HOLY WEAK! 2010

IT’S THAT TIME of the year again. Throngs of province-bound passengers will crowd bus terminals. People will drive in droves to beach resorts. Flaggelants will roam the streets. Catholics will visit churches, and Metro Manila streets will be empty. It’s Holy Week! Leading this year’s solemn observance is the First Gentleman… who is currently in Calvary.

Even before Lent, several candidates in the 2010 elections have met with the influential Manalo family. This tradition is called “Visita Iglesia.”

Several political figures and personalities are also joining other Holy Week activities:

In a joint special session, the Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed to stage a senakulo on Good Friday. There’s a huge problem though: with several overqualified lawmakers to play the role, only two will be chosen to portray Dimas and Hestas, the thieves who were crucified with Jesus.

Sen. Manny Villar has agreed to play Jesus Christ… on one condition. His cross will have to be alternately carried by Adel Tamano, Gilbert Remulla, and Alan Peter Cayetano.

Stilll on Villar, his camp is rumored to be staging a modern senakulo in Moriones, Tondo. In their version, Jesus will die because “wala siyang pampagamot.”

Bayan Muna members were assigned the role of the mob during the Nacionalista-organized senakulo. But the play was halted twice when the mob refused to shout “Barabbas! Barabbas!” and instead, chanted, “Poncio Pilato, tuta ng Kano! Imperyalismo, burukrata kapitalismo… ibagsak!”

Sen. Noynoy Aquino who has always been open to ‘any role’ has agreed to play the character of the “chief priest” who commissioned Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. But Noynoy got so carried away by the character that he promised to reward Judas not just with 30 pieces of silver but hectares of farmland to be given in five years.

In Times Street, the Aquino sisters Pinky, Viel, Ballsy and Kris staged a mini-senakulo participated by Boy Abunda and several other celebrities. But a minor commotion ensued when Kris Aquino, who portrayed the Virgin Mary, insisted on delivering a eulogy – on-cam, live!

Lawyer Gilbert Teodoro accepted the offer to play Jesus Christ but requested that his role be limited to just one scene because of a busy schedule. Organizers granted the request, and assigned Gibô to reenact a very familiar scene: while Jesus Christ is being arrested, his disciples are abandoning him.

Sen. Jamby Madrigal vows to join the senakulo only if Manny Villar played Jesus. Jamby says she’d love to portray the role of a Roman soldier so she could mock, laugh at, and throw things at Villar.

Still on Jamby, she was supposed to take part in the reenactment of the Last Supper. But she backed out when she learned that the meal included salted eggs and galunggong.

Joseph Estrada said he would accept the invitation to play Barabbas only if President Arroyo would play Pontius Pilate… to guarantee his liberty.

In Malacañang, all is set for this year’s senakulo. The stage is ready, the costumes are complete, and cabinet officials have been assigned roles for the drama… until President Arroyo decided to replace them all without notice.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay was asked to portray tetrarch Herod Antipas. Initially, Binay was hesitant to accept the minor role. But he changed his mind when he was informed that Herod would rule Galilee and Perea for 48 years.

To save on resources during these trying times, several organizations will reenact only the Last Supper although there would still be 12 apostles on the table. At least three groups have invited Bong Revilla as a guest apostle.

Judge Vivencio Baclig of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77 also joined a senakulo where he gave life to Pontius Pilate. When he asked the crowd to choose between Barrabas and Jesus, the crowd yelled: “Barabbas!” But in a shocking turn of events, Judge Baclig decided to release Andal Ampatuan Sr. instead.

Finally, KBL’s Vetellano Acosta who volunteered to participate in a passion play was removed from the cast two weeks before the show when organizers discovered that he was not even Catholic.

Postscript
All senators, except for Jamby Madrigal have confirmed attendance to this year’s Easter Egg Hunt in UP.

Also on Jamby: organizers of a senakulo revealed that when the actor who played Jesus was being laid in the tomb, the senator’s supporters were distributing Jamby bracelets.
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“Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it.”
~ Mark Twain

In the News: Ricky Martin
On his official Web site, the former Menudo member said, “”I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”
Ricky Reyes, Ricky Lo, Ricky Rivero, Ricky Lee, Ricky Belmonte, Ricky Davao(?),Ricky Martin. Any other Rickys out there?

Also in the news: Albay Governor Joey Salceda
Salceda reacted to the dethronement of Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maria Venus Raj.

Raj was stripped of her title by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. because of citizenship issues. The BPCI replaced her with the second runner-up, Nicolette Henson. The move has apparently irked Salceda who was quoted to have said, “I wanted to know why the first runner-up, Ms Diane Samar Necio, my townmate, did not automatically take the place of Ms Binibining Pilipinas-Universe, Ms. Venus Raj, who was ousted.”

Tanong ng bayan: Why is the governor so interested in beauty pageants?

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HAVE A SAFE VACATION!

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