Isn't it ironic?

Last October 20, after a cup of hot chocolate and a dozen cold air, me and my roommate headed back to our dorm with one thought in mind: to find a picture that I can use for the photoblog required in Posc1.

Besides all the problems, stress and projects I have to handle, I was happily spending my night in anticipation of my departure from elbi and arrival at home. I thought, well, I should have nothing to worry about. Within this week, I'll be back in my bed, under my comforters and finally I can forget all the stress the 1st semester has brought to me.

While walking home from Boston Cafe (new dorm is out of the jeepney's route unfortunately), we saw Chancy at Ministop, obviously buying something. As we drew near to the UPLB gate (i still wonder where the gate is since there's nothing there to indicate that there is or was a gate), we heard shouts of protest close to the admin building, right smack at the front of C-park. Finally! Something to blog about.

I tried to draw closer but of course i was afraid of going much closer for fear of getting recruited or worse, criticized for taking their picture.

Amidst the noise, one thing came to my mind, why the heck were they rallying in front of the admin building, attempting to be heard when Chancy himself wasn't there?! Did these people know that their shouts might have been a little useless considering Chancy was busy cooling himself at Ministop? Para lang silang mga tanga, diba? That was not my problem, though.

I tried to make clear what they were trying to say but was unsuccessful. And besides, they were following a program I think which meant performers were there to entertain the protesters. Ironic. Here they were, at around 9-ish in the evening, shouting their heads off, performers entertaining people, some members lying under the kwek-kwek tower, by-standers obviously fascinated with what they were doing, with NO CHANCY to hear them out. By the way, did they really want for Chancy to her them out? If not, then I might as well just stop this blog right here.

Since my critical mind is functioning at the moment, I concluded that since they were in front of the admin building, with UPLB students amidst them, sakbayan volunteers cheering them on, they might be shouting for Chancy to hear them. I mean, they could do it at the Freedom Park. More space, more crowd. But they were there in that crowded nook in front of c-park.

From what i could make out of their protests, I understood only a part of it, farmers, magsasaka. Ano namang kinalaman ng mga magsasaka sa UPLB?? Ironic.

They even invited Gabriella youth to perform and Theatro Umalohokan Inc. from UPLB to entertain their crowd. What the heck! I really do not care because for one, I'm no big fan of the tibak in elbi, much more the tibak from some place God knows where.

My only problem here is that there was too much irony going on in that rally. Being there at night, crowding themselves in that little space at the entrance, getting performers to entertain them and Chancy not there to even hear them.

Isn't it ironic?

**Jennifer Marielle Gutierrez

Posc 1 - X