The people closest to me knows how much I love Roxas night market.
"Kaon ta choco buchi please"
"Lami-a mag roxas karon uy".
I remembered when my guy friends introduced Roxas to me for the first time. We visited it around 10 pm even though the rain was heavy. The very first thing I tried from all the stalls was the drink called choco blast. After that, I couldn't stop talking about it, craving for the foods now and then. I even told my friends and brought my family and relatives to visit it.
From "Barbecue maam." to "Ukay ukay maam tag baynte lang" to "Massage maam oh" and even the kids who are singing and asking for money or something to eat. Choco buchi and the newest matcha buchi, chicken skin; siomai, balot, durian. Different ice cream flavors and Mang Danny's famous Ice cream, fruit shakes and drinks; Lolo who trended from selling popcorn, lola roaming around selling hair clips or headbands. Very affordable clothes, bags and shoes from the ukay-ukay, dvd stalls and the area who got affected the most, the massage area. These are just some of the stalls you can find in the night market.
My heart is breaking. Roxas night market is one of the favorite places of Dabawenyos. Walang mayaman, walang mahirap. Matanda o bata. In love o sawi. You can see how happy people are while you’re there. Students, distressing from school. Friends who got reunited; office mates gather after work. Couples having their simple dates, families having their bonding moments and even those who just want alone time by themselves.
That is why many of us got really affected, lalo na emotionally. Kahit yung wala sa area at that moment sobrang nasasaktan. What more to the victims and their families?
Why?!!! Those people are just doing their best to make a living and costumers who just wanted a night to relax. They are innocent. We are not used to this kind of tragedy because we go out of our houses without any fear and worries and yet, some are making fun or taking advantage of the situation. Heartless people.
Wake me up when September ends. Wake me up when this nightmare ends, but Dabawenyos are strong, even if things are wrong. Just give us time to heal our wounded hearts and we will surely rise from the fall.
Your prayers are much appreciated. Let’s pray for one another and for the whole nation.
I took this photo the last time I visited Roxas Night Market, still hoping to visit it again someday without the fear anymore