Merrymakers and revelers will seize the moment to wish upon their lucky stars that 2006 will ring in hope of better times.

In many homes, families will gather to pray for an end to the specter of terrorism casting a wide, dark shadow of horror around the world.

At the same time, wine will flow and champagne bottles will pop, while friends and lovers embrace and kiss exactly at midnight when the past meets the present on New Year’s Eve.

Children and adults will get hold of noisemakers to cheerfully hail the arrival of the New Year. In keeping with the country’s fascination with New Year’s Eve traditions, public streets and open spaces will be ablaze with gold and silver sparks from pyrotechnic displays and devices.

Stern warnings from the Philippine National Police (PNP) did not stop thousands of revelers to travel to Bocaue, Bulacan this past week to claim their share of firecrackers and baby rockets at more than half the price in Metro Manila public markets and makeshift stalls on street corners.

The week-long lull from Christmas Day allowed homemakers to clean and spruce up homes for good luck and prepare for the New Year’s eve feast.

New Year’s Eve is another occasion for Filipinos to hold family reunions over dining tables filled with food, fruits, and drinks. It is widely believed that an abundant table on New Year’s Eve augurs well for the coming year.

Children will be asked to wear red polka-dotted and brightly colored dresses while tables will be filled with 12 or 13 kinds of fruits, also for good luck.

Despite the hard times, families went on a buying binge for food to fill not only their tables but also their refrigerators to attract good fortune.

Being the largest Catholic country in the Far East, many Filipinos will gather before family altars to pray for peace, good health, and an abundant year ahead for their loved ones.

GMA reiterates warning against firing of guns

By GENALYN D. KABILING

President Arroyo yesterday warned anew government security forces against the indiscriminate firing of guns during the New Year revelry.

The President wanted to reduce the number of casualties resulting from the random discharge of firearms and other explosives by triggerhappy gunowners when the nation welcomes the New Year tonight.

After the Rizal rites in Baguio City, the President witnessed the ceremonial sealing of service firearms of Baguio policemen by Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao.

"The sealing of the gun muzzles was meant to stress the seriousness of the President’s order to the police, military and local governments banning the indiscriminate and illegal firing of firearms during the New Year celebrations," a Palace statement read.

The President earlier ordered the police and military to tape over the barrel of their guns to dissuade them from firing into the air to welcome the New Year.

As this developed, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Vidal Querol yesterday met with representatives of the Armed Forces NCR Command, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the various police district directors to discuss final preparations to ensure a peaceful and orderly New Year’s celebration.

Querol said the meeting aimed to make sure that all plans were in place to achieve zero casualty and conflagration during the New Year’s eve revelry.

The NCRPO chief said service firearms of all policemen in Metro Manila were sealed with masking tape to discourage lawmen from firing their guns during the New Year’s celebration.

At the same time, composite teams composed of Metro Manila police and personnel from the AFPNCRCom have been formed to monitor police and military camps in Metro Manila for anyone who might fire their guns during the revelry.

Among the camps to be inspected include Camp Crame, Camp Aguinaldo, Camp Karingal, Fort Bonifacio, Villamor Airbase, Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig and all police district headquarters in the metropolis.

The composite teams will also augment the regular police mobile patrols of the different police stations Metro Manila during the New Year’s celebration.

Also yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday said good weather conditions are expected in most parts of the country, including Metro Manila, Mindoro and Palawan, on the first days of the New Year.

PAGASA weather bureau chief Nathaniel Cruz yesterday said that, except for some isolated rainshowers, "Improving weather in most parts of the country is expected starting today until Monday."

"Good weather condition is expected to welcome the coming New Year," he said.

However, the weather bureau said that due to the passage of an easterly wave, frequent rains are expected to be felt over Aurora and Quezon provinces while central and southern Luzon as well as the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have isolated rainshowers.

Also, bus and jeepney operators and drivers assured the nation yesterday of their readiness to cope with the last-minute rush of passengers going to and from the provinces to celebrate the New Year at midnight.

The transport groups led by the Alliance of Transport and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA) and Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) said they will operate in full force the whole day today.

ALTODAP president Boy Vargas said jeepneys will continue to ply their routes even after midnight today to enable people to go home after celebrating the arrival New Year elsewhere. (with reports by Elena Aben, Madel Sabater and E. T. Suarez)