Halloween celebrations, which have become increasingly popular in urban centers in the Philippines, temper the somber spirit brought by All Saints’ Day. Children in scary or fantasy costumes walk the streets displaying what they wear and expecting a handful of candy besides. The characters range from products of lore, to popular culture or literary icons, to politically tinged appearances. It’s all good, clean fun—perhaps what we need in these genuinely scary, bizarre times. We wonder how many characters —scary or bizarre or both—we must endure before we get the ones who are just themselves, doing their jobs without any fanfare.

Source: The Standard October 30, 2017 13:35 UTC