The Role of Bingo in a Filipinos Life

    I was on my 5th grade in elementary when Bingo became so popular in our place.  It was 1990 then, and I was 10 years old.

    Every afternoon around 2:00 P.M. of Saturdays and Sundays I remember Lola Pina tells us to call our neighbors because it is already time to play bingo.  And so, I with my playmates rush to the neighboring houses and invite them to come to Lola Pina's house.

    I can very well recall the people who were active players.  Namely Manang Sita, Manang Elsa, Lola Juana, Manang Neneng, Tiya Bebing and of course Lola Pina who always had the most number of bingo cards.

    At first, the players were learning how to play and so there was no bet of money involved.  But after, when the players became expert already they began betting with money.  During this time each bingo card is worth 25 centavos and Lola PIna had a maximum of 8 cards.  The rest either had 2 or 4 cards.  Of course, the number of cards depend on how much you can afford.  Also, during this time me and my playmates were just observers also called "Miron"in our native Ilongo dialect. 

    This was the role of bingo in my childhood years.  I was a child and it served as a simple, normal children's game to me.

    Years passed and I became a 2nd year high school student.  And bingo was still popular.  This time the number of players increased and it reached up to the neighboring villages.  the players now includes men and women at their teenage as well as married who considered bingo as a pastime after working hours.

    From time to ttime I play bingo as a pastime.  I bet with money and sometimes I win but most of the time I lose.  But I don't mind losing.  Anyway my lose will not make me poor.  Same as that winning will not make me rich.  That was 1993 and bingo was a popular pastime and I was a student who doesn't mind losing.

    On my 3rd year of high school I transfererred to my father's hometown in Miagao.  We lived there and I was on 2nd year of college when I heard and played bingo once again.  My adolescent year was quite depressing ad my college was worst.  I had a mental breakdown and from time to time I go back to Passi for vacation.  There I played bingo to relieve me from depression.  It served as a therapeutic activity and it occupied my vacant time.  Bingo is therapeutic.

    I recovered from depression and I was able to finish college with a degree in Computert Science.  Now, I am already working as a caregiver in Israel and sometimes I still hear bingo.  However, this time its impression is not good because it is considered as a form of gambling. Finally, that is bingo and its role in my life as a Filipino.