Heat of the Moment

It’s hot. I mean it: it is hot. I know, it’s hot most of the time in our part of the world. It’s a tropical country, for crying out loud. In addition, (I don’t have meteorological data to support this), I think it has always been hotter in Bicol, compared to Metro Manila. When I lived in Quezon City, when they say, rainy season starts in June, rainy season really does start in June. It would really start raining on June, with a stark difference from the heat in the past months. It would rain at least a little every literal day. (That was in the 90s. I’m not sure if that still holds true today, but I heard that it’s been raining there recently, so I guess the geographical weather patterns has not changed much. On the other hand, having grown up in Bicol, when they say, rainy season starts in June, that simply means summer vacation is over. It doesn’t actually rain. The heat and humidity continue for some two months more. My brothers visited recently and they declared with emphasis that it is really hotter here, not because they spend most of their time in offices with air conditioning in Manila, but according to them, it’s hotter than the heat they face while queuing for an MRT ride. Even in the typhoon season, the heat takes a brief break before and during the typhoon tirade. But as soon as the mass of weather phenomenon passes by, the temperature quickly takes its turn in shooting up while power is still down and we’re all helpless from the torment (except for the aristocrats who have their own generators and could afford to check in hotels). Even in the so-called cold season of December to February, yes, it gets cold at nights, and relatively less hot at days, but I said relatively, “less hot”. It would still be hot, (except in a rare occasion probably in 2008, when the cold season was really cold that I and some classmates would sit on a bench in the UNC oval in the afternoon, wearing our jackets because it was unusually cold). My pupils would get confused when I discuss the different seasons in the Philippines in Araling Panlipunan class. I know they’re giving me that “are you kidding” look, when I talk about rainy and cold, when they actually experience heat for most of the year. They’re probably thinking, “what is this guy talking about?”.

Then I hear Kuya Kim say that the hottest places for the day will be Tugegarao and Legazpi. Okay, now, I’m thinking, maybe he’s using Tugegarao as representative for mainland Region 2, and Legazpi for mainland Region 5; since they’re both regional capitals. And what he’s actually saying is Bicol is one of the hottest places in the nation, along with Cagayan Valley. Oh my, did Hades rise up from the depths in one of those recent earthquakes? I remember a time when I wouldn’t mind soaking under the sun, not complaining about it. If it has not become hotter, it was just being too engrossed in childhood recreation that made me unmindful of the horrific heat and humidity.

As if that were not worse enough, throughout the day, in every one to two hours, electricity would trip off for some five to ten minutes. For back ground, with electricity, we’re already making do of the humid air that the electric fan spins off, but at least, that’s better than having no sort of wind at all. Then we’ll be treated to a series of intermittent power suspensions. What’s the deal? I’m Imagining there are some pranksters on whatever control room for electric power they have there; and they’re snickering to each other, “let’s turn off the power for a while and see how all these people would react”. Then one of them would respond while snickering, “yes, that would be fun”. When the people get in temporary misery when the power trips off, the guys controlling the electricity would all be laughing their lungs out. They would bring the power back and one of them would say, “that was good, let’s do it again later”, with an evil grin. That’s all my brain being baked going through irrepressible illusion. I’m sure the guys at CASURECO would have a logical explanation for that, one that the ordinary consumer couldn’t do anything about.

Maybe some cold drinks would help ease this heat. I’m well aware of the nutritional benefits of water. But after some time, I feel like I’m swallowing saliva and I’m craving for some flavor. Maybe a Mountain Dew would be nice. Didn’t these used to be in glass bottles? Yes, the new plastic bottles look and feel better; but didn’t this used to cost a lot lower? Oh, I Forgot, the TRANE Law. I heard there’s going to be a second one. “There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.” Isaiah 4:6