The Signals of the Times

When Miss Saigon was shown at the CCP back in 2000, the audience was asked not to bring their cellphones. People who didn't know better had to deposit their cellphones at a counter and claim them back after the show. The queue for claiming cellphones were soooo loooong, you could have thought there was free ice cream at the front of the line.

The things we put up with in these times of cellphone ubiquity...

In another musical, Rent, an intro was given by a performer. She appealed, "please switch off your cellphones, beepers, pacemakers and breast implants". She even coached us on what to do if we see any impolite people texting during the performance: "(tap person on shoulder) Excuse me, rude person. Would you kindly turn off your cellphone, pleeease, rude person?"

In one seminar I attended, a phone started ringing in fullblast. Nobody flinched to answer the phone. A man, a 50ish year old lolo, was still engrossed with the lecturer even if his "Otso Otso" ringtone was filling the hall with laughter. No reaction from Lolo. He couldn't hear his own phone! Maybe he put his hearing aide (and not his cellphone) on silent mode!

Marami ring makulit sa airplanes. After the stewardess announces that cellphones could affect plane communication systems, you'll still hear cellphones clicking and beeping. Apparently, the threat of their plane crashing isn't enough to stop the Filipino texter. But, come to think of it, airlines are quite lax in implementing the "cellphones off" rule. Either there isn't any real threat of plane crash due to cellphone interference or the airlines are negligent of safety precautions regarding cellphones.

I was at CCP for the Ramon Magsaysay Awards where a friend, Ben Abadiano, received an award for Emergent Leadership. Buti pa ang CCP ngayon, they've put cellphone use to a stop while inside the main theater. They use cellphone signal jammers inside the main hall.

Thanks to the signal jammers, there was no need to deposit our cellphones, there were no cellphone signals, no rude texters, no Ocho Ocho ringtones to interrupt the solemnity of the awards.

- edwin

Read: Edong's Dreams - Full bar wherever you are, International Day for Texting, Bakal! Bote! Dyaryo! SIM!