I wrote Drummer Boy for Promdi Heart because I wanted to write about Ati-Atihan and about drumming during the festivals. It’s not uncommon to find some of these groups going around Kalibo as early as November. #romanceclass #RCReadathon2020 #PromdiHeart

It was initially a script and there was much more to the story, but in the end it turned into Reina’s POV. I don’t get to see a lot of female drummers, and in hindsight, I wish I could have explored more of that. But it wasn’t the story that I wanted to tell at that time.

What I wanted to tell was My Kuya’s Best Friend, which is one of my favorite tropes. And to set it against my favorite festival.

In Kalibo, work basically stops during that week leading up to Ati-Atihan. Some companies gather their employees to do their own sadsad (this is what we call the march)—with, uh, some creative puns.

Also because it’s a religious holiday in honor of the Sto. Niño, you try to go to church for paeapak. You fall in line and wait for a tiny statue of the Sto. Niño to get rubbed against your shoulders and limbs.

People dress their Sto. Niños up and take them dancing. I can count about 16 of them in this photo.

People take to the streets in all kinds of costumes. Some of them are part of ‘tribes’ competing for a group prize; others just go out for the heck of it. My friends and I keep it casual. One year, we went with geeky statement shirts; another we went with animal caps.

I’ve met so many interesting people through Ati-Atihan. They come from different places with different stories and somehow for a week, you let your guard down and talk about anything and everything, which was also what prompted my Drummer Boy story. #RCReadathon2020 #romanceclass

Because really, if you can do your chicken dance to Happy Days are Here Again in front of them, you can get past many things.

Thinking about Ati-Atihan has really gotten me homesick! If you have you ever felt this way over a fiesta or some hometown event, give me a holler! #RCReadathon2020 #romanceclass

Adding more stuff because you can’t shut me up about Ati-Atihan. (LOL the stories I can tell and the lives I can ruin—but ofc you don’t want to ruin your fave people’s lives haha @maedinn back me up) Anyway, a lot of people have agendas at Ati-Atihan.

I won’t spill the tea, but here’s a pic of a spiked one. There is always alcohol (I feel like I say this every time but it’s true, please always drink responsibly), even places where you least expect it. These drinks were my faves.

Another agenda shot. We embrace our accents.

This is probably the most I’ve posted on Twitter, but welcome to my TED talk. This month’s theme is getaways and I would really like to be back home now please. #RCReadathon2020 #romanceclass

There will always be food. You have to be ready because you don’t know who will drop by. Talaba is our staple pre-game. And the fridges are always stocked with drinks.

The Monday after, the town goes back to normal. Streets are clean. People are either headed back to their own homes or are sleeping their hangovers off. My friends and I often take a short trip somewhere—Boracay, if we have a few days’ leave left, or just the bakhawan if we don’t

From Drummer Boy: “When Reina awoke, she could hear the busy intersection where their house was located coming to life. In the distance, she could even make out a drum and lyre band walking away.“ This is 100% true, drums wake me up during this time of the year. #RCReadathon2020

Also from Drummer Boy: “She was convinced that the loud frantic beat that she was hearing was coming from inside her chest.” The drums can be so loud that you feel it coming from the ground and echoing in you. #RCReadathon2020

I wanted Drummer Boy to be about all these little things that occur at Ati-Atihan. There is no big moment, just life happening to people whose lives happen to revolve around a festival. #RCReadathon2020 #romanceclass