After conquering a number of mountains near Manila, the group is keen and hopeful to hike the-cold-never-bothered-me-anyway Mt. Pulag next. I signed up on that climb list too. I’ve already reached its summit, but I haven’t witnessed the sea of clouds on its most beautiful form yet. (Like that of “Above The Clouds” epic finale!) There’s one activity that I also want to do it again with my traveling friends – to ride on top of a jeepney.

That’s why we didn’t let the chance pass when we’re granted to topload in the jeepney on our way to Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal. We got a preview of what we’re wishing for from the Cordilleras. It was a long drive and one could feel the breeze, see the lake from afar, smell the scent of different kinds, hear the tires squeaking, and taste someone else’s hair strands. It brought the kids within us. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

90’s Kids

Toploading on the jeepney brings back our childlike feelings. There are spots in Rizal which still remind us what a province looks like – rice fields with peeking sun between two mountains which we used to draw. We were familiarized again with different trees and bushes we saw along the way – the aratiris we picked and the gumamela by which improvised bubble solution were made of. And these things lead to a discussion of perks of being a Batang 90’s.

We were not millenial yuppies anymore. We became 90’s kids again. 90’s kids notion is encompassing those who are born somewhere in the 80’s (like me) and in the early 90’s (like them).

All those nostalgic memories of playing the street games came back. These are the larong Pinoy which most of the children today aren’t playing now because the kids today choose iPad games over outdoor live actions.

Boy Next Door ng Bicol, Barbie Girl ng Batangas and Boy Hugot ng Bulacan, the promdi (from-the-province) kids contributed a handful in naming the games. The throwback list grew from shato, dampa, braided rubber bands (ancestor of the loom bands fad), to the difference between sumpit and sumpak, to jolens, tumbang preso, and Chinese garter, and to patintero with patotot, and jackstone and the endless exhibitions. One of us even opened up that during his childhood he was already the designated artist who draws the piko lines and yeah with that flag polygons. Talk about early training huh.

Mga Larong Pambata. Karanasang Pang-matanda.

While we’re recalling such games and chants, me being my usual self, couldn’t help but think of hugot from this children’s play. But I kept them to myself so the conversation about 90’s kid stuff would flourish uninterrupted.

We are not playing these games anymore. But we are now playing hearts or being played instead in the game of love. Here’s how larong Pinoy evolve to emotional adult complications.

Kami ang Batang 90’s

We are the kids of the 90’s. We don’t say that we are the best generation in the recent decades…

Ultimate Squad Goals

… but we are the happiest just with things like this.

Upon reaching our destination, there’s one song that fully described what transpired during our topload. The feels game on this one is so strong.