Cat in the Bus Compartment?!?!

Today, April 13, my mom and I were in a loooooooooong line at the bus terminal of Genesis in Pasay City. Our cat, Jerbie, was with us (it's Holy Week and we were headed to my father's province); she was caged and leashed. Knowing Jerbie, who is afraid of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE, she was cowering inside her carrier, not making ANY sound.

We arrived at the bus terminal at around 5 in the morning (we left home at 4:15) and we were in the looooooong line for three and half hours. There were people cutting in the line, two people reserving for seven people, so naturally, I was pissed of, majorly. My mom and I were ranting all over the place, our fellow passengers-waiting-in-the-line doing the same thing.

When FINALLY, we were a few people away from entering the Saulog bus, the dispatcher, conductor, bus driver, practically almost everyone working for Genesis and/or Saulog told us that we have to put Jerbie INSIDE THE BUS COMPARTMENT! AS IN THE ONE BENEATH THE BUS!! THE ONE OPEN ON THE SIDE OF THE BUS AND FEELS HELLISH HOT WHEN OPENED!!

Can you not see that she's afraid?!?!

I felt like I was electrocuted. My mom, too. We pleaded to let Jerbie in with us, saying that she's caged and leashed a
nd quiet, but NOOOOOOOOO! They insisted that we put her in the baggage compartment.

Bes, iba yung shock ko. Sabi nga, I was shooked! Jerbie is a cat which has a life!! We took care and is currently taking care of Jerbie for five years already! She got lost and I found her before. My mom regularly goes to the vet to have Jerbie vaccinated. AND NOW, YOU'RE TELLING US TO STOW OUR PRECIOUS CAT IN YOUR OVEN TOASTER OF A BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT?!?! She's scared of her fellow cats! She likes cold water! THEN YOU'RE TELLING US TO KEEP HER INSIDE A DARK AND EXTREMELY HOT COMPARTMENT FOR THREE, POSSIBLY LONGER, HOURS?!?! ARE YOU FREAKIN'G KIDDING ME?!?!?! Ikaw kaya isalpak ko sa ilalim ng bus sa init ng panahong ito???

I know, we may be in fault as well. We should've asked the moment we got there whether our cat would be allowed in. Should we have, we could have hired another taxi the moment we got there and by the time I am writing this (at 10:30AM), we could've been lounging in my granparents' old home.

I just assumed that Jerbie will be allowed in, since I recall seeing roosters (for cockfight) inside provincial buses before. I also assumed that since Jerbie is caged, and leashed, and is practically mute, she would be allowed in. Apparently not.

How could you let a cat ride the core of a bus?!?

But then again, WHY ARE ANIMALS NOT PERMITTED INSIDE BUSES?! It's not as if we had a pig or a horse with us! It's not as if we did not prepare Jerbie's cage!

So, what did we do? We hired a cab to bring us to Pampanga. We paid P2,000.00 for a ride to SM San Fernando, rather than pay for less than 500-peso ride for two that would have brought us almost a stone-throw away from my grandparents' old home with the possibility of Jerbie becoming a cat mush. We actually thought of going back home even after all those waiting.  We would have rather wasted three and half hours than let our beloved cat die in fear and suffocation.

Even at Barney's Burger, where we had our lunch, we were not allowed in because Jerbie was with us. JERBIE WAS IN A FREAKING CAGE!!!!

It's just unfair! I wonder what PETA and PAWS has to say about these kinds of animal cruelty.

Here's my vlog on our Holy Week vacation, day 1:

PETA :D

This post is another delayed post. Sorry! And this is about the two plays I recently watched, both produced by PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) - Rak of Aegis and Batang Rizal.

So first, Rak of Aegis...

The moment I entered the theater, all I could think of was WOAH! The set is just so wonderful. Who would have thought that you can put flood and rain in a small place such as a theater? Thanks to the scenographer of Rak of Aegis, Mio Infante. However, the theater of PETA has a downside, since I only purchased a balcony ticket and PETA operates in a first come, first serve manner, it is not easy to secure a good seat (not unless you come extra early). And I think, finding a good seat is also hard even to those who are seated in the orchestra because there are only monoblock chairs and those are not elevated so it is hard to see if you are seated at the back part.

But despite the inconvenience of finding a good seat, the totality of the show was just superb. I was lucky enough to be able to witness Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, and Kakay Bautista in the production. Them, together with the whole cast were just magnificent. They made me fall in love harder to theater, especially to Filipino made musical theater. Their voices were just AWESOME! They brought the songs of Aegis to a whole new level, making those songs transform from the usual videoke hits to something close to our hearts.

It was actually fun to see Isay and Robert act quite antagonistic with each other, given the fact that they are real life wedded couple. And I guess knowing the fact that they are spouses made their characters more kakilig.

I guess what really made Rak of Aegis patok to its audience is because of the reality shown in the play. It was like seeing the reality we are experiencing but not being part of it. The play showed how optimistic we Filipinos are, despite the calamities we are facing. The play also showed that despite the corruption present in our country, there are still other government officials who really care for the community they are representing. But most of all, Rak of Aegis showed the Filipinos' ability to love unconditionally.

My favorite part of the play were during Tolits and Aileen's duet with all those gigantic bubbles, of course the magnificent rain scene, and most of all, Isay and Robert's snide about each other.

Another remarkable person in Rak of Aegis who I think brought everything to life was the guy playing Jewel who also appears in Batang Rizal, which I am sharing next.

My friend Kat was the one who told our Stick-O tropa about Batang Rizal, and it was me, Kat, and another tropa of us, Florian who watched the show which was held at Star Theater at CCP Complex.

The story of Batang Rizal was about Pepe (the young Jose Rizal) time traveled with Pepito (a modern kid) to our present time. Pepito was the first to time travel to Pepe's time and Pepito brought Pepe to present.

Batang Rizal tackled more than the history of our national hero, the play also discussed the power of friendship and what makes bullying so wrong.

The play was very child friendly, fun to watch, and with wonderful set pieces, good songs, and a very good stage management. However, my friends and I were quite skeptic about Pepe's character. Instead of sounding like an innocent child, he sounded more of like Budoy and Nino. Sorry for this comment but I think if the production team of Batang Rizal reads this, they will be able to enhance Pepe's character and make him sound like a child and not like a special child.

But what made me like Batang Rizal despite my skepticism with Pepe's portrayal, was how the show taught me that performing, specifically theater acting, does not just exist for the purpose of entertainment - theater is there to educate people. It is created to teach people things that are not normally and usually discussed in the four walls of the classroom. The play made me realize the reason why I want to become a theater actor - because I want to perform and I also want to teach, and that teaching and performing are not different things.

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Rak of Aegis is still showing so do not miss your chance! Meet everyone from Barangay Venecia :D And coming this September 2014 is PETA's FnL Pinoy Speaks.

THEATER ROCKS!