Trapped In Oras

Oras is a pacific-facing town up the northern portion of Eastern Samar.

This town's name is not pronounced like the Tagalog word for time. No, not like that! It is [o'ras] where the stress is in the second syllable. The speed and tone is like how you say the English words "alight", "chorale", "amass" or "awash". Okay, that's good enough, I know you got it! Uu da, oke na da it! Asya it!

Yesterday, I was in the area checking on some work-related matters. Stayed overnight in this town as I haven't yet heard if accommodation facilities are available in San Policarpo or Arteche (these are the 3 northern-most towns of Eastern Samar). This morning, I was on my way to other nearby places, but..

I got trapped (happily) by a parade! That long white bridge behind them is the only way out south...

A youngish set of town officials, I must say. Oh, the girl in the middle is not a muse. She is THE Mayor!

But by the looks of it, she might as well be the muse too, right?! Beauty eh! And "brains" too, I learned! Iska yan my dear fellow maroons! She was a nurse at UP-PGH, a product of UP-Manila, has 2 masters degrees (in nursing and public management)! And beloved by the townsfolk especially by women. Da!

How did I know? I asked the people beside me while watching this parade hehe! One even 'educated' me that this their mayor has been a commencement speaker at institutions like UP-Manila and UPOU!

Anyway, since I was 'trapped', I instead just enjoyed watching the parade. Even my driver liked it too!

But I wondered why such a small town but a very long parade with too many drum and bugle corps!

Someone told me this includes many of the 30++ barangays because it's fiesta. OMG patron ngay-an!

So okay, while the whole town got busy watching the parade, I walked 2 blocks away to see this...

"Gusaling Pamahalaan Ng Oras" - literally meaning "Municipal Building of Oras". I like it, it's more apt!

Hard to do a direct frontal shot of the building as vehicles were parked on the narrow street. Fiesta eh!

When I returned to that riverside avenue, the parade was gone and I was able to take this photo...

I was trying to catch that long white bridge in the background. That is the second longest bridge in all of Eastern Visayas. You already know the first, right? San Juanico Bridge connecting Samar to Leyte.

So, I was out, but make the long story short, I was back for lunch!

Shortly after lunch, I heard drums again... another parade? Yes, this time a street dancing festival!

My my... this town really knows how to celebrate their "patron" - that is the local vernacular for "fiesta"!

The festival showdown was at the plaza, after the parade. But I had no chance to watch that and other fiesta-related activities as I was out with this thing called "work"! I was back in the afternoon, trapped.

Trapped again? Yes, (shh willingly and willfully I suppose hehe), as it was already almost sundown - too late to travel to Borongan or Tacloban. Thus, as I was "trapped" again.., ah you don't wanna know!

So, signing out muna. Kay basta atara, paaga in!

Piho na!