EVRAA Opening Parade and Program 2016

I was in the Kananga-Ormoc-Baybay areas for some 'work-related work', and lunch caught up with me at Ormoc City Food Park Barbecue Plaza. Hah, bisan di kauli'g Sugbo, makatilaw ta'g inasal with puso!

As we entered the park though, that sign welcoming EVRAA delegates (athletes), invited my curiosity.

Yes, I know what it is! The "Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association" Meet, commonly shortened as "EVRAA Meet". Oi, nangarap din ako nyan during my younger years. Who does not want to compete in an athletic meet representing his or her province, di ba? Ang siste, even if I was good at everything I tried in those days, the athletes sent to athletic meets were the best, not just "good"! In short, I did not make the cut. Hehehe, pang-rondalla, science fair, spelling bee at scouting lang pala ako! Anyway..,

Once seated at our chosen stall, I asked the waiter when is this EVRAA Meet going to be. The manang owner answered "'aw wa pa diay? sugod na na taud-taud sir"! So I said to my driver "oh shit, we have to hurry". But he whispered "sir relaaaks"! He said he already asked policemen at the parking area, and learned the parade starts at 2PM. Okay, I "relaaaksed", and voraciously tended to my inasal and puso!

I didn't know EVRAA was being held in Ormoc this year, much less know it was happening on this day when I thought of bingeing on an 'extended' lunch at this busy "bar-b-q-han"! That changed everything I planned for the rest of the day hehe. I excitedly declared I should watch, at least part of this parade! [to the dismay of my driver - but that's a different juicy story worthy of someone else's blog]! Anyway..,

No wonder, as we entered this food park, I saw a crowd at the corner near their superdome. I thought that was some kind of accident or crime scene as there were policemen. Sus! Only to find out THAT it was to be the starting point of the parade. Ah that explained the many colorful uniforms I saw. Yehey!

So, parade it is I watched, while driver hid in the car hahaha!

This is that corner where parade was supposed to take-off from. The building beyond those people in green is Ormoc's Superdome. Across that (upper-left edge of photo) is the city park by the sea, all the way to the sea port where fast crafts depart for Cebu. Of course, behind the camera is the food park.

Eto lesson learned: I really thought this man was just another "KSP" with that thing on his head..,

Yes, the red arrow. Tumaas kilay ko seeing him with that whatever on his head. I said "anong arte yan"!

But he did not at all sound like he was just a so-so 'epal'. He was seriously at work for the parade..,

Look, I clicked as he talked to one of his equally "gadget-adorned" colleagues. I saw on their shirts the big KABALIKAT 'brand'. Ah okay, so these are the guys usually in-charge of making civic events orderly all over the coutnry! Oh, did you know, this group is/was one of the unsung Yolanda response heroes?!

But, heroes whatever, I still wasn't satisfied at all (more of asar actually), why they were wearing some apparently KSP things. Mura'og nagpa-pansin ba hehe! You know what I did next? I approached them to ask! [Tip: don't do this without proper "pa-cute" training, baka mapa-away kayo]! And so I learned..,

That wire thing (pala) on the head, is like a replacement of the "temple" of an eyewear (yung "handle" ng eyeglass/sunglasses that clings to the ears)! Because they have to wear helmets. So, hindi pwede ang basta normal sunglass lang. Da, "do not judge a book by its cover"! See, I learned something new!

In fact, both men asked me "ngano di-ay sir"? And, I had no choice but to speak the truth, I said "wala lang, I just thought arte ra na ninyo". And they laughed. At least they laughed. Wala 'nasuko'! Kuyaw oi!

Driver actually came near as I was speaking to those two, akala nya napa-trouble na ako hahaha!

And then it started. Of course I started taking pics. But after just 3 shots, I realized, the movements of the kids (and the katigulangan) were nice to capture on video! Thus and therefore, I shot video clips...


Captivated, I also walked to the grandstand to shoot more scenes as the contingents entered! Eto:

I wished I could have stayed longer.., but no can do. Me trabaho pala ako hahaha!