Paying respect to President Aquino

This is just one side of the story of the thousands of people who waited in line for hours to pay respect to President Aquino.

Yesterday, I asked my mom if she wants to go to President Cory's wake. She asked me if it's okay with me and we went there that afternoon.

We parked near Letran in Intramuros, went to the Manila Cathedral, followed and got to the end of the line, which circled the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila block, at around 3:20pm. We met college students from Laguna, High School students from Manila, a woman from Bulacan, and a mother with her child from Cavite. We were thankful that PLM opened its restrooms and clinic to the public, and it took us two and a half hours to circle 3/4 of its block. Then my brother came and my mom sat down on the side of the street.

Suddenly, there was a collective scream from behind us and everybody turned their heads. We saw everyone opening their umbrellas and rain started to fall. A strong gust of wind upturned my umbrella, and then the rain was gone. It was around this time that the line became two, and there were frustrating moments when the newly formed line (of newcomers) started to cut in with us when they realized that our line was "the" line. People from our group were so frustrated that we were shouting "BAWAL SUMINGIT!"

The line got so long that we caught up with another part of it along the way, and it was much more in chaos than ours. We did not move much for at least two hours while the necrological service was conducted. There were occasional cheers every time the line moved a bit. Street food dinner for everyone. It rained and stopped occasionally, then there was a downpour. Many umbrellas like ours are grouped together forming a huge shell. It went on for a while and when it stopped, we were still nailed on the same spot, feet wet and hurting.

Then the line moved, and there were policemen and people from the cathedral facilitating the lines, which they should have done five hours earlier all throughout the line!!! People are cutting in line, people!!! But since then, the line merged into one and it got a lot more orderly.

Then the line split into two again, this time, it was facilitated. And the lined moved quite fast. Then there were girls screaming in front of us, then James Yap was there, then there was a woman being rushed in a stretcher, then we were inside.

It took us seven hours. We were able to see and pay respect to President Aquino and her family in less than 30 seconds. Then we were heading out the cathedral.

Then people were giving out pandesals and energy drinks. There was food here? We were hungry three hours ago! But it was still helpful, people were getting their hands on it. Then we got back to the car and drove back home to Bulacan on a downpour of rain.

7 hours in line. Somehow, it was worth it.