The Transistor Radio

The rains have become more and more frequent for the last few weeks, and there were heavy downpours that lasted for three days even though there was no typhoon present. Rains were being brought about by the Southwest Monsoon (Hanging Habagat) with or without any weather disturbance or low pressure areas coming from the pacific Ocean. This is the yearly rainfall that gives us the tropical wet season we both hate and love.

With no storm signal warnings from PAG-ASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), the authority to suspend classes for the primary and secondary levels fall on the City Mayor. And the best way to find out if the Mayor has suspended classes or not is to hear it first hand from reporters airing the announcements on AM radio. But we don't have a radio. The only radio we had was Lola Nanay's JVC component that broke down years ago even before we arrived in Iloilo. 

So in order to keep the children from unnecessarily dealing with rains, wet and/or slippery roads, floods, and morning traffic rush, only to find out classes have been suspended when they get to school, I bought a small transistor radio specifically for tuning to the news when we're unsure if school is out or not. It's a small, three hundred peso (Php300) unbranded radio that has basic AM/FM tuning, and a knob for power and volume. It also has alternative power (2 size D batteries) in case power goes out because of the rains. 

Well, it hasn't quite fulfilled it's duty yet. As no suspension of classes were issued since we bought it. But it has proved to be quite an interesting little appliance that you can keep on all day. Not only are you able to listen to music that's currently airing on radio, but you also keep  up-to-date with current events via the news talk stations that report and give opinions on what's in the news. Bombo Radyo here in Iloilo seems to be the most fun of the AM band stations as it fills its lull hours with drama sketches that I am not ashamed to say, makes me laugh and giggle as I work on the computer. 

Minda and I find the comical "Ini Ang Kabuhi" (This Is Life) drama sketch our favorite as there is always a comical snicker or subdued chuckle from the characters. Add in the funny and witty one-liners that seem second-nature to Ilonggos, and you can't seem to do anything else until after the program ends.