Typhoon "Rolly" moved closer to the country Saturday morning, October 31. The said the center of Rolly was located at 480 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 10 a.m. Saturday.

After crossing Central Luzon, the center of Rolly is forecast to exit the mainland Luzon landmass on Monday morning, November 2.

As of 10 a.m. Saturday, Catanduanes remained as the only area in Luzon under TCWS Number 2. TCWS Number 2 (with 61-120 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 24 hours) was hoisted over the central and southern portions of Quezon (Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Candelaria, Dolores, Tiaong, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Buenavista, Lopez, Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Quezon, Alabat, Perez) including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias and Ticao Islands, and Marinduque in Luzon, and Northern Samar in the Visayas.

Areas under TCWS Number 1 are the rest of Masbate, the rest of Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and the southern portion of Isabela (Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, San Mariano, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Cordon, Santiago City, Ramon, San Isidro, Angadanan, Alicia, Cauayan City, Cabatuan, San Mateo), northern portion of Samar (TagapulAn, Almagro, Santo Nino, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo), and Biliran.

Pagasa said Rolly is likely to remain a typhoon category (185-205 km/h) by the time it grazes Bicol Region and makes landfall over Quezon.

During its traverse over Luzon, Rolly is forecast to weaken considerably and emerge as a severe tropical storm or minimal typhoon over the West Philippine Sea.

Flooding (including flash floods), rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows (i.e. lahar) may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards.

Destructive typhoon-force winds will also be experienced in areas under TCWS Number 3, damaging gale- to storm-force winds in areas under TCWS 2, and strong breeze to near gale conditions in areas under TCWS 1.

Based on the intensity forecast, the highest possible wind signal to be raised will be TCWS 4 (for very destructive typhoon-force winds).

Elsewhere, Pagasa said strong breeze to near gale conditions due to the northeasterlies will be experienced over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the coastal and mountainous areas of Cagayan and Isabela.

Aside from Rolly, Pagasa is also monitoring Tropical Depression "Atsani," which was located at 1,655 kilometers east of Southern Luzon Saturday morning.

Atsani has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 70 km/h. It is moving northwestward at 25 km/h and is forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility Sunday afternoon.

"However, it remains less likely to affect any portion of the country over the next two to three days. It is likely to re-intensify into a tropical storm in the next 24 hours," added Pagasa.(LMY/SunStar Philippines)