A wet weekend in Iloilo

(Second of two parts)

Even if I finished packs and packs of junk food (my all-time cure for insomnia) and gulped a cap of Nyquil cough syrup (it induces drowsiness), I still had difficulty sleeping during my Iloilo trip last week for GMA 7’s Grand Kapuso Fans’ Day.

The bed at the Sarabia Manor Hotel where I was billeted was actually soft and comfortable. But for some strange reason, I couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was because I was given a room near the elevator and I was always getting up to look through the peephole and check the people coming and going out in the middle of the night (all from Channel 7). Yeah – I know all of you who had fun and if I had a logbook that time, I’d be able to fax to Santa Claus the names of those who had been good and those who had been bad.

At way past midnight, I was still awake and had myself glued to an early version of Austin Powers, which I already watched when I checked into the hotel late afternoon. Yes, I was that desperate to entertain myself since I couldn’t sleep that evening.

At 4 a.m. – already a Saturday – I found myself watching on cable Darna and the Giants, starring Vilma Santos and Helen Gamboa. Thanks to my insomnia, I discovered to my pleasant surprise that this Darna movie wasn’t really all that bad. Sure, it was a little kitsch. But it was definitely interesting and it was nice to see how Vilma looked like 32 years ago. (She looks much better today – oh, how so much better.)

When I realized it was almost six in the morning, I decided to pop a sleep aid and that somehow knocked me out. It wasn’t until 12 noon when I heard a knock at my door. It was Startalk writer Ricky Lopez, who had flown in from Manila earlier, along with Oswald Go and makeup artist Emal Forte.

Still feeling groggy from the sleep aid (actually Melantonin, which could be bought over the counter in the US), I told Ricky from behind the door to proceed to the Iloilo Sports Complex (where the Grand Kapuso Fans’ Day was already being held). I would follow right after I had done my bathroom chores and dressed up for that afternoon’s edition of Startalk.

Without breakfast and lunch (my fault for getting up late), I commandeered the Startalk vehicle and went to the sports complex, which by then was already filled to capacity.

When I got off the van, I saw everyone – including Angel Locsin and Dennis Trillo – sporting plastic boots. A new fashion statement? No, it was to protect them from all that mud that had accumulated around the rubberized oval after several days of rain.

I was also supposed to wear rubber boots, except that by the time the Startalk people went to ShoeMart, the store had nothing more to sell. (The staff members of other GMA 7 shows had earlier cleaned up the shelves and there was not a pair left for me.) Fortunately, the Startalk stage was very close to the gate and I didn’t have to wade that far on muddy path.

By 2:30 p.m., Eat Bulaga was still in full swing and my esophagus was reminding me rather violently that I haven’t had anything for the day, except for a small bottle of mineral water. Although there were boxes of chicken on standby, I couldn’t afford messing up my hands because I was doing a lot of handshaking with people around me and I wasn’t sure if there was a faucet nearby where I could wash up.

When I saw a pack of Graham crackers, I just took a piece and I was all set for the show. Doing the Iloilo episode was a bit complicated – technically (you can just imagine all the pieces of equipment brought in by GMA 7 from Manila just for this one-day affair) – especially since we had to share a stage with the variety program set up by the network as additional entertainment for our beloved Ilongos. At one point, I had to abort Dennis Trillo’s song number because I had to come in to deliver a live report for Startalk.

For Startalk’s Iloilo episode, it was decided that we would be doing an Iloilo story – meaning an issue related to the province. I think it was Gorgy Rulla who thought of having an interview with Edith Millare, wife – okay, ex-wife – of Niño Muhlach. After the separation, Edith had returned to Iloilo with her and Niño’s son, Sandro.

Startalk also flew Niño in from Manila because he had not seen his son for quite a while. Actually, we had hoped for a happy reunion between the ex-couple. But the supposed reconciliation became Jerry Springer Goes to Iloilo when they both brought in a whole month’s dirty linen and washed every thread in public. That chapter ended happily though – or so it seems – because Edith looked after her ex-husband while he was recovering from sore eyes (no, not black eyes).

As soon as Startalk wrapped up, I asked Mildred Natividad if I could help out in the variety show and she said yes so I did one segment of it along with Jeremy Marquez, Tiya Pusit and IC Mendoza.

And then, it was shopping time. First stop: Sinamay House at Villa de Arevalo for piña and jusi fabrics (to be made into barong Tagalog). Downstairs, it also sells those delicious Mama’s Kitchen cookies and the owner was just so proud to tell everyone that former President Cory Aquino had bought several boxes from the store during an Iloilo visit just a few weeks ago. (No, not as pasalubong for President Arroyo – I’m sure.)

A trip to Iloilo, of course, is never complete without a stopover at Biscocho Haus where you get pinasugbo, piaya, butterscotch, barquillos and, of course, biscocho.

Although I love Iloilo and its people, I just have to point out this unfortunate incident in Central Market where I bought a few kilos of dried squid. The people were charming there, all right, but when I returned to Manila and checked the weight of the dried squid I bought in my trusty old weighing scale, it weighed one-fourth kilo less. And I thought that thing happened only in my own Manila turf.

The following day, I bought mangoes from the market again and had a little argument with the vendor over the weighing scale. The mangoes were expensive to begin with at P70 a kilo. But I had no choice but to buy from this vendor because I was rushing and she seemed to be the only one selling mangoes within the vicinity. When I ate the mangoes in Manila, I was a bit disappointed because these weren’t so sweet. But these definitely weren’t as sour as the attitude of that unsmiling vendor from Central Market.

Aside from those two incidents, I’d like to say that I was still treated well by the Ilonggos (particularly by the people in Sarabia Manor Hotel and at the airport) during this last visit to Iloilo. I still intend to come back soon and buy more dried squid and fresh mangoes.

But this time, I’m bringing my own weighing scale.