Octoberians

OCTOBERIAN is a Filipinized term meaning “graduating during the semestral break”. It meant that the student might have some units left after the regular academic term and so has to finish them off in the first semester.

That term, however, will soon be a retronym, meaning it has become obsolete because of the present shift in the academic calendar due to pressure from World Bank and the ASEAN integration. So, the usual “Octoberians” are now “Decemberians.”

There are still a few schools on a holdout over the academic calendar shift but eventually there would be no “Octoberians” left.

So should we put that term to the dustbin? Apparently, no.

If we have to still use “Octoberian”, we have to shift its meaning as well. In the Philippines, at least for this year, it means a Filipino prepping up for candidacy. The Commission on Elections in its regular en banc meeting last March said that October 12 to 16 would be the dates for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2016 elections. The party list groups would have until May 8 to register, however.

So there. October is the time when the usually callous and insensitive people you call your politicians would suddenly be gracious, respectful and courteous to you. At the start of the month, you might have noticed them smiling at you and reaching out their hands. If your loved one died starting this month, expect them at the wake, telling all the guests how good the dead was even if six months earlier, these politicians wouldn’t have cared less who the dead was.

Yes, the new Octoberians are these hypocritical creatures trying to win over your heart and soul. It is apt because by the end of the month, October 31, they would be in full force already. They would become your vampires, ogres, shape-shifters aka the balimbings and other monsters. Only they, like Batman said in a masquerade, would not be able to disguise themselves any longer. That’s them, alright.

October is also the time when “strange bedfellows” would join together to form a party. For the rest of the year, they hated each other and wanted the other dead. But on this month, they would be “coalescing” to form a “united” party. They are like aswangs who decided to stay still for the registration period so they could become one. And like aswangs, they unite because they want your votes. After that, they want your heart and your internal organs. Just kidding, they only want your money.

So from now on, the Octoberians would no longer be the failing graduate. It would be the failures in terms of honesty and integrity now trying to be decent and respectful. Well, puera delos buenos, who constitute a minority. The rest are Halloween creatures. Would you vote for them? It’s your call. Or better yet, call the Ghostbusters.*