Mar Roxas' pamamanhikan on Saturday

Seasite.niu.edu gives this definition of "pamamanhikan" under the section "Ligawan":

After a long courtship, if the couple later decide to get married, there is the Filipino tradition of pamamanhikan (from panik, to go up the stairs of the house), where the

man and his parents visit the woman's family and ask for her parents blessings to marry their daughter. It is also an occasion for the parents of the woman to get to know the parents of the man.

During pamamanhikan, the man and his parents bring some pasalubong (gifts). It is

also at this time that the wedding date is formally set, and the couple become engaged to get married.

Now, the reason why I am telling you about this is because Senator Mar Roxas is said to be planning to do his 'pamamanhikan' this coming Saturday at the home of Korina Sanchez's family.

This comes after a number of political publicity gim

micks which started with him shouting gutter language to signfiy his protest against Charter Change, coming out with a TV commercial in which he rode a pedicab, appearing in a noontime game show to announce his proposal of marriage to TV News host Korina Sanchez, and most recently, his attendance at a session at the Senate wearing a garlic garlands to ward off vampiric creatures in Congress who voted for HR 1109.

One wonders if some drama will unfold days before the supposed 'pamamanhikan'.

Will Judy Araneta Roxas, Mar's mother, threaten to disown him if he continues with his marriage plans? Will Mar then tell his mother that he'll endure being (relatively) poor just to be with the love of his life?

I wonder what Mar will be bringing as a pasalubong? Will it be a garland of bawang and several pieces of buntot page (which are the dried tails of skates or manta rays) that are items traditionally used to ward off aswangs or vampiric creatures.

Call me mushy, but I'll wait for this political sideshow. Who knows, Mar's survey ratings may just get another boost from this emerging pukefest.

Get your buckets ready!

Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez engagement on Wowowee!

It was a status update on Facebook that tipped me off about Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez announcing their engagement on Wowowee.

Could it really be love?

I'd hate to think that nothing is sacred any more and that even wedding plans can be used as a political gimmick. Then again, we have Sharon Cuneta and Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Vilma Santos and former Senator Ralph Recto, and Judy-Anne Santos and Senator Jamby Madrigal...

If this were a political gimmick of any sort, it would probably eat the cake -- literally. That is, if and when, the wedding actually pushes through.

Willy Revillame actually asked Mar Roxas when the actual date of the wedding would be and Mar didn't mention a specific date. He went into this winding diatribe about just how really simple they really are and that they're just contented to go through a drive-in (movie) which Mar later corrected to say drive through.

In anycase, I guess, I shouldn't pass judgement on the sincerity of the act displayed so publicly on one of the biggest noon time shows in the Philippines. I mean, after all, engagement announcements are often publicized in newspapers and for a billionaire like Mar, he can probably afford to do it on live television with millions watching. Only the best that money can buy for Mr. Palengke!

Any how! Is it really love?

I ask myself this question whenever I see a foreigner and a Filipina walking together along Mabini. I ask myself this question whenever I see websites or newspaper ads with the words, "Filipina Bride".

Who am I to doubt their motives?

Then again, if you watch Willie Revillame, it seems even he got a little green around the gills and got the bad sort of goosebumps that portend a major date with the porcelain bus.

Anyway, normally, newly engaged couples normally get the ribbing of their lives and here's my opening salvo...

It's not true that Mar Roxas originally wanted to announce his engagement to Korina on the corner of Ayala and Paseo De Roxas in Makati City by shouting, "Putangina! Ikakasal na ako!"

Wedding planners have factored in that the actual wedding, if it happens, will be at least three hours late. That's the time it takes to take a pedicab from Cubao to wherever the church is in Metro Manila.

Instead of the traditional freeing of doves that happens at wedding receptions, Mar and Korina will be freeing a flock of ducks. Senator Manny Villar was much relieved by the news -- then again, he didn't see that the menu included Peking Duck.

On their wedding night, Mar won't be calling his mother Judy Araneta for advice. Neither will Korina.

On their wedding night, Mar won't be calling his mother Judy Araneta for advice. Nope, we won't hear Judy say, "Mar, iho, just put your biggest thing in her hairiest thing." And to which Mar would reply, "Okay, my checkbook is in her armpit, what next?"

On their wedding night, we won't hear Judy say "Iho, just put your biggest thing in her hairiest thing." And to which Mar would reply, "Okay, my balakang is in her armpit, what next?"

On their wedding night, we won't hear Judy say "Por dios por santo iho! Get Boy Abunda out of the room first!"

On their wedding night, we won't hear Judy say "Iho, remember what I said about taking risks?", to which Mar said, "Yes Mama, you said 'a bird in hand is worth two in the bush." and to which Judy would say, "Iho, it doesn't apply to honeymoons."

On their wedding night, we won't hear Judy say "Que horror! Who put Jamby and Pia together in the same table?!! Was it you Korina?"

On their wedding night, we won't hear Judy say "Padyak! Padyak! Padyak!!!!!"

We certainly wouldn't want to hear, "Korina, I want you to meet Mr. Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!"